The St. Louis Blues have not recovered from their first-round matchup with the Winnipeg Jets last season, which went to the final seconds of game seven. Both teams are now set to face off for the first time since that moment.
Can the Blues overcome there demons, and get a much-needed win now?
Fighting their demons
The first round matchup between the Blues and Jets was a classic series. The two teams combined for 623 hits over the seven-game series, which is unbelievable. Nathan Walker himself had a bruising 40 hits on his own in seven games, which is an average of a little more than five hits per game.
The Blues almost sent the 2024-25 Presidents' Trophy winners home, if not for a two-goal comeback in the final two minutes of regulation and then the dagger from Adam Lowry in double-overtime. I am not going to elaborate further, as every Blues fan should have those goals burned into their brains forever.
For this upcoming matchup with the Jets, expect both teams not to hold back on each other. There is a very good possibility that the physicality and playoff intensity from last season's series could carry over into the regular season game.
Jets are a different team now, but so are the Blues
The Blues and Jets are both in different positions from last season. The Jets were the best team in Hockey, winning the Presidents' Trophy and going all the way to the second round of the playoffs. The Blues had that incredible 12-game win streak to push themselves into the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference.
Now, both teams are on the outside of the playoff picture, and their seasons are flirting with disappointment. Only one point separates the two teams, as the Blues have a record of 12-15-7 for 31 points and the Jets are 15-15-2 for 32 points. The San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings, who hold both wildcard spots in the West at 37 points, are within striking distance.
Expect this matchup to be rough. The Blues cannot afford to get anyone else injured at this point, but they cannot back down from the Jets, considering how close the standings are. Not to mention the memories from May have tortured these players for long enough now.