Wednesday night's matchup against the Winnipeg Jets has been one that St. Louis Blues fans have had circled on their calendars for months. After falling to the Jets in a hard-fought seven-game series that saw the Blues fall in double overtime in Game Seven, both the team and fans are hungry for revenge. While it will not erase the pain of last year's playoff loss, it will feel good to beat the team that eliminated them.
One player in particular who had this date circled is Cam Fowler. During last season's playoff series, Fowler was one of the best players for the Blues. During the series, he recorded two goals and eight assists for 10 points. He also made an impact on defense, delivering two hits, nine blocked shots, and two takeaways. The hope is that Fowler can repeat his performance from last season against the Jets tonight. But how can a good performance affect the rest of his season?
A strong game from Cam Fowler can help him the rest of the season
So far this season, Fowler has been solid. In 34 games, he has one goal and 11 assists for 12 points. His assists and point total rank inside the top ten on the Blues. His advanced metrics also show a pretty average season from Fowler. He has a 49.75 CF%, a 49.27 SCF% and a 46.98 xG%. His defensive metrics are also not great, as when he's on the ice, opponents have scored 34 goals and have allowed 125 high-danger chances.
But tonight's game against the Jets is the perfect opportunity for him to break out. If he can have a strong performance as he did during the playoffs, it could give him confidence. Sometimes it only takes one good game to help get a player going. Usually, this applies to a struggling player, but in Fowler's case, it could turn him from an average player to a good one. It can help turn Fowler back into the player he's been.
If Fowler's production improves, it can help the Blues start winning games. One of the most significant problems is the lack of offense. While goaltending and defense get all the headlines, the Blues have one of the worst offenses in hockey. They currently average 2.53 goals per game, the fourth lowest in the NHL. If Fowler steps up his game, he will be better at moving the puck and setting up more scoring opportunities. This will not only improve the offense, but help hide the short comings in net.
If the season getting closer to the half way point there is not much time left for the Blues to turn thing around. They need someone to step up, and Fowler could easily be that player. It all starts tonight against the Jets.