The St. Louis Blues finished last season with the 11th-worst record in the NHL, going 37-33-12 in 2025-26. They surged late, going a blistering 17-5-3 after the Winter Olympic break, but it wasn't enough to snag a playoff berth in a competitive Central Division.
A major reason for the Blues' mediocre season was injuries: Robert Thomas, Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Jake Neighbours each missed ten or more games. Any team would struggle when the top half of their lineup can't stay healthy--and if these three Blues end up on injured reserve for an extended length of time next season, we could see a repeat of last year's results on the ice.
Robert Thomas
This one should go without saying: Thomas is the Blues' best player, and in 64 games he finished with 25 goals and 64 points; the team simply can't function without him centering the first line. If he gets injured again, the Blues' center depth will be seriously challenged, even with the addition of Mason McTavish. You need your best players in the lineup to win consistently, and the Blues would struggle mightily without Thomas down the middle.
Philip Broberg
Thankfully, Broberg had a healthy 2025-26. He averaged the most time on ice of any Blue (23:21) and played 81 games, posting six goals and 34 points. Broberg is, without question, the No. 1 defenseman on an otherwise weak blue line, and an injury would mean veterans like Cam Fowler or Colton Parayko would have to take on the bulk of the minutes on the backend. Considering how dramatically Fowler regressed last season, and that offense has never really been Parayko's calling card, things could get ugly quickly.
Joel Hofer
The early story for the Blues last season was the utterly atrocious goaltending they were getting--Hofer and Jordan Binnington comprised the worst tandem in the NHL. By season's end, Hofer had established himself as the team's No. 1, with Binnington moving into a backup/tandem role. We've seen Binnington elevate his game before (including at last year's Olympics, backstopping Team Canada), but at 33 years old, Binnington's on the downswing of his career. If last season's play was a new normal for Binnington, then Hofer must stay healthy; an injury in net could be cataclysmic for the Blues.
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