The waiting is almost over. The St. Louis Blues will play some form of hockey this month with training camp and the preseason. Of course, it won't be the regular season, but there is plenty to look forward to in the month of September.
After discussing what burning questions must be answered for the 2025-26 season, there is a sense that things are going in the right direction for this team. What does the month of September look like, and what can you look forward to?
Do you remember?
As it is September 1, it has been 120 days since we last saw anyone suit up in the Blue Note. This upcoming month will showcase some youth, with prospects being in the spotlight as to who can raise their game to join the NHL squad, and also the new additions from free agency fitting into their new roles.
The mantra this year should be to forgive and forget. The Blues need to forgive themselves for letting last season's miracle run end long before it should have, and forget how it exactly happened with that late-minute letdown against the Winnipeg Jets in game seven. They have to find a way to unlock some short-term memory loss and move forward with this upcoming season.
Training camp has not been announced yet for the Blues, but it will be at some point this month. The preseason will begin on September 20, and there will be a full six-game slate ending on October 4. Here are the matchups, dates, and times:
Sept. 20 at Dallas Stars - 6 p.m.
Sept. 21 at Columbus Blue Jackets - 4 p.m.
Sept. 27 vs. Chicago Blackhawks - 6 p.m.
Sept. 30 vs. Dallas Stars - 7 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Ottawa Senators - 7 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Chicago Blackhawks - 6 p.m.
Regular season looming
This, of course, is all a build-up to the 82-game regular season, starting on October 9, at home against the Minnesota Wild. There is every reason to be excited right now, as a Blues fan or admirer.
As the fall season starts to creep back into our lives, the Blues will hopefully fill out these colder months with some cheer and celebration. If all goes according to plan, next September will showcase this franchise as being a part of the elite tier of the NHL.
Before we get to that point, this month will be crucial to the future of this team. Can they iron out all of the wrinkles this September, so that they hit the ground running in October?