After their surprising playoff run last season, the St. Louis Blues will be one of the most entertaining teams to watch. They don't have any star player to build a team around, but they are solid in just about every area, including the forward group, defensemen, goaltenders, and special teams.
With a team that developed a high-octane approach scoring 250 goals in 2024-25, one forward can benefit and finally realize his potential while two defensemen will put up breakout performances. And with the Blues knowing they can beat anyone heading into 2025-26, there's no limit on how far they can go this season.
Find out which forwards and blueliners will enjoy career outings, and discover how far the Blues can go in the 2026 postseason with these bold predictions.
1. Jordan Kyrou finally scores 40-plus goals
Jordan Kyrou has scored at least 31 goals in each of the past three seasons, and in two of the last three years, he found the net at least 36 times. One reason Kyrou has never hit 40 goals in a single season is that he scores in stretches, then suffers through dry spells, leading to inconsistent output despite clocking in as one of the league's best scorers.
But with the Blues entering the 2025-26 season as one of the league's hottest scoring teams, look for Kyrou to get even more involved, whether he plays on the first or second line. That will finally push him through the 40-goal mark, and he'll once again end the season as the Blues' top scorer.
2. Logan Mailloux and Philip Broberg enjoy breakout seasons
Philip Broberg looked like he was on his way to a breakout season in 2024-25, but an injury slowed his progress. Broberg had nine points in those first 12 games, and just 20 in his final 56 contests after returning from injury. Not bad numbers, but Broberg has shown potential that he can put up 0.75 points per game, and he'll get close to that number in 2025-26.
Meanwhile, Mailloux has already been a revelation in camp and in the preseason, and he'll carry that into the regular season if he makes the lineup. But even if he's not in St. Louis early, look for a call-up when injuries strike, and Mailloux won't go back to Springfield in such a scenario.
While Broberg puts up roughly 55 points, Mailloux will end up with around half a point per game. That will further erase any lasting impression of Zack Bolduc, who the Blues traded to get Mailloux, and add yet another legitimate young talent to a blue line that's getting deeper by the year.
3. The Blues make a deep playoff run
Nobody saw the Blues going on a 12-game winning streak before taking things down to the wire against the best team in hockey, before they finally packed up and went home for the summer. Since they nearly ended up earning a trip to the second round last spring and look better on paper in what will be head coach Jim Montgomery's first full season, the Blues are poised.
The Central Division may be the toughest in hockey, and the Minnesota Wild did them no favors when they extended Kirill Kaprizov and gave themselves a superstar player for the next eight years. However, the Blues have a unit capable of landing in the top 15 in scoring, and they have one of the best goalie tandems in hockey that will keep them in games if the scoring isn't there.
They lack starpower, but make up for it with a well-rounded team that doesn't have a glaring weak spot. The Blues already proved last season that a team-oriented approach can get them into the playoffs, and as they gain experience, they can and will go even deeper, earning a trip to at least the Western Conference Final.
With a more experienced group of forwards, Kyrou will finally realize his potential as a 40-goal scorer. Brobreg and Mailloux will emerge as playmakers, ultimately helping Kyrou in his pursuit of 40 goals. And in the first full year of the Montgomery era, an optimistic Blues team will only keep getting better, and that will serve them well in the playoffs.