The St. Louis Blues have a fantastic roster, but do they have the right one? Is this the best it's going to get, or is there someone out there who can make it so much better? Was last season just a fluke, or can they consistently compete year after year?
Let's talk about it.
Consistently compete?
The Blues shocked the world by putting on a monumental run to secure the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference in 2024-25. They edged out the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames for that final spot before ultimately losing to the Winnipeg Jets in seven games of the first round.
Was it all a big fluke, or maybe some beginners' luck with their influx of new faces? Or is this team the real-deal-holyfield?
If you were a gambler, the case can be made for both arguments. The Blues were an average team for most of the season, with several two-game win streaks, but never managed to achieve that elusive three-game win streak. They stuck in all season, hovering around the playoff picture for most of the year.
Once the 4 Nations Face-off came and went, the Blues came back with a new purpose and passion. They rattled off a 12-game win streak, spearheaded by their fantastic goaltending duo of Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer. Additionally, Robert Thomas was one of the best players in all of hockey during that stretch.
But, without that win streak, the Blues do not make it anywhere close to the playoffs. Calgary was right on the Blues' heels during the entire streak, and when the Blues lost three of their last four games, they were right behind them by a point.
The Right Roster?
This team can find some improvements. The defensive unit is the first place to look, as the tandems will likely be affected by the pending departures of Torey Krug and Ryan Suter this upcoming training camp. Additionally, Nick Leddy may be on his way out as well, and Justin Faulk's name could also be circulating the NHL rumor mill.
This area is where the difference makers can come in and elevate this roster to the next level. Florida's Aaron Ekblad and New York Rangers d-man K'Andre Miller are not bad options here, and do not overlook a chance at swaying over Ivan Provorov from Columbus either.
The forward lines are solid. The top-six is sturdy and dependable, with a nice upside to it. The third line has some stars on it, like Dylan Holloway, and the fourth trio, the "WTF" line, was one of the best lines in the entire NHL during the first round of the playoffs. Those 12 forwards will be good to go come September, in a similar look to last season.
The defensive side is going to look a ton different for head coach Jim Montgomery and company.