The Blues may be getting written off everywhere you look, but there’s real reason to think this roster can push back against the projections.
The outside view on the 2026-27 season is rough. Power rankings and preseason previews have the Blues near the bottom of the league, with lottery odds supposedly more likely than a playoff chase.
But the roster tells a different story. There’s enough talent here to see a path to a surprise run into the postseason, even if nobody is penciling them in as a Cup threat.
What stands out first is the youth. Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud, Mason McTavish, and Connor McMichael have already proven they belong in the NHL, and all four are 25 or younger.
That gives the Blues a foundation that still has room to grow, which is where the optimism starts to creep in. Jake Neighbours and Dalibor Dvorsky add even more intrigue.
Both are expected to open the year on the third line, but neither is locked into that role if their play earns them a bigger opportunity.
Holloway and Snuggerud were part of the surge after the Olympic break, and both were producing at nearly or above a point per game over the final two months of the season. If that level of offense carries over, they can drive the attack for this team. Mix in what McMichael and McTavish can provide, along with whatever the veterans and the rest of the young group contribute, and there’s a chance the Blues end up with a dangerous offense.
The other big reason for hope is Joel Hofer. He has steadily grown from a dependable backup into a legitimate starter, and last season he posted a .909 save percentage and a career-low 2.61 goals-against average in 46 games. The trend line keeps pointing up, and with the full-time starting job in front of him, another step forward would fit the pattern.
Behind him, Jordan Binnington gives the Blues a capable second option. He’s not the same goalie who helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2019, but he still has value in a tandem or backup role.
He had a rough start to last season, yet in five March starts he turned in a .921 save percentage and a 1.62 goals-against average. In a reduced workload, there’s a good chance he can still flash more of that older version of his game.
In Other News...
Blues Enter A Season That Could Change Their Direction Fast
The Blues are heading into the 2026-27 season with a very different feel, and it starts with the push to get younger in a hurry. Several young players are in position to matter on the roster, while the front office has also brought in some notable new pieces to help shape the next phase of the team. It is the kind of summer that can reset the tone around a franchise before the puck is even dropped.
Mason McTavish, Connor McMichael and Brandon Carlo are among the additions giving St. Louis a new look, and the bigger backdrop is just as important. Alex Steen is entering his first season as general manager, which adds another layer of uncertainty to a club that could move in more than one direction depending on how this group comes together. There is optimism in the youth movement, but also enough unknowns to make this one of the more consequential seasons in recent memory. [Read more 🡒]