The St. Louis Blues have been on a roll lately, and with every win earned, the idea that the trade deadline decisions were genius has become abundantly clear. What General Manager Doug Armstrong and the rest of the front office did at the most pivotal point of the season might have set up this franchise for the next couple of seasons.
Here are three reasons why it was an incredible move.
Silent at the deadline
After shocking the entire National Hockey League by not making a single move at the Trade Deadline on March 7, the Blues decided to roll with the squad they had. There was some possibility there with the highly sought-after Blues captain Brayden Schenn. Toronto called, but neither Schenn nor Armstrong budged to make the move stick.
That sentiment of not bending to set up a potential playoff run this season or retooling for the future resonated deeply with these players. Armstrong and head coach Jim Montgomery decided to stick to their guns and believe in their guys. It worked flawlessly.
Bet on his own guys
At the March 7 trade deadline, the Blues were in a tight race for the second wildcard spot with the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames, all separated by a single point. Instead of jumping ship and trying to figure out a way to improve the roster either now or in the future, Armstrong and company took a bet on Robert Thomas, Zack Bolduc, Justin Faulk, Jordan Binnington, and the lot to give the rest of the 2024-25 season their best shot.
That bet resulted in a franchise-record 12 straight wins and a chance to take the first wildcard spot or even the third place in the Central Division. With four games to go, it is likely a real possibility that this team will make the playoffs and be a dark horse in the playoffs.
Set up for a dynasty
Because of Armstrong's genius move to not give up any talent at the Trade deadline, the Blues have an interesting situation. The young up-and-comers are still part of the Blues organization and have already. Both Dalibor Dvorsky and Jimmy Snuggerud have proven to be the real deal in their first few games in the NHL and are cornerstone pieces for the Blues' future.
The Blues have a legitimate chance to be a dynasty team. They are a bit of an older squad, but they are not at the point of scrapping the entire team and starting fresh. Key players like Thomas, Schenn, and Binnington are still in their prime years, albeit in the latter half of their prime years.
The future looks bright in St. Louis, and it is all thanks to the incredible foresight from Armstrong.