The St. Louis Blues found their stride at just the right time last season, and they took their talents to the postseason. It was a season full of redemption, and the outlook is that a dynasty could be brewing.
After being a mid-tier team all season, there was a very large chance that they were not going to be a playoff team. It was destined to be another down year, and it was not supposed to go as well as it did.
Can last season's positive outcome spark a positive future?
Rising from the ashes
The Blues had not been to the playoffs since the 2021-22 season, and they did not look like they were playoff-ready at the start of last season. They fired head coach Drew Bannister and upgraded significantly with the hiring of Jim Montgomery. Then they went out and grabbed defenseman Cam Fowler from Anaheim for a bag of peanuts, and he had one of the best seasons of his career.
Then, the 4 Nations face-off came and went, and the Blues rattled off a 12-game winning streak, a new franchise record. That would set up the improbable playoff berth, securing the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. They would stick it to the Winnipeg Jets, the 2024-25 Presidents' Trophy winners, but lose in the final minutes of game seven.
This team revived itself a couple of times over. They were never down and out for good, but it was very close at some points.
Dynasty looming?
If the Blues can go back to the playoffs next season, there is a very good chance that this could be an annual thing. The core of this group is at just the right age to contend for a long time, and the plan is already in place to succeed goaltender Jordan Binnington with Joel Hofer.
Jimmy Snuggerud and Justin Carboneau are going to be a dynamic 1-2 punch of the future. Dalibor Dvorsky has an unknown ceiling, but he will likely get his shot next season. All eyes are also on Logan Mailloux to be a copycat of Colton Parayko.
The pieces are there to make a couple more runs at the Stanley Cup, but it depends on how next season goes. But there is no denying that the Blues are in a good place right now.