The NHL has celebrated the 2025-26 season, reaching its quarter-season mark. With every team hovering around 20-22 games played across the league, some teams have shown why they were considered Stanley Cup favorites before the season, and some teams have really underperformed.
Speaking of underperforming, there might not be another team that has fallen from grace harder than the St. Louis Blues. Let's look over the past 21 games and where they can realistically end up by the time the halfway mark is reached.
Year in review
The Blues have not had the year that they envisioned in the offseason. After a miracle-esque moment at the end of the 2024-25 season, and almost pushing the Presidents' Trophy winners out in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, this was supposed to be an improving year.
They went out and brought in some new pieces to try to improve the team. They "filled out" the defense to get younger and faster, as well as adding some much-needed center depth while the prospects like Dalibor Dvorsky could continue to mature in the minors.
All of that has not been seen thus far. The Blues are amongst the bottom of the Central Division, and the bottom of the National Hockey League, for that matter. At 6-9-6 for 18 points, there have been some moments of solid performances, but mostly it has been very underwhelming.
Looking ahead to the half-way point
As the quarter-mark of the year is here, and looking toward the halfway point of the 2025-26 season, things are about to change for the Blues. General Manager Doug Armstrong's name has been circling the rumor mill on social media as a fire sale may be in progress. In hopes of bringing this team some success, drastic measures may need to be taken to right the ship.
With back-to-back overtime losses, there is a sense that this team is getting better. This five-game road trip, which is nearly halfway through with three games remaining, has been successful but not satisfying. The focus has been on the goaltending, though that might not change from Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer; it will be the blueliners in front of them that may need a change. Or, the offense might need to get a much-needed boost.
If this team cannot continue getting points and hopefully start stacking up some wins, the halfway point will be a lot different from what it is now. The Gavin McKenna watch might be on for the Blues, instead of the hope for a playoff spot. That expectation of being a playoff team once again is starting to drift away from reality, one loss at a time.