from Nicholas J. Cotsonika of Yahoo,

If the Blues felt that way then, how do you think they feel now that the season is finally starting Saturday? They were primed to contend already because of their hunger and improved health, and the lockout should work to their advantage because of their continuity, structure, depth and goaltending. They are set up for this 48-game sprint in the West like the New York Rangers are in the East.

The goal is no longer growth. When the Blues announced a five-year extension Wednesday for Doug Armstrong, the NHL’s reigning general manager of the year, Armstrong said in a statement that Hitchcock and his staff "believe we have constructed the foundation necessary to compete year in and year out and deliver St. Louis its first Stanley Cup."

The Blues know what it takes. They know because after Hitchcock took over a 6-7-0 team and turned it into a 49-22-11 team, good for 109 points and second place in the West, they ran into the Los Angeles Kings in the second round.

And they got swept.

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