The St. Louis Blues authored an impressive surge to reach the 2024–25 Stanley Cup Playoffs, only to see their run end in the opening round against the Winnipeg Jets. As the 2025–26 season approaches, the club is intent on building upon that momentum.
Under head coach Jim Montgomery — who revitalized the club midway through the 2024–25 season — the St. Louis Blues enter the new campaign with a well-rounded roster strengthened by several key additions. Veteran defenseman Cam Fowler arrived via trade from Anaheim, while Logan Mailloux was acquired from Montreal, and free agents Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad added valuable depth down the middle.
The Blues are widely projected to return to the postseason for a second consecutive year, aiming to build on their late 2024–25 surge that vaulted them into the league’s upper tier under Montgomery’s guidance. However, there’s reason to suspect that this team might be overrated entering the year.
Team is suspect defensively
Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas will be the stars of the Blues offense. It wouldn’t be shocking if Kyrou reached 40 goals and Thomas could inch closer towards a 100-point season. The offense is certainly not the issue; it’s the defense.
St. Louis is currently without a true elite defenseman. The roster features a number of capable blue-liners—ranging from average to good—but lacks that generational presence that can anchor a defense and tilt the ice. At the moment, Fowler stands as the team’s best option on the back end. He’s a veteran of more than 1,000 NHL games and provides a steady, reliable presence.
However, labeling him a pure shutdown defender would be a stretch. In fact, defense has historically been one of the weaker aspects of his game. Where Fowler truly excels is in generating offense from the back end. A prime example came in Game 3 of last year’s First Round playoff series against Winnipeg, when he erupted for five points in a 7–2 blowout victory. No defenseman in Blues history had ever tallied more than four points in a postseason game.
With that performance, Fowler joined a select group of just seven other defensemen in NHL history to record five or more points in a playoff game: Paul Coffey (6), Denis Potvin (5), Al MacInnis (5), Eddie Bush (5), Bob Dailey (5), Cale Makar (5), and Risto Siltanen (5). It’s an impressive achievement—but it also underscores the reality that while Fowler can drive offense, St. Louis still lacks that elite, two-way defensive master.
Goaltending is questionable
As talented as Jordan Binnington is, he has shown a tendency to experience puzzling stretches of regression. To his credit, he bounced back nicely last season, and Joel Hofer provided dependable support in the backup role. However, with a blue line full of uncertainties heading into this year, it seems reasonable to anticipate some level of decline from Binnington’s performance. If Hofer isn’t able to bridge that gap, the Blues could face a difficult climb to remain competitive.
For that reason, it’s hard to envision St. Louis securing a playoff berth this season—though, of course, surprises are always possible. The only way to know for sure is to watch how the campaign unfolds from start to finish.
What’s next?
The Blues kick off the 2025-26 regular season at home on Thursday when they take on Kirill Kaprizov and the Minnesota Wild from Enterprise Center. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. local time.