The St. Louis Blues didn't get any love in a recent ranking for 2024-25

After the uneventful moves of the opening of free agency, several St. Louis Blues fans became upset and deemed they might be one of the worst teams in the Central Division.

Some hockey pundits agree as FanDuel Sportsbook has the St. Louis Blues as the second-worst team in the division, only beating the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks.

Are hockey pundits getting their rankings correct?

The safe answer is time will tell.

However, I disagree with the low rankings. Since the draft and free agency frenzy, the Blues have received little love.

Several pundits have predicted the Utah Hockey Club will fare better than the Blues.

While the Blues were largely quiet during the opening days of free agency, they made some minor deals, such as bringing in Alexandre Texier, Mathieu Joseph, and Radek Faksa via trade.

Sure, the Central Division is loaded with talent, but the Blues have lost few major players and possess one of the best goaltending tandems in the league.

The Blues nearly missed the playoffs, and Drew Bannister's success of 30-19-5 was impactful for the squad. Would the Blues have made the playoffs if he had been the coach the whole season? We can only speculate, but based on the team's performance after he took over, it's reasonable to assume that postseason play could have been a reality.

The Winnipeg Jets, too, received a weak ranking within the predictions. They were the second-best team in the division with 110 points.

While the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche are loaded with talent and future hall-of-famers, the Jets played exceptionally well and have arguably the best goaltender in the league, Connor Hellebuyck.

Utah and the Nashville Predators did load up on talent in offseason moves, but it does not immediately equate to more wins. Chemistry is a real thing, as evident in coaching changes such as Bannister's takeover.

The St. Louis Blues are counting on experience and youth

GM Doug Armstrong bet on his existing squad and seeks to develop his promising youngsters further. Fans should expect more of Jake Neighbours and, hopefully, a repeat of All-Star caliber play in Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas.

And then there's the veteran presence of Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich. Add the possibility of prospects such as Zack Bolduc and Dalibor Dvorsky, and I think the Blues are not only talented but can be a force to be reckoned with.

Goaltending wins games, as does defense. Perhaps the defense is the Blues' weakest category. However, Colton Parayko's league-leading blocked shots must be pointed out, and the consistent play of the top four defenders gives the Blues a chance to compete in each game. The veteran lineup of Parayko, Torey Krug, Justin Faulk, and Nick Leddy could be far worse than that of other teams in the league.

Rankings and predictions are just that. But it's evident the Blues aren't receiving any love after the free agency frenzy.

Now it's time to prove the pundits wrong.