'We Believe In Him,' Blues Coach Reinstates Faith In Dalibor Dvorsky Despite Recent Benching

The deployment of young players is a hard part of coaching that is often overlooked.

Coaches need to find a balance between giving young players the ice time they need to learn and develop, without throwing them to the wolves and ruining their confidence.

That is the tightrope St. Louis Blues coach Jim Montgomery is walking right now with 21-year-old Dalibor Dvorsky. 

Dvorsky's ice time has plummeted, with his two most recent contests showing 10:14 and 6:36 of ice time. Dvorsky has played in 18 games this season, recording four goals and five points. It hasn't been smooth sailing, and Dvorsky now finds himself on the wing.

There's lots to like about Dvorsky's game, including his shot and defensive awareness, but at times, he's been a non-factor. Some of that is attributed to his skating speed, a question mark that has surrounded him even before he was drafted. 

The Blues clearly believe there is another level Dvorsky can take his game to, and Montgomery is trying to help him find it.

“We believe in him," said Montgomery. "He's a big part of us … not only because he's a first-round pick, but he's a talented young man that we all enjoy coaching, he's a really good teammate, and it's just a matter of time."

If Dvorsky is unable to add speed to his game, he needs to find ways to be effective without it. It's not impossible, as players like Patrice Bergeron, Anze Kopitar, and John Tavares have carved out Hall of Fame careers without being quick. That isn't to say Dvorsky can or can't reach that level, but rather to reiterate that quickness isn't the be-all and end-all. 

The Blues don't seem to think demoting Dvorsky to the AHL is the right move. He's shown that he is capable of dominating the AHL and that playing in a league below his level won't do him any good.

If his play continues to slide, it will be interesting to see whether anything changes. For now, the Blues coaching staff hopes to work out the issues from within. 

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