I’m sorry to show the face of Jori Lehtera. I know he’s not well liked by Blues fans. And that’s justified, because he’s paid like a second-line player, but he produces like a fourth-line player.
I bring attention to Lehtera because perhaps no other player on the roster needs to improve as much as Jori does. He has the natural ability – he showed that in his first season. And he’s vowed to improve his play. I am rooting for the guy, because the Blues really need him to step it up several notches.
The Predators and the Penguins are playing in the Stanley Cup Finals. It’s a very yellow series. Gosh, those Nashville helmets are too much. But I digress….
What the Blues management (read: Doug Armstrong) should be taking away from this series is the presence of skilled centermen. Pittsburgh has Crosby and Malkin. Nashville had Johanssen before he got hurt, and veteran Mike Fisher.
Centers are so important. They take faceoffs, feed their wingers, and go in deep in the zone. They are the pivots of each line, and the bigger the better. The Blues, as we all know, are lacking in this area. And Doug Armstrong knows it and is trying to upgrade the position.
Seeing legit big-time centers in the playoffs should strengthen the Blues’ resolve to get one, no matter the cost.
Thanks for reading.
Open Ice Notes 