Current iterations of the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks rivalry has been way less exciting than it was ten years ago. But still, when these two teams play, you can feel there's a different type of intensity out on the ice. There's a clear reason, however, why the rivalry isn't what it used to be.
Why isn't the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks rivalry as prominent as it once was?
Simply, both teams aren't as good as they were in the mid 2010's. The Blackhawks and the Blues were two of the most successful teams during that era. The Blackhawks and Blues combined for four Stanley Cups during the 2010s, and some memorable playoff matchups in between.
The 2016 playoff matchup between these two teams comes to mind and is a defining moment of this rivalry. The Blues had suffered a few losses in the playoffs to Chicago years before, and 2016 was finally the season St. Louis broke through.
For Chicago, this was the second to last season they made the playoffs, besides the bubble in 2020. But in 2020, Chicago was the last team to make it to the playoffs that season. They haven't made the playoffs in a full regular season since 2017. The Blues defeating the Blackhawks in that series was the beginning of the end for the Blackhawks dynasty.
Connor Bedard has made the matchup more entertaining to watch for Blues fans
Connor Bedard has made the rivalry more entertaining for both fanbases. There were a couple of years when there wasn't really anything exciting going on between both teams. Now, Bedard has established himself as one of the best young stars in the league, and the Blues have a plethora of exciting young players.
Last season, Bedard scored a Michigan goal against the Blues. This season, the Blues went into Wrigley Field and defeated the Blackhawks in their city. Just a few small examples that the rivalry is still there.
The rivalry will continue to grow but it's hard to think it'll get back to where it was
The Blues and Blackhawks rivalry of yesteryear when Kane, Toews, Tarasenko, and Backes is in the past and will be hard to replicate. Fans should look back on those years with gratitude, because the intensity of those matchups made every game so memorable.
So when looking ahead to tonight's game, although it might not be as exciting as the past, there should always be a special place for this rivalry in fans' hearts.