ºüÀêÊÓƵ

This is the challenge for everyone in Blues leadership positions, chiefly coach Craig Berube, of course, but principally Doug Armstrong, considering the general manager “Army� is, well, the general.

“Based on last season,� Armstrong said, “I think everybody in the organization — from top to bottom, management to coaches to players — can all be better.�

The Blues general manager is the primary person who touches and influences all of the other people with the Bluenote on their business cards or trading cards. It starts with recalibrating the culture. After a lost season, the Blues named the selfless Brayden Schenn the new captain. Armstrong cleverly acquired Kevin Hayes, who brings a great personality into a dressing room that needed new vibes. And Armstrong fared well at the trade deadline — similar to his counterpart down Clark Avenue, the Cardinals’ John Mozeliak, Armstrong collected young assets with aspirations.

And as Armstrong shared on a video call Wednesday, he’s tried to influence (and improve) the character of the club.

“Obviously, we are judged by wins and losses,� said Armstrong, the day before the Blues begin their 56th season at Dallas on Thursday. “I think it’s going to be when I look at it from 30,000 feet, it’s going to be more of an attitudinal look. How do we play in games? There are proper ways to win, there are proper ways to lose, there are proper ways to play the game.

“Successful teams play the full 60 minutes. They protect their goaltending. You know, when it’s a 4-2 game, they don’t let it get to 6-2. They just respect the game, they respect the competition, they respect each other. I think teams that don’t do that have wild fluctuations in their seasons.�

After last season, Armstrong humbly pointed out that he needed to learn, in essence, what makes the TikTok generation tick. He said that the young players haven’t totally changed, but the parenting has.

“We’ve gone from a society of my generation where our parents were parents — and now our parents are more friends,� Armstrong said. “I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. I’m just saying it’s a reality thing. And I think today’s players, if they’re looking for an exit ramp where they’re going to get support, regardless of what they’re doing, it’s easy to find right now.�

And so, Armstrong is still learning about leading. How can he and Berube (and even Schenn) get young players, notably Jordan Kyrou, to maximize their hockey motors and minds? Armstrong said he’s read a couple books on the 20-something generation. He’ll implement some strategies behind the scenes. And he seems to have a better finger on the pulse of the finger-swiping generation.

“Whether you’re a player and your skill is on the ice, or whether you’re management or coach,� Armstrong said, “you don’t get better at 15%-20% of the time; you get better 1%, 2%, 3% at the time. So if research and of doing work and reading can help me get better a little bit — and I can share that with people — then hopefully we’re moving forward. If you’re not moving forward, you’re going backwards in this industry.�

Kyrou’s $65 million contract kicks in this season. Same for center Robert Thomas. These were huge “Army� deals. But they were investments in potential — and it’s this potential Armstrong and his staff must activate.

For all of his scoring, Kyrou must play stronger defense. And for all of his passing, Thomas must make himself a goal-scoring threat. Without traded stars Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly, Kyrou and Thomas will be “circled quicker by every visiting team,� Armstrong said of the $8.1 million men. “They’re going to have to learn how to get unchecked, how to play through things that they’ve never had to play through before.�

The biggest problem last year was the Blues defense. That’s on the forwards, too. But yes, the defensemen were defenseless some nights. It was brutal. And these were players who Armstrong signed to big contracts. Sure, we can gripe that Armstrong should’ve re-signed Alex Pietrangelo that pivotal summer, instead of Torey Krug. But Krug surely can be better than his play from last season. Armstrong must make sure he’s in good communication with Krug — it’ll be awkward, of course, because “Army� tried to trade him a few months back. But that’s part of both business and leadership.

And then there’s Colton Parayko, who went from fan favorite in 2019 to the target of fans’ anger in 2023. The big defenseman makes $6.5 million this season, same as Krug and Justin Faulk. Parayko must (must!) have a bounce-back season — or the Armstrong contract might look really bad, considering Parayko has a no-trade clause.

Armstrong was honest on Wednesday — Parayko is not going to be an offensive catalyst. As we’ve learned, just because Colton can shoot as hard as Al MacInnis, it doesn’t mean he’s going to score like the legend did.

“For Colton to have a successful year and a successful career,� Armstrong said, “it’s going to be more in that Jay Bouwmeester-style of player where he uses his skating, defends well with his stick, kills plays down low, kills cycles, makes the initial first pass (out of the defensive zone). He’s going to play 20-plus minutes a night of hard minutes, probably not a lot of power play. So his job is to play against the other team’s best players.�

And to be one of his team’s best players.

Just like Kyrou and Thomas.

Armstrong is more of a behind-the-scenes guy and the coach of the coaches. But this 2023-24 Blues team is his team. And it better be a rejuvenated team — or it’s on “Army.�