St. Louis Blues Are Set Up To Be Good For Awhile

Sports are a fickle thing and things can change with the drop of a hat. However, on the surface, the Blues are set up to be a good team for quite awhile.

The St. Louis Blues know that things can change with the switching of the wind. When you think you are on the doorstep, the door closes and then getting in through the window is increasingly difficult.

We found this out with the mid-2000’s teams. We all thought those Blues were set up to be good for a long time since they had a young core coming together that should have only needed supplemental pieces.

Doug Armstrong did his best to go that route. He brought in players that would help, but not outshine guys like Backes, Oshie, Perron or Berglund. The results were mixed, at best, and often disappointing with early playoff exits.

This current group of Blues might be no different. Until we see the proof in the pudding of the playoffs, there is no way to know for sure. That said, on the surface, this current squad is set up to be good for a good while.

ESPN just did an article about the best young cores that are locked up around the NHL. The Blues finished third, just behind Edmonton and Nashville.

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As pointed out in that article, the Blues have Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly and Jaden Schwartz all wrapped up through at least 2021. Tarasenko and O’Reilly are both locked up through 2023 and all three are 27 or younger.

That’s a pretty good top line right there. There are all sorts of other reasons to be excited.

Brayden Schenn is only 26 and still with St. Louis for at least the next two seasons. If he plays well and likes it here, it seems like a good bet he might stay past that.

David Perron has had an up and down relationship with the Blues. Even so, he is only 30 and on a four year contract. Alexander Steen is 34 and we are just now wondering if the Blues should drop his contract, so we can hope that Perron is productive in the same vein.

That is just the forwards. Alex Pietrangelo, 28, is under contract for two more seasons and Colton Parayko, 25, is under a pretty team-friendly deal through 2022.

We won’t go into the goaltending situation since that is almost as split as the political atmosphere. However, even in that aspect, Jake Allen is under a good contract and Ville Husso is still on his entry level deal.

None of this takes into account the Blues prospects either. The “big three” of Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas and Klim Kostin are all on their entry level deals through 2021. It is not impossible to think the Blues might work out early extensions, if they produce, but to have good talent all guaranteed for under $1 million per player is extremely effective.

As much grief as we all give Armstrong, he has actually timed things out pretty well. Though the Blues are nearly at the salary cap now, they will have another good chunk of change opening up next offseason with some contracts ending.

All those deals are for somewhat older players (29 and up), so you can either re-sign at lower rates or let the younger players have their spot. Or, you can use that freed up money to go out and sign more players.

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The bottom line is that you cannot know how the players will gel or if there is locker room problems or whatever until they step on the ice. If the team has success and a good locker room chemistry, though, we could be looking at more sustained success for the foreseeable future.

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