The St. Louis Blues have had some great performances since the Olympic break, and they are showing no signs of slowing down. How have they turned it around, and are they a legit contender for a playoff berth?
Let's talk about it.
Pressures off
One thing is for certain: after being a seller at the trade deadline, there is really no pressure right now on this team. The pipeline is bursting with talent, and that talent is starting to flourish right now. If they win, keep it going. If they lose, oh well, learn and get better.
It is really a win-win right now, and why wouldn't this team try to play competitive hockey right now? It might not be as dramatic or polarizing as the 2024-25 franchise record-breaking 12-game win streak, but this current run of hockey cannot be ignored.
Penalty kill
The penalty kill is a key difference maker right now for the Blues. Since the Olympic break, with a man down, the Blues are holding opponents to 5-for-42 over that time. That is a PK% of 88.1, which is stellar at this time of the year.
Again, that is considering that they do not have their captain, Brayden Schenn, anymore, and the tandem of Pius Suter and Pavel Buchnevich have been "killer". Each has done their part, and the Blues are benefiting from it.
 Finally figured out the right combosÂ
Head coach Jim Montgomery has been playing with the line combinations all season long, and some things have worked out, but most have not. It has been a lot of trial and error, but it seems like the perfect fits have finally been figured out.
It all starts at the top with Jimmy Snuggerud, Robert Thomas, and Dylan Holloway. This trio is taking the league by storm, and no one seems to have stopped them yet. They are a key component of the Blues' great play recently.