The St. Louis Blues are expected to have a good year in 2025-26. But, as the summer rolls along, there is no way to know just how well or bad next season will go until it gets going in October.
If things do go sideways, and not as expected, there are three Blues players that will likely be on the hotseat as the trade deadline approaches in March of 2026.
Who has the most pressure to succeed next season, and cannot afford to fail?
Jordan Kyrou
This is an easy one. Since that heart-wrenching loss to the Winnipeg Jets in game seven, the Blues have been rumored to be actively shopping Jordan Kyrou. Not to mention that the draft came and went, and they decided to use their 19th overall pick on Justin Carbonneau, who is nearly a carbon copy of Kyrou.
The writing is in the stars that this No-Trade Clause will not last long, depending on how the next season goes. There is a sense that this constant talk could sway Kyrou away from the Blues, no matter the outcome of the 2025-26 season, but if he fails to perform well, it could be over regardless.
Jordan Binnington
Let's face it, Jordan Binnington was very average last season up until the 4 Nations Faceoff. After helping Team Canada secure that championship, he came back to the Blues with that undeniable tenacity and consistency that helped push this team into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With Joel Hofer on a bridge deal to once again prove his ability to succeed Binnington when the time comes, there is pressure on no. 50 to have a solid year in 2025-26. Anything short of keeping this team in the playoff hunt for much of the year could spell and change in goaltending position between Binnington and Hofer.
Dylan Holloway
After a fantastic debut season with the Blues, Dylan Holloway has a very high ceiling for next season. With a contract extension in the balance, as he will be due for a new deal as an RFA once the 2025-26 season concludes, it is time to see if it was all a fluke or not.
This organization has an abundance of capable wingers, and Holloway has to be as good, if not better, than last season in order to keep his place. There might not be another player on this team who has as much pressure as him, especially with him coming back from a pretty serious lower-body injury that required surgery.
It is all eyes on Holloway in 2025-26.