Bleacher Report handed the St. Louis Blues a “D” in its 32-team offseason roundup, and on the surface, that sounds like the kind of grade that can send fans into a spiral. But the bigger picture around this roster points in a different direction.
The Blues didn’t spend the summer chasing splashy headlines. They also avoided repeating the mistake from the previous offseason, when Nick Bjugstad and Pius Suter were asked to fill center roles in an effort to patch over holes. This time, the organization moved on from really bad contracts and brought in a wave of youth.
That shift matters because the Blues are entering a new era with Alexander Steen stepping in as the new General Manager. The core is now built mostly around players under 25, and the belief inside that setup is simple: eventually, this group will sort itself out and become a real contender. It may not happen overnight, but the direction is different now.
There’s also a heavier edge to what the Blues are building. Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael, along with Ross Johnston and Brandon Carlo, give this team a tougher identity. The idea is a group that can bring some pain to opponents and play that brand of hockey over the full 200-foot sheet.
Jim Montgomery now has a fast, intense training camp ahead of him as he tries to figure out the best fit for everyone. There could be some fireworks between teammates before the newly formatted 84-game season even begins, and that battle for roles is expected to spill into the regular season with a punishing style of play.
So while the “D” from Bleacher Report may be a fair reflection of how the offseason looked on paper, it doesn’t tell the whole story. For the Blues, this summer was more about clearing the deck and setting up a fresh start in 2026-27.
In Other News...
Blues Suddenly Have A Center Depth Question Fans Can't Ignore
The Blues center picture looked straightforward enough when the offseason began, with Robert Thomas penciled in as the top-line anchor and Mason McTavish fitting naturally into a second-line role. Then the addition of Connor McMichael added a little more flexibility to the roster, even if he is expected to spend most of his time on the wing. For a team trying to sort out its forward mix, that kind of versatility can be useful, but it also keeps the conversation alive about how the middle of the lineup will actually settle in.
Pius Suter sits in the middle of that discussion, because the third-line center spot is not quite as settled as the rest of the depth chart suggests. St. Louis has enough moving parts to imagine a few different looks as the season unfolds, especially if the bottom six gets reshuffled and the staff decides it wants more certainty down the middle. The Blues do not need to solve everything in July, but the way they handle those center minutes could end up shaping more than just one line. [Read more 🡒]
Adam Jiricek Suddenly Has A Real Chance To Force Blues Decisions
A year out from the 2026-27 opener, Adam Jiricek is suddenly a name worth tracking on the Blues blue line. St. Louis has already built out a defense group that includes Philip Broberg, Cam Fowler, Colton Parayko, Brandon Carlo, Logan Mailloux, Theo Lindstein and Tyler Tucker, but Jiriceks path is no longer just about long-term upside. He has a real chance to push his way into the conversation for an opening-night job.
The clearest route is on the third pair, where a strong camp and early-season play could force the Blues to keep him around and even consider a bigger role if he handles the jump. It is still a tough ask for a rookie defenseman, and the competition in front of him is the kind that can make even promising prospects wait their turn. Still, this is the sort of development that can change how a team approaches its roster decisions before the season ever starts. [Read more 🡒]