The St. Louis Blues have already given fans both sides of the coin in this young season.
One night, they opened with a 4-0 shutout over the Dallas Stars. Since then, the picture has gotten murkier: a 6-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, then a 4-2 defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks and a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks.
That’s the sort of start that doesn’t tell you much yet, which is exactly why the next month looms so large. Conventional wisdom says NHL teams usually know by Thanksgiving whether they’re on a playoff track, and the Blues are squarely in that window.
After making the playoffs two seasons ago, St. Louis is expected to get back there again, but the roster looks different now, and the margin for error is already shrinking.
The Blues have talent. They also can’t keep handing away points and expect the season to sort itself out.
The schedule ahead will help answer the real question. St.
Louis gets the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday and the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, and those are the kind of games the Blues need to cash in on. After that, the challenge rises fast with matchups against Minnesota, Nashville, Winnipeg, Vegas, Carolina, and Montreal.
That stretch is loaded with tests. Beating teams like the defending Stanley Cup champions, along with Vegas, which made the Final last season, and Montreal, which went to the Eastern Conference Final, won’t come easy.
But that’s exactly why those games matter so much. If the Blues handle that run well, the conversation around them changes in a hurry.
Injuries are already part of the equation. St.
Louis opened the season without defensemen Logan Mailloux and Tyler Tucker, then lost Alexei Toropchenko and, most recently, Dillon Dube. That’s four regular lineup players out of the mix, and it has already put pressure on the group.
If the Blues avoid any more major setbacks, they should be able to survive it. If the injury list grows, the path gets much harder.
For now, everything starts Saturday against Columbus. Two points there would matter plenty.
In Other News...
Blues Already Have Two Offensive Problems Fans Can't Ignore
The Blues have barely had time to settle into the season, but the early offensive picture is already hard to miss. Their top line of Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud and Robert Thomas has been asked to drive play and set the tone, yet the group has not given the club much on the scoreboard through four games. St. Louis is still trying to find rhythm at even strength, and the lack of finishing touch has fed into a broader problem that has carried over to the power play.
There is at least some reason for patience beneath the rough start. The numbers at five-on-five have been more encouraging than the goals column, suggesting the chances are there even if the results have not shown up yet. Joel Hofer has given the Blues a steady presence in net, which buys a little time for the offense to sort itself out, but until the top line starts converting and the man-advantage looks sharper, this will remain one of the first places fans look for answers. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Hit With Another Injury Setback As Depth Gets Tested
The Blues are dealing with another hit to their depth after forward Dillon Dube was sidelined with a neck injury, leaving the club to shuffle its lineup again as it tries to navigate a stretch already shaped by multiple absences. St. Louis has been leaning on its lower end of the roster more heavily, and the next wave of adjustments now includes giving Zach Dean a look on the fourth line while Justin Barron remains in the mix on defense for a second straight game.
It comes as the Blues are also working through a new defensive zone coverage system under assistant coach Greg Cronin, which makes the timing of the injuries even more demanding. With the lineup in flux and responsibilities spreading to younger or less established players, the next few weeks will give St. Louis a clearer read on who can absorb tougher minutes while the staff keeps sorting out the back end. [Read more 🡒]
Blues May Have A Rare Binnington Window They Can't Ignore
Jordan Binningtons contract situation has suddenly become one of the more intriguing storylines around the Blues, with his deal set to expire and his name now surfacing in speculation tied to the New York Rangers. For a team that has leaned on him heavily, the idea of moving a veteran goalie of his stature would be a major decision, but it is the kind of possibility front offices at least have to examine when the timing lines up this way.
The appeal is obvious from St. Louis side: if there is a real market, this could be a rare chance to weigh a substantial return against the challenge of filling the crease without a proven No. 1 in place. There is plenty to sort through before anything becomes concrete, though, and for now the situation remains in the realm of possibility rather than a confirmed move. [Read more 🡒]