Heading into this season expectations were high for the St. Louis Blues. 

Having missed the playoffs in the first three post-NHL lockout seasons the club overcame a slow first half to last season, finishing strong down the stretch to qualify for the 2009 playoffs. 

Despite being swept out of the post-season in the opening round by the Vancouver Canucks the feeling amongst Blues fans and some outside observers was the Blues long rebuilding post-lockout plan was finally bearing fruit. 

So it's not difficult to understand the disappointment felt by Blues fans as their team is stuck in the basement of the Central Division and sitting above only Anaheim and Minnesota in the Western Conference standings. 

So what's with the Blues faltering start to this season?

The most