The St. Louis Blues had seemingly gotten back on the right track after pulling out impressive wins over the Carolina Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 3-0 win over Carolina was one of the most impressive of the season.
But then, splat. The Blues ran into a solid steel door, like the kind you find in a bank vault. The Edmonton Oilers pounded the living daylights out of the Blues, dropping them 5-0 on Sunday night.
To compound the matter, the Oilers were coming off a 6-0 trouncing of the Vancouver Canucks the night before. The Blues should have had a chance to capitalize on a tired Oilers club that had played on back-to-back nights.
Be that as it may, the loss left the Blues with 46 points in 49 games. While the Blues are still within striking distance of a playoff spot, making up five points at this juncture of the season is no easy task.
The Blues have been far too inconsistent, with injuries taking their toll. The loss of Robert Thomas has done little to boost St. Louis’ chances of getting back into the playoff race.
That’s why the time has come for the Blues to accept reality and punt on the season. While that doesn’t necessarily mean a fire sale at the trade deadline, the club must wrap its head around the fact that it’s running out of runway.
Next stretch likely determines Blues’ season
The Blues have eight more games before the NHL season hits the Olympic break. The path forward, however, is not easy. The Blues next face the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night. That tilt is crucial as the Blues have a chance to gain ground on a division rival.
Then, St. Louis will play the Dallas Stars three times, the LA Kings, Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers, and Columbus Blue Jackets once.
Three times against Dallas in two weeks? That’s practically a playoff series. It’s also the best time to get back into the playoff picture. Getting points in as many of the remaining games as possible could revive the Blues’ playoff chances.
In contrast, a prolonged losing streak would all but certainly dash any playoff hopes for the Blues. St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong has to be thinking about raising the white flag and declaring his team open for business.
Blues fans shouldn’t expect any major trades in the coming weeks. But the two weeks following the Olympics and leading into the trade deadline on March 6 could leave fans with their heads spinning.