The St. Louis Blues had a busy offseason, to say the least. The numerous changes the team made have led to a renewed sense of optimism.
However, the moves look good on paper. It remains to be seen if they will translate to success on the ice.
Until fans see the moves pay off, there will be questions about whether the moves are the right ones.
Let’s start with an evident question: Did the Blues do the right thing by trading Jordan Kyrou?
Kyrou’s name had been on the block for months. Finally, the Blues made a deal happen. It nettedConnor McMichael, a more versatile forward than Kyrou. The move was good insofar as getting Kyrou’s name out of the rumor mill. The issue remains whether McMichael will prove to be an effective upgrade.
If he doesn’t deliver, there will be plenty of criticism, especially if Kyrou has a renaissance in Washington.
Another question pertains to a non-move. In particular, the non-trade of Jordan Binnington. Like Kyrou, Binnington’s name had been in the rumor mill for months. Yet, no one really stepped up with an offer to the Blues’ liking, and, well, Binnington remains in St. Louis as he enters the final year of his current contract.
Will failing to trade Binnington come back to haunt the Blues? This question will be especially pertinent if Binnington’s game falls off a cliff this season. The conversation will revolve around the missed opportunity that was trading the veteran netminder when the club had a chance to get a decent return.
Robert Thomas rumors will come up again next season
Another crucial question that will come up is about Robert Thomas. While the official narrative is that the Blues and Thomas are committed to one another, the rumor mill could continue to turn. If the market heats up, some may scrutinize Alex Steen for not pulling the trigger.
It’s worth pointing out that the Blues have absolutely no need to trade Thomas. But if there really are teams out there willing to pay up, wouldn’t it make sense to capitalize on the situation?
Of course, if Thomas has a good season, no one will really complain. But if he struggles, the spotlight will fall squarely on Steen.
Did the Blues do enough to get back into the playoff hunt?
Lastly, the biggest question of all will be whether the offseason moves were enough to propel the Blues back into the postseason.
That’s a tough question to answer, considering the status of the Central Division. On paper, the top three spots are seemingly spoken for. As such, the Blues will have to battle with the Utah Mammoth and the Nashville Predators for that third spot in the division.
Otherwise, it could come down to a fight to the death for the two wild card spots. Since the competition will be fierce for those two berths, it might just be that making it back to the postseason won’t be as easy as some might believe.
There is plenty of reason to be optimistic. But let’s face it: The road ahead is by no means easy. The key to answering all of the questions will be a strong start out of the gate. If the Blues can assert themselves in the early going, it might just be a wonderful season.
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