The Central Division is crowded enough already, and the teams chasing the Blues just made it even tighter.
St. Louis already had a tough road in a division that features the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Minnesota Wild - three clubs described as Stanley Cup-contending teams.
If those three are locking up the Central’s playoff spots, that leaves the Blues fighting for one of the wildcard berths. And one of the teams that missed the postseason last year has done enough this summer to make that race a whole lot more uncomfortable.
The Nashville Predators are the big reason why.
A couple of summers ago, Nashville went big with Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei, and Jonathan Marchessault, who was a year removed from a Conn Smythe-winning Cup run with the Vegas Golden Knights. After surging into the playoffs following their famously missed U2 concert, the Predators decided it was time to push their chips in.
It didn’t work. Nashville wound up with the third-worst record of the 2024-25 season and then missed the playoffs in 2025-26, undone by a roster that was too old and too slow to keep pace in the Central.
This summer, though, the Predators attacked the problem where it hurt most: depth. They added Mavrik Bourque, Ross Colton, and Jack Drury, all of whom are major upgrades over Erik Haula, Zachary L'Heureux, and Fedor Svechkov. Nashville still doesn’t have to be viewed as a true Cup contender, but the roster is strong enough now to put them firmly in the playoff bubble conversation.
The Utah Mammoth are another team to keep in the mix after making the playoffs last year as a wild card. With young players continuing to develop and new additions settling in, they should remain part of the picture.
But the more surprising possibility is Winnipeg.
The Jets were dragged down by a brutal third pair on the blue line, and backup goalie Eric Comrie was inconsistent behind Connor Hellebuyck. That workload left Hellebuyck worn down by the time the playoffs arrived.
Winnipeg addressed both issues by signing Mario Ferraro and Stuart Skinner. If Hellebuyck gets back to form and the rest of the lineup performs the way it should, the Jets can absolutely find themselves in the bubble mix too.
That’s the reality for the Blues: the margins in the Central are going to be razor-thin, and the teams around them have already made their moves. St. Louis is going to have to come out swinging just to keep up.
In Other News...
Blues Interest In Nikishin Puts Hurricanes At A Real Crossroads
Alexander Nikishins name has started to circulate in the kind of trade chatter that can reshape a blue line, and the St. Louis Blues are among the teams showing interest in the Carolina defenseman. Nikishin is still unsigned as a restricted free agent, which only adds another layer to a situation that already has Carolina weighing whether to keep pushing forward with him or use his value in a bigger move.
For St. Louis, the question is less about whether Nikishin fits and more about what it would take to get him. Alexander Steen has already made some roster moves in his new role as general manager, but the Blues have not shown their hand on what they would be willing to part with, and the market around Nikishin is still taking shape. With Carolina listening and the Blues poking around, this is the sort of deal that could move quickly or stall out without much warning. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Center Depth Still Leaves One Big Question For This Team
The Blues have spent the past few seasons reshaping the middle of the ice, and the latest look at their center group says the work is not quite finished. Robert Thomas remains the clear anchor as the top-line center, giving St. Louis a proven piece to build around, while the addition of Mason McTavish gives the club a new option to sort through behind him after all the recent turnover at the position.
What still keeps the group from feeling settled is the uncertainty around McTavishs fit and form after a disappointing year. An evaluation from The Athletic placed St. Louis top-six center duo in the middle of the pack, a nod to Thomas stability but also a reminder that the Blues are still waiting to see whether McTavish can clean up his defensive play and rebound enough to turn this area from adequate into a real strength. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Youth Movement Suddenly Feels Bigger Than Fans Expected
The Blues push toward a younger roster is starting to look less like a long-term talking point and more like a real roster plan. With a prospect pool that has grown deep enough to matter, St. Louis is lining up several names who could factor into the NHL picture over the next few seasons, and next year already has the feel of a turning point for the organization.
Justin Carbonneau, Adam Jiricek, Theo Lindstein and Otto Stenberg are all in the mix to join or return to the NHL roster, while Dmitri Buchelnikov could also enter the conversation if the Blues need help on the wing. Even beyond that group, the pipeline has enough intrigue to keep this from being a one-off youth push, because the next wave of prospects may end up shaping how quickly St. Louis can turn development into lineup decisions. [Read more 🡒]