That's four losses in a row for the St. Louis Blues, though they did manage to get one point over the weekend in a shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings. The Blues are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games and 19-24-9 on the season, with 47 points in the standings--which is tied for last in the Central Division with the Winnipeg Jets.
The Olympic break is on the horizon with its attendant trade deadline, and it sure doesn't look like the Blues are going on a run to the playoffs anytime soon. This week, they've got three games at home, and none of them are easy. Let's get into it.
vs. the Dallas Stars, 1/27
There is no doubt that the Dallas Stars are a Stanley Cup contending team. They have, however, been slumping lately, and are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. As a result, they now sit third in the Central, one point behind the Minnesota Wild. The Blues lost to the Stars under the wire last week in Dallas, so maybe the Blues can use their home ice advantage to get a win this time around.
vs. the Florida Panthers, 1/29
Speaking of teams in a slump, the Florida Panthers haven't looked at all like the Cup winners we've come to expect. Much of that is due to injuries, particularly to Aleksander Barkov, but they Panthers just got Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand back. They're 6-4-0 in their last 10 games, but are six points back from both a wildcard spot and an Atlantic Division playoff spot; expect them to come out swinging against the Blues.
vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets, 1/31
The Blue Jackets are the "easiest" team on the docket this week, but they've been benefitting from a new coach bump. On January 12, GM Don Waddell fired head coach Dean Evason and replaced him with Rick Bowness; since then, the Blue Jackets are 5-1-0, including and 8-5 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. This game could have more impact on the Blues' lottery odds than their playoff hopes, if the Blue Jackets cool down the rest of the season.