The St. Louis Blues have the 16 games remaining in the 2024-25 regular season. At the moment, they are still sitting on the outside looking in, at 31-28-7 for 69 points. Calgary is in at 71 points, Vanocuver is tied but out with 71 points and the Utah Hockey Club is tied with the Blues at 69 points.
For the rest of the season, the Blues have a special weapon in their possession. A double-edge sword, as you will. How they use this weapon is entirely up to them, but using it correctly or incorrectly will change the trajectory of this franchise's future.
What could it be?
Easiest strength of schedule
That's right. The Blues have the easiest 16 games left for this season, then 31 other NHL teams. They have the best chance to get themselves into the playoffs. According to Tankathon.com, the Blues remaining schedule is at a .524, just ahead of Washington and Edmonton for the bottom-three.
The ball, or puck, is in the Blues court. They hold the keys to the kingdom, but they cannot let it waste. During their 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night, they dropped a gift that should have aided their bid into the playoffs. That cannot happen over the next 16 games.
Easiest path to the playoffs?
Remember that double-edge sword I mentioned, the other side of that edge is the very real fact that the Blues can mess this up. This perfect scenario, for a team that has not been able to string together a solid win-streak, could blow up the entire season. All because, the Blues might overlook their opponents and get their legs pulled out from underneath them.
That cannot happen, because this is a potential low-light that will go down in the Blues history book. A potential downfall of this magnitude, will resonate to all potential free-agents this summer that might want to give the 'Lou a chance. The future is riding on this season being a successful one, and if the Blues don't make it but are right at the doorstep, it will be still be a positive. But, blowing most of these 16 "easy" games, will set this franchise right back into the re-building phase.
Do the Blues have the easiest path to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, yes. But, they don't.