Let the Games (Preseason) Begin!

Hockey is back. Well, sort of. Tuesday night brings the first preseason contest for the St. Louis Blues as they square off against the Tampa Bay Lightning. We’ve talked about them all summer and many have flocked to their training sessions, but now it’s time to watch the Blues skate against an opponent for the first time since last Spring.

Obviously, preseason doesn’t count. The Blues won’t get anything from winning, nor will they take things very badly if they lose. However, preseason is a time where we can finally see key things we’ve been talking about all summer come to life. Who will win the backup job, Brian Elliott or Ben Bishop? Following Tuesday’s contest that has Elliott scheduled to make the start, all of us will have plenty of new talking points.

It’s been fun analyzing the team’s moves and hypothesizing about various matchups and battles, but now, thanks to the preseason preparing to commence, there will be some physical evidence for all of us fans to sink our teeth into.

I have no intention of putting up game recaps for the preseason, or for the regular season for that matter, but I do plan on keeping a sharp eye on various performances and talking points. For the first time in a while, the Blues have more bodies than they know what to do with, and some players will find their roles defined based on what happens in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned. The ride is just about to start.