The Blues have found one reliable way to steady themselves through a choppy start: they own the middle of the ice.
That’s been a real bright spot during St. Louis’ roller-coaster opening, and a 2-1-0 mark through five games of this homestand is at least giving them something to hang onto with two more home dates still to come.
According to NHL EDGE, no team spends more time in the neutral zone than the Blues. They’re first in that category at 18.8%, ahead of Carolina at 17.7% and Colorado at 18.2%.
That kind of control matters. It helps the Blues manage tempo and keep games on their terms. But there’s a catch: owning the space between the blue lines isn’t enough if it doesn’t turn into meaningful pressure at the other end.
The issue is what happens after that neutral-zone control. St.
Louis ranks 19th in offensive-zone time at 40.1%, which is not where a team with a talented top six and puck-moving defensemen wants to sit. And this isn’t a brand-new problem.
The Blues have dealt with similar results in recent seasons, finishing 16th in the 2025-26 campaign and then climbing to 9th in 2024-25.
That lack of offensive-zone time has shown up in the play of the first line, which has struggled to build much consistency over the course of the 2026-27 season.
The fix is straightforward, at least in theory: push north. Rush the puck with purpose, get it deep when needed, and keep the pressure coming until the zone is established and the five-man attack can get to work.
The Blues are already winning part of that battle by controlling the center of the ice. What they aren’t doing enough of is turning that control into forward momentum.
NHL EDGE points to another part of the problem: they rank 22nd in miles skated on the ice at 504.63. More skating with the puck, more movement toward the offensive zone, and more sustained pressure could change the look of their attack.
Right now, the Blues have mastered the middle. The next step is turning that into a full-on offensive push.
In Other News...
Blues Make A Telling Lineup Reset As Home Stand Pressure Builds
The Blues are getting a familiar forward back at a time when their home stand is already asking for a sharper response. Alexey Toropchenko is back in the lineup after being sidelined by a shoulder injury suffered in the season opener, giving St. Louis another option up front as it tries to settle in against the Canadiens and keep its early-season rotation from getting any thinner.
The changes do not stop there, either. St. Louis is also tweaking its defensive look, with Brandon Carlo and Philip Broberg set to be paired together for the first time, while Jordan Binnington gets the start in goal. With several players still out injured, the Blues are leaning into a reset that may say plenty about how they view this stretch, even if the bigger answer will have to wait until the puck drops. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Suddenly Have A Cam Fowler Problem They Can't Ignore
Cam Fowler was supposed to settle things down on the back end for the Blues after signing a three-year extension, but the early returns have made his role a real question for a team trying to stay organized defensively. The veteran defenseman has not looked like the same player who was expected to help stabilize the blue line, and his on-ice impact has slipped enough that the conversation in St. Louis has shifted from fitting him in to figuring out how much they can afford to keep leaning on him.
The timing makes it even trickier because the Blues are already looking at ways to reinforce the defense, whether through a trade or by getting injured players back into the mix. Logan Maillouxs expected return from an upper-body injury only adds another layer to the decision-making, since the blue line may soon need a reshuffle. For a team that wants more certainty on defense, Fowlers place in the lineup has become one of the bigger issues to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Playoff Push May Depend On One Goalie Question
Joel Hofers fast start has given the Blues a clear early answer in net, at least for now. After his strong opening performance, he has moved into the starters chair and given St. Louis a chance to settle its most important position before the season gets away from it. For a team trying to stay in the playoff mix, that kind of stability matters, especially with a veteran like Jordan Binnington available to steady things behind him.
Binningtons presence still gives the Blues a safety net few teams can match. The Stanley Cup winner is expected to serve as dependable support and help manage the workload over the long haul, which could be a major factor as the season grinds on. The real question for St. Louis is how long this arrangement holds and how well the Blues can keep both goalies in the right rhythm when the games start carrying more weight. [Read more 🡒]