St. Louis Blues: Some Things To Be Thankful For Blues Fans

It’s Thanksgiving in the U.S.A. It’s a time for all to reflect and be mindful of everything we have to be grateful for. As St. Louis Blues fans there are some things this season we should all be thankful for.

For the St. Louis Blues and their fans, Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and gratitude. A time for family and friends. It’s a time we can all take a minute or two and bring to mind the blessings we have in our lives today. It’s something that goes so far beyond sports.

It’s about more than just being mindful of all the blessings. It’s about showing that gratitude and blessing another fellow human. Be it a stranger, a family member, a friend, or a co-worker. I don’t want to miss the true nature of gratitude in this article without encouraging all of our readers at some point between now and the end of the year to reach out and bless someone else.

Nothing brings gratitude like unconditionally helping another. Sometimes it’s just listening to someone as they unload their burdens and worries. Sometimes it’s through a random act of kindness. Whatever the case we all know someone, somewhere who needs our help. So show some gratitude and help them.

More from Editorials

• St. Louis Blues Need Kasperi Kapanen To Be On Best Behavior
• Hayes’ Debut And Other Bold Predictions for the St. Louis Blues
• St. Louis Blues Captaincy Is Suddenly A Huge Problem For 2023-24
• St. Louis Blues National Games Cause More Problems Than They’re Worth
• St. Louis Blues Brayden Schenn Has To Be An Impact Player In 2023-24

If no one immediately comes to mind then as you think about it here are some things as Blues fans we can be grateful for.

As St. Louis Blues fans we have already endured some tough news this season with injuries and suspensions.

Although this news has been unwelcomed and unsavory there are some things we can certainly be grateful for.

It’s not the November 2018-19 season!

A year ago at this time, the Blues were fresh off firing then-head coach Mike Yeo and Craig Berube had taken over as the interim. The team was in the midst of spiraling its way to the bottom of the league record-wise.

This season, however, the Blues sit near the top of the Western Conference and near the top of the entire NHL. The Blues have a 14-5-6 record good for 34 points and tops in the Central Division and second in the Western Conference.

Robert Thomas is Displaying Top 6 Center Skills

With the Blues combatting injuries and looking for some more offense Craig Berube finally unleashed Robert Thomas as a center for the third line. In his brief time there at the writing of this piece, he has amassed 5 points in his last four games.

He is showing off his vision and playmaking abilities with ease and has really come on as the future superstar the Blues and their fans have been hoping for.

David Perron’s Wrist Shot

DP57 since his time in Vegas and here has really developed and improved his wrist shot to the tune of 11 goals in 25 games. With the unwelcomed and unfortunate news of Vladimir Tarasenko needing shoulder surgery and being on the shelf at a minimum of 5 weeks DP57’s number has been called often. Paired up with Ryan O’Reilly, David Perron has been given every opportunity to showcase his shot.

With O’Reilly setting the table Perron has shown not just the Blues, but the entire NHL that he has a shot that is hard, quick and more importantly incredibly deceptive. Thank goodness he altered the curve on his stick and has found this new shot.

He always had a good shot, but the way he is delivering now has added an element of deception that makes it very tough for the opposing goaltenders to pick up on the release. Keep firing the puck DP!

Jordan Binnington is a Bonafide NHL Starter

At the start of the season, everyone outside the Blues fanbase was questioning if Jordan Binnington was the real deal or not. Over the course of the first quarter of this season, all Binnington has done is go 11-4-4 with 1 shutout a 2.23 GAA and .923 SV%.

I don’t think there are any doubters or question marks left. The guy has ice water coursing through his veins and an unrelenting competitive hellfire burning in his chest. He is the biggest reason this team will make the playoffs and stay competitive in this early injury-plagued season.

Jake the Snake is Shedding His Old Skin

Last year at this time Jake Allen was a porous version of what the Blues and their fans had envisioned when he was signed and named the starter for the Blues. He was a visible headcase and had lost confidence in his game.

He took a backseat to the newcomer and red hot Jordan Binnington and did so with all the professionalism you could possibly ask for from a veteran. Binnington has credited Allen for helping him have the season he did last year and attributes the relationship the two of them have as a reason for his continued success.

So far this season after a couple of rough starts that left Allen with a GAA north of 3 and a SV% well below .900 as well as left many Blues fans calling for him to be cut, Allen has a 3-1-2 record and his GAA has improved to 2.95 and he has a .904 SV%. Let’s be grateful for now that he seems to be rediscovering his mental edge and battle! We will need him to help get us to the playoffs again.

The Injuries Happened Early

No one wants a player on their team to get injured much less their top scorer and two of their better defensive forwards. Yet this is what the Blues find themselves dealing with and although unfortunate there is a silver lining.

The injuries have happened early and aside from Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Steen, and Sammy Blais will be back and have plenty of time to get up to speed to help this team push towards another playoff birth.

Tarasenko, on the other hand, will be reevaluated 5 months from his surgery which would essentially take him out until the playoffs. On the optimistic side, Tarasenko has already shown he can recover quickly. His game takes time to get up to speed, but his health seems to recover rapidly. So the doctors will be careful with him, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see number 91 back in action prior to the playoffs.

We’re Stanley Cup Champs!!

I’ll end it with this one. We are the champs and on top of that, we are in a position in November to get to the playoffs again. We all saw that you only need to make it in order to win it last year.

Sure a repeat is uber difficult in the NHL, but even with the injuries, those players will return and so long as we make it in again the Blues have the coaches, they have the system, and they have the personnel to get us to the promised land once again!

It’s a long and grueling season that is matched or surpassed only by its post-season. The Blues will face some more adversity this season. It’s not going to be pretty all the time. We have seen glimpses of what this team can do. It hasn’t been consistent, but it’s been there and it’s gotten us to 14-5-5 so far.

This team has won it all and knows what it takes to do so. I believe beyond any shadow of a doubt this team will be in the playoffs and will be primed and running on all cylinders when they get there. No one will want to play us in the first round or any round for that matter.

They saw what we can do and know that we can do it again. Thankfully the injuries have been early on. They would be far more detrimental later in the season.

In the end, records don’t matter and championships mean nothing if we don’t have anyone to share them with. So take the time to not only think about what you can do for someone else, but remember, savor, enjoy and nurture the most valuable thing many of us have today. Deep and meaningful relationships. Not everyone has them. We can take them for granted at almost every turn.

So turn off your phone, your laptop, or your computer and set them aside if your one of the fortunate to have the time off and you’re around some of those deep and meaningful relationships. Go enjoy them today and maybe take the time and the risk to maybe develop a new one with a neighbor, a co-worker or even the guy panhandling at the intersection near your house.

You just don’t know what one simple act of gratitude can do for the stranger who is praying for a miracle. You at the very least will bring a smile, but you could just save a life! Take care everyone! Happy Thanksgiving and Thank You ALL for the read and Thanks Again to ALL those who leave comments!