An Olympic wrap up for Blues fans

Hard to believe that, just a few weeks ago, we were getting ready for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Now, we're just days away from the NHL regular season starting back up, and the St. Louis Blues will play their first post-break hockey game on Thursday.

Before we ramp up for the stretch run of the regular season, let's take a moment to reflect and recap how the Blues' representatives fared in the Olympic Games. With five players in Milan, the Blues were one of the more well-represented NHL teams.

The big story is that Team Canada returns to North America with a silver medal, losing to Team USA in the final event of the Olympics in an overtime thriller. The two Blues representing Canada were Jordan Binnington and Colton Parayko, but let's not forget that Team Canada's GM, Doug Armstrong, represents St. Louis as well--at least for the remainder of this season. Those silver medals are the only ones coming to St. Louis, but the impact for the Blues goes well beyond the accolades.

Sure, Binnington's selection as the starting goaltender for Canada was often scoffed at, but he wasn't the reason they lost in the gold medal game. Just like after last year's Four Nations win, Binnington's trade value has probably never been higher, and, given the position the Blues are in, this may be the best time to move him. For Parayko, it was a reminder that the big, right-shot defenseman can still be an effective defensive defenseman, even if the offense will never wow you. They both represented their country well and, while silver isn't gold, it's still quite an accomplishment, considering how improved other countries have become in international competition.

Speaking of teams on the rise, how about Team Slovakia? They didn't win a medal, losing in the bronze game to Team Finland, but they certainly stepped up for a roster with only a handful of NHLers--and one of them plays for the Blues. Dalibor Dvorsky was a revelation in Milan, second on the team in scoring for the Slovaks with three goals and six points and setting a record in the process. He's got a bright future in St. Louis, as does a certain recently extended Blues defenseman.

While Team Sweden ultimately disappointed in these Olympics (though they did give the Americans a bit of a scare in the quarterfinals), Philip Broberg put together a solid performance. He registered one point--an assist--in Sweden's five games, and proved himself reliable in a top-four role on the Swedish blue line, finishing with a plus-2 rating. Broberg's going to be a crucial part of St. Louis's defense group now and into the future.

The fifth and final Blue in the Olympics may be new to St. Louis, but Pius Suter finished with two goals and three points for Team Switzerland, a team that showed they can hang on the international stage. Suter may not be long for St. Louis, as he could have decent value at the upcoming trade deadline, but he's been a useful player for the Blues and helped an underdog Swiss team put together a solid showing.

Outside of Broberg and Dvorsky, that was likely the first--and last--Olympic opportunity for Binnington, Parayko, and maybe Suter. Sure, Parayko's under contract in 2030, and Binnington may still be playing in some sort of backup role in the NHL, but the next wave of Canadian talent will surely supplant them in the depth chart. In Suter's case, he may have a second crack at an Olympic medal, but that'll depend on the development of Switzerland's next generation of players.

What a joy it was to witness international best-on-best hockey at the Olympics again. Blues fans should be proud of their players who went to Milan, even if none of them were able to win a gold medal. It's going to be quite a shift, going from the intensity and pace of the Olympics to watching the Blues play the final 25 games of the season. Hopefully, the Blues players who were in Milan can bring back some of that Olympic spirit and invigorate the team down the stretch.