The St. Louis Blues entered this season looking to build off the previous campaign, where they made the playoffs but suffered a heartbreaking first-round elimination by the Winnipeg Jets. This past summer, the Blues didn't do much, considering most of their roster was still under contract.
But to start the 2025-26 season, things have not gone smoothly. As of this writing, the Blues sit in last place in the Central Division. Yes, it has only been 10 games, but the Blues have had some concerning losses this early into the campaign. Look no further than the 8-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct.15 and the 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 27.
There is still plenty of time for the Blues to turn things around. Never forget the 2018-19 season, where they went from last place midway through the year and went on to win the Stanley Cup. But this season, they'll need more from their players. Here are three that may need to be taken off the roster due to their play.
Joel Hofer
If there is one major area of concern for the Blues currently, it's their goaltending. Jordan Binnington is the Blues' undisputed starter, but he hasn't had the greatest of starts. Through eight games, Binnington has a 3.27 goals allowed average, an .863 save percentage, and a 2-4-1 record.
The thing is, Joel Hofer, St. Louis' backup, is having an even worse start to the season.
Hofer, their 2018 fourth-round draft pick, showed in the last two seasons that he can be a reliable backup to Binnington. But this season, his numbers have been atrocious, and he may be downright unplayable.
Through four games, Hofer has an unsightly 5.81 goals allowed average and a .793 save percentage. His best performance came in a 4-2 win over the lowly Calgary Flames, where he stopped 27-of-29 shots on goal. Hofer was the starting goalie in the 8-3 loss to the Blackhawks, where he only stopped 15-of-22 shots on goal. His most recent start came in the 6-3 loss to the Penguins, where he saved 20-of-25 attempts.
The Blues need some more insurance from their backup goalie. Hofer just isn't providing it at the moment, and his three starts have been concerning. If he doesn't turn things around, the Blues might have to look elsewhere for help.
Cam Fowler
The Blues made a savvy move last year by acquiring defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks. The move paid off, as he put up nine goals, 27 assists, and a +19 plus/minus ratio. The Blues couldn't have asked for anything better from the defenseman. Before the season, the Blues rewarded Fowler, giving him a three-year, $18.3 million contract extension.
Since making that decision, Fowler has not been playing up to par. Let's be fair, neither is most of the defense.
This season, Fowler has just two assists to his credit, and a plus/minus ratio of -8, the third-worst on the team. Those are not ideal numbers so far, especially considering how he played last season.
The defense needs to step things up if they want to lead the team in the right direction. That includes Fowler.
Pavel Buchnevich
Let's start by saying that the Blues can not move Pavel Buchnevich unless he wants to, as he has a full no-trade clause in his six-year, $48 million contract with the team. So the likelihood of Buchnevich being moved is incredibly slim. But his play thus far hasn't lived up to his contract.
The Blues had a ton of belief in Buchnevich, enough to give him the long-term contract. But to start off this year, Buchnevich has done little to live up to his top-six forward role.
So far this season, Buchnevich has two goals and four assists in 10 games. He doesn't have a single even-strength goal so far this season. And in the team's recent 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, Buchnevich only had one shot on goal.
Simply put, the Blues need more from Buchnevich, especially with Jake Neighbours injured. There's still plenty of time for him to turn things around. But so far, he has been one of the biggest disappointments on the team.