The St. Louis Blues have made a bit of a surprising run following their NHL trade deadline selloff. Based on that logic, the Blues should have sunk to the bottom of the league standings. Yet, St. Louis is 7-1-2 in its last 10 games.
So, what gives?
You would have to think that the Blues have just gotten an “easier” schedule down the stretch. But no, that’s not quite it. The Blues have beaten the Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, and a 3-0 blanking of the Washington Capitals.
Their only regulation loss has come at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, while the Blues have lost once in overtime and the shootout.
That run should be a surprise to no one. The fact is that psychologically, teams going through selloffs tend to play much better once the trade deadline comes and goes. Anecdotally, it makes sense that teams would improve once the speculation is over.
While the players on the roster now could be traded in the offseason, at least they know they’re staying put for now. And that certainty can have a powerful effect on a team.
Trade deadline made way for Blues’ youth movement
There’s also another powerful reason for the Blues’ turnaround. Clearing out veteran players like Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk opens a path for younger players. All of a sudden, prospects like Otto Stenberg, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Logan Mailloux have the best chance they’ll ever get to be NHL mainstays.
That’s a powerful message to the team.
By fully embracing a youth movement, players like Mailloux know that the organization values them. That’s why the situation becomes a major confidence boost.
Well, to be fair, Mailloux’s play has made the organization comfortable enough to move out veterans to secure a lineup spot for him. But be that as it may, the fact is that the Blues have the sort of lineup that could be good for at least a good half-decade, if not longer.
The true test will come next season. Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Colton Parayko could all still leave this summer. Jordan Binnington will also be the subject of widespread speculation. But the fact is that the core is there.
Next season, Justin Carbonneau could get a real shot with the Blues. Meanwhile, other lower-tier prospects like Aleksanteri Kasimaki could see NHL action. It wouldn’t even be a stretch to see Adam Jiricek potentially get a long look.
Ultimately, Blues’ fans should be cautiously optimistic about this late-season surge. The pieces are there for St. Louis to be a significant playoff contender next season. While plenty of things will need to go right, there’s a seed growing as we speak.