The St. Louis Blues are heading into a new era, and with it comes a lot of mystery. The 2026-27 season has the potential to be the most important year in recent memory, as it could be a tale of two extremes.
Either they are heading in the right direction with the youth movement, or these kids are just not ready for this and will never be. This upcoming 84-game campaign is going to be bold, to say the least.
Here are three bold predictions for next season. These are going to seem a little outlandish, but there is some weight behind them.
1. Blues narrowly miss playoffs again, citing major improvements against Central teams
The Central Division was one of the best set of teams in the NHL last season, spearheaded by the Colorado Avalanche and their Presidents' Trophy victory. Dallas was a powerhouse once again and Minnesota seriously bulked up.
For the 2026-27 season, the Blues are going to be on the outside looking in again. But it will be much closer, and the shift from those top-three teams mentioned above will begin to take hold. Utah and Chicago will also join the Blues in making some strides.
2. Blues have a 100-point scorer
There has not been a 100-point scorer for the Blues since Brendan Shanahan did in 1993-94 with 102 points. That has a very good chance of changing next season with a revamped roster in the top six. Not to mention a stellar first line in Robert Thomas, Dylan Holloway and Jimmy Snuggerud.
Of that trio, the easiest choice for the Blues player to eclipse the 100-point mark would be Thomas. He has flirted with it over the last couple of years, coming closest in 2023-24 with an 86-point effort. Can he be the one to break this long drought?
3. Hofer ascends to superstardom in first year as starter
Unofficially, this is Joel Hofer's team now, as Jordan Binnington will likely be slotted down to the backup role for 2026-27. We saw how well he was able to step into the role last season, with six shutouts to his credit and a record of 24-13-5. It has become clear that he is the go-to guy going forward.
That said, it is not a bad bold prediction to name Hofer as a goaltender to enter the elite tier of the NHL next season. The defense in front of him is still going to be suspect, but growing pains around this team could be accelerated with stellar play from No. 30.
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