The 2026 draft class has been one that people have been eagerly awaiting for years. It's arguably one of the deepest and most talented drafts we have seen in years. Leading the way is Penn State forward Gavin McKenna. He is seen by many as the best player in this year's draft and a potential franchise icon. With such high praise, many teams are doing everything they can to position themselves to win the McKenna sweepstakes. One team that could be about to enter this contest is the St. Louis Blues.
The 2025-26 season has not started the way the Blues and their fans had hoped. They are 4-8-2, good for 10 points, and are in the basement of the Central Division. They have also lost eight of the last nine games. Given their poor performance, many believe the best move is to try to tank for McKenna. However, it is too early for the Blues to just give up on the season.
The Blues are not as bad as their record indicates
While their record does not indicate it, the Blues' offense has the potential to be explosive. The offensive metrics indicate that this team has had opportunities. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Blues have a Corsi percentage of 50.51% and an xGF percentage of 53.39%. They have just not been able to capitalize on these chances. However, if they can continue to create these chances, they will start to convert them and score more goals.
The major problem the Blues have faced has been their goaltending. Both Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer have struggled to start the season. Binnington has a save percentage of .859% and a goals-against average of 3.44. Hofer has not fared much better, with a save percentage of .836% and a goals-against average of 5.02. Having one goaltender with stats like this is enough to derail a team, but two makes it a certainty.
However, both of these goalies have too much talent to continue to play like this. Since entering the league, Binnington has been one of the best goalies in the league. His stats have dipped in the past few years, but they were still good enough to be considered solid. They never indicated a drop-off like this. Fans should have confidence that Binnington can figure it out and return to his previous form. Hofer also has a good enough track record to show this is nothing more than a slow start.
If the offense can start to finish on chances and the goaltending re-discovers its elite play, the Blues will be right back in the playoff chase. Although the allure of McKenna makes the idea of punting on the season very tempting, it's not the right move. The focus should be on improving these struggles, not giving up.