The St. Louis Blues are in big trouble if they keep finding ways to lose. Just over six months ago, they ended the 2024-25 season with a near-upset against the mighty Winnipeg Jets in the 2025 Playoffs. It's not that they "haven't looked the same since," but they have looked like an entirely different hockey team.
Just how bad is it for the Blues? As of Friday, they're 20th in goals scored with 32, 28th in goals against with 47, and are currently allowing 4.27 goals per game. At this rate, they're on pace to allow 350 goals if they don't do something now.
To make matters worse, Jake Neighbours and Robert Thomas, two key players, are banged up. For a team struggling to gain any traction, the last thing they need is for two of their better point producers to miss time. At least until they can do something defensively and stop allowing so many pucks in their own net.
The St. Louis Blues have been historically bad in October
Right now, the Blues are averaging 0.72 points per game. Multiply that by 82, and you'll find the Blues are on pace for between 59 and 60 points this season. If there's any good news in this disaster, it's that they're among the front-runners to win the 2026 draft lottery at the moment for a chance to land Gavin McKenna.
The problem is that not a single Blues fan out there was likely interested in maximizing their odds to land the top draft pick after 2024-25 gave them so much hope. But that's where they stand after 11 games, and with injuries to a pair of key forwards, there's a good chance this isn't going to stop anytime soon.
What's the kicker in all of this? It's not like the Blues have been allowing opponents routinely land shots on goal, allowing just 272 so far and 24.7 per game. By all accounts, especially when you factor in a 52.7 Corsi For at 5-on-5, plus 96 high-danger chances for vs. 82 allowed, you would think that this is a much better hockey team.
It's lapses in concentration and the absolute failure of Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer to provide an adequate last line of defense. Collectively, Binnington and Hofer have snagged a 0.840 save percentage and a 3.90 GAA. Those numbers won't win you many games.
Where do you even begin to fix this mess?
If there's any solace, it's that the Blues still have plenty of time to fix this. But with over 13 percent of the season in the books, the Blues will have a tough time climbing back into contention if they keep playing this way in November.
So, what's the best way to end this nightmare? Head coach Jim Montgomery needs to teach this group to play hard and smart for a full 60 minutes. Over the past week, the Blues have proven on multiple occasions they're incapable of putting forth maximum effort and smart play across three periods, so that's the first step in the process.
After they learn the basics of playing well as a group for 60 minutes, then they can worry about at least resembling the team that made the playoffs in April. That will be the challenge going forward in November.