The St. Louis Blues' 5-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday was about the absolute worst-case scenario. Minnesota made life miserable for the Blues and their fans, sending shockwaves through a team many felt would build on its successful 2024-25 campaign.
But it's never about where you're at in October; it's about where you end up in April. Just ask the Colorado Avalanche, who, through their first four games in 2024-25, scored 13 goals and allowed 25, over six per game on average.
As you know, the Avs bounced back and took third place in the Central Division, transforming back into one of the league's most high-octane teams while finishing 11th in the league in goals allowed. It was night and day for the Avs starting in the back half of October, and that could be the case with the Blues, too.
St. Louis Blues fans don't need to panic even if the worst happens
The next slate for the Blues looks easy, with the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, and Chicago Blackhawks on the docket. And even if the Blues don't win any of those contests and drop to 0-4, once again, there is no need for the fans to panic. It was the exact same situation the Avalanche found themselves in, too, regarding points, and, like the Avs, St. Louis has the talent to bounce back.
You can expect Dylan Holloway, Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, and Pavel Buchnevich to get going, as will Jake Neighbours, Brayden Schenn, and Pius Suter. On the back end, the same goes for Philip Broberg, Cam Fowler, and Colton Parayko.
All of those players have the ability to turn the Blues into one of the league's highest-scoring teams, while Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer will get it together in the net. This isn't saying the Blues aren't a top-three team in the Central like Colorado, but they will be a surefire playoff contender and a top-five team in the division.
October can be a rough month overall for some teams
And if you want more reassurance beyond the Avalanche, just look at the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton had gone through two rough opening months in a row, and they ended up winning the Western Conference on both occasions. It shows us that, sometimes, October can be brutal, mainly because these players have only been back at it for a month, so there is a lot to work on before things start evening out.
Despite the pitiful performance on Thursday, it won't define the Blues even if they struggle through repeat efforts early. If they're still playing this way in November, then it's okay to panic.