The St. Louis Blues are a respectable 3-2-1 to open the season. Thus far, the team as a whole has shown play worthy of pushing for a playoff spot. But for that trend to actually manifest into a postseason berth, two top-six forwards will need to pick up the pace.
Specifically, we’re talking about Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas. Both crucial top-six forwards have gotten off to a bit of a slow start, and that’s something that may give Blues fans reason for concern.
While the slow start in and of itself is no cause for concern, the underlying numbers could point to something else.
Let’s start with Kyrou. Kyrou, who was the subject of offseason trade speculation, has one goal and two assists for three points in five games. That’s not the sort of start that would set off alarm bells, but not exactly what the team expected.
Kyrou has averaged nearly 17 minutes per game, but in that span, has managed just nine shots on goal prior to Tuesday night's matchup vs. the Los Angeles Kings. That comes out to an 11.1% shooting percentage. While it’s easier to say, “shoot the puck more,” the fact is that Kyrou hasn’t been quite as engaged as we’ve seen in the past.
Perhaps it could be a matter of some bad puck luck, but then again, Jimmy Snuggerud leads the team in shots with 13 and is nearly a point-per-game player.
The same assessment could be made about Thomas. He’s only managed four shots all season. That works out to a goal and an assist in five games. His 25% shooting percentage looks good on paper, but it would look even better if it could hold up over a larger number of shots.
As it stands, Kyrou is now on the third line with captain Brayden Schenn while Thomas continues to lead the Blues’ top line. Dylan Holloway, who’s also struggled, hasn’t looked nearly as effective as he did last season. That leaves Jake Neighbours, who continues to impress with his overall play.
The solution seems to be the need to shake things up. Kyrou and Thomas may benefit from playing together. As for Holloway, potentially moving down the lineup could help take some of the pressure off and allow him to rekindle his scoring touch.
One thing is certain. Jim Montgomery will need to shake things up if he is to light a fire under the team. Otherwise, a pedestrian start could doom the Blues to fall behind too far, too soon in the playoff race.