St. Louis Blues report card following an encouraging season
Verdict
While the Blues played well enough to at least resemble playoff contenders in 2023-24, their basic and advanced numbers show us why they missed the postseason. Overall, they were a flat and uninspiring team that was tough to watch at times.
The Blues may have even left you wondering how they even made it as far in the playoff race as they did, even if it never seemed like this team had an advantage and played from behind. Given their bland play in every facet of the game sans goaltending, which was the reason they at least kept things interesting, the Blues will finish the year with a generous C-plus.
It was tempting to give them something even less, but Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer saved this team from a below-average grade. Next season, the objective should be simple: Make life easier for Binnington and Hofer, and the wins and points will come.
It’s tough to see the Blues doing this with the current lineup, so supplementary help is badly needed. Armstrong has a pair of youngsters in Zach Dean and Zachary Bolduc who would step up, but he needs to see what will be available in the free agency market. If Armstrong wants to win, there is no way he can go into 2024-25 with the same lineup he had last season.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)