Tonight is the official start to the 2025-26 NHL season, but it is not opening night for the St. Louis Blues. That comes on October 9, against the Minnesota Wild at home.
Before that, let's look at the season ahead and give some of the hottest possible takes. The end result of this season should be a positive one, so let us keep this on the lighter side of life.
Binnington gets Vezina votes
One of the most crucial players for the Blues in the 2025-26 season is their goaltender, Jordan Binnington. He has to be perfect, from start to finish.
If he can replicate how the final stretch of last season went, there is no reason to deny that he won't receive some Vezina votes. He might not win the award, but you should never say never. With backup Joel Hofer hot on his tail and the recent waiving of goaltending prospect Colten Ellis, Binnington has to rise to the occasion.
Snuggerud wins the Calder, breaks rookie franchise records
In his first full NHL season, Jimmy Snuggerud will prove to everyone that he belongs on the first line of this team. Furthermore, he will set a new franchise goal record for rookies, set by Jorgen Petterson in 1980-81. That record is 37 goals, which is easier than it looks with a superstar center like Robert Thomas feeding you scoring opportunities on a nightly basis.
It is important to remember that there is a lot of pressure on this kid to succeed. He went from playing for the University of Minnesota, helping the Blues down the stretch to make the playoffs, and then went toe-to-toe with the Presidents' Trophy winners, the Winnipeg Jets, in a heated seven-game series. Snuggerud has grown so much in a short amount of time, which is what might set him apart from the rest of the rookie class.
Blues make it to the Stanley Cup final
The final hot take for the fresh new season is that the Blues will defy the odds and make it all the way to the Stanley Cup final. They will represent the Western Conference, but will not be lifting the greatest trophy in this sport.
There is only one team that has a solid, definitive chance of winning the Stanley Cup this season, and it is the back-to-back champs, the Florida Panthers. They have retained much of their core group that has won them those two championships, and even without their two stars, Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov, they still have a strong system working for them. Plus, you know those two will do everything in their power to get back on the ice early.
The Blues will have an incredible year, but it just won't be enough.