The Blues’ summer is winding down, and with camp and the 84-game grind just around the corner, it’s time to take another look at five bold calls for 2026-27.
One of the clearest bets is that St. Louis gets back into the playoffs through the wild card.
The Central Division looks packed at the top, with Dallas, Colorado, Minnesota, and Utah expected to fight for the three spots there. That leaves the Blues to battle the other three division rivals, and they should have a real edge after being very good against Pacific Division teams last season.
That trend is expected to carry over.
Up front, the hope is that Robert Thomas, Dylan Holloway, and Jimmy Snuggerud stay together all year and keep driving the top line. The prediction here is that the trio remains intact from start to finish, even though Holloway and Snuggerud have injury histories. If teams start targeting that line, they’ll also have to deal with a fourth line that stands an average of 6-foot-5.
There’s also a real chance Logan Mailloux pushes Philip Broberg for the role as the first defenseman in the unit. Mailloux’s 2025-26 season was rough, rocky, and underwhelming, but he finished strong. If he can pick up where he left off, the Blues could open with a first pairing built around two solid defensemen.
In goal, Joel Hofer is the one to watch. The early thought was that he might be in line for 60-plus starts, and that still could happen, but there’s also a sense that Jordan Binnington will get a proper run if this is a farewell tour.
Binnington is expected to draw trade interest at the deadline, and by then Hofer should be ready to take over as the franchise starter. The prediction is 50 starts and 30-plus wins for Hofer as the Blues push back toward the postseason.
The final call is that the lone call-ups from Springfield will be Justin Carbonneau and Adam Jiricek. Last season’s wave included Theo Lindstein, Otto Stenberg, and Dalibor Dvorsky, but the setup is different now.
Lindstein and Dvorsky could already be roster regulars, while Stenberg may spend the full year in the AHL. With the added depth at center and Carbonneau getting a look up front, keeping Stenberg down makes sense.
On defense, Lindstein may not stay on the Blues roster long, and Jiricek is expected to get his turn in 2026-27.
In Other News...
Former Blues First Round Pick Just Raised The Stakes On That Trade
Zachary Bolducs move out of St. Louis already carried the kind of long-view feel that comes with trading away a former first-round pick, and now Montreal has added another layer to the deal. The forward has signed a four-year contract with the Canadiens after spending the first two NHL seasons of his career split between St. Louis and Montreal, giving the new club a clearer commitment to a player it believes can be part of its plans for years to come.
For Blues fans, the part that still hangs over the swap is what St. Louis got back in the exchange and how both sides will be judged as the years pass. Bolduc is now set to remain in Montreal through the 2030 season, which only sharpens the stakes on a trade that was already likely to be measured by more than just immediate return. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Brutal Start Puts Joel Hofer Under Immediate Pressure
The NHLs expanded 84-game slate and shorter preseason will leave little time for teams to ease into the 2026-27 regular season, and the Blues are feeling that pressure immediately. A rough opening stretch features back-to-back road games against strong opponents, which means St. Louis will need to be sharp early while still sorting out its goaltending rhythm between Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer.
For Hofer, the assignment looks especially important because the early schedule is expected to hand him a meaningful share of the crease right away. With the Blues trying to manage their starts carefully across the first week, the balance between experience and opportunity becomes a key part of the discussion, and the way St. Louis handles those opening games could set the tone for how confident it feels in net going forward. [Read more 🡒]