The St. Louis Blues had a tough go in 2025-26, but there is a sense that brighter days are ahead. The 2026-27 campaign might not go well either, but the future of this franchise will be much clearer than it is right now.
Looking back on last season, there are a couple of players who really stepped up for this franchise, despite the abysmal result. Three in particular really hammered it home, and their future is actually as the first line of the next era.
Let's talk about it.
Robert Thomas, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Dylan Holloway
Usually, the content would read as if each of those players were individuals, and what they accomplished last season. But we are going to go in a bit of a different direction.
The first line of Robert Thomas, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Dylan Holloway was one of the best trios in all of hockey last season. Head coach Jim Montgomery shuffled and re-shuffled each of the lines so many times last season to try to find the perfect fit at the top, and unfortunately, found this trio a bit too late.
In 30 games of action, the trio had an xGoals% of 58.1%, which was a huge help as the team was fighting for a playoff spot until the near-end of the season. Thomas led the way for the trio, finishing the season with 64 points, followed by both Snuggerud and Holloway at 51 points apiece.
For next season, this line is going to be very important with the younger generation coming in. Setting the top line helps the bottom three lines with chemistry, and it is easier to move pieces around with nine skaters than with 12. Plus, if the fourth line of Jack Finley, Alexey Toropchenko, and Nathan Walker retains its grit, that makes it even easier to plug-and-play with the forward group.
The entirety of the season was rough, but the building blocks have been placed thanks to the emergece of those three skaters working together. Now, can they keep it going with a few months off of working together?
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