The St. Louis Blues have found themselves in a great position heading into the 2025-26 season. Hoping to continue the momentum of last season's success, there is a sense that it could be even better next season.
Here are three very early predictions for next season.
Blues make it back to playoffs, and further
The 2024-25 season was a successful one, but it left everyone unfulfilled. The Blues were just moments away from knocking the Presidents' Trophy winners, the Winnipeg Jets, out of the first round of the playoffs. It was a heartbreaker and fuel for the fire.
Expect the Blues to make it back to the Stanley Cup playoffs next season and to make it out of the first round. Sure, the Western Conference and more specifically, the Central Division, is full of elite teams that will be just as good in 2025-26. But, you cannot count out these Blues and their improved roster from a year ago.
50-goal scorer
The last time a player wearing the Blue Note notched 50 goals in one season was Blues legend Brett Hull in 1993-94. Over thirty years have passed since the last time a player scored 50 goals for the Blues.
The 2025-26 season will break that drought. The question is, who can do it? Fortunately, there are a number of players that can hit this plateau, so really it is a pick 'em. Jimmy Snuggerud could explode onto the scene in his first full season with a chance at hitting that goal mark. Jordan Kyrou has been the closest in recent years, lighting the lamp 37 times last season. There is also Pavel Buchnevich, Robert Thomas, and even Dylan Holloway could be added to this mix.
No wildcard
The reason the Blues were able to make it into the playoffs last season was because of their miraculous 12-game win streak down the stretch. It helped them secure the second wildcard spot, narrowly edging out the Calgary Flames.
For the 2025-26 season, expect the Blues to contend for a top-three finish in the Central Division. It is going to be tough, as Winnipeg will likely repeat as the Conference champs, and Colorado and Dallas had solid offseasons and improved their teams. But, so did the Blues.
Colorado is more likely than Dallas to slip down to a wildcard spot, and that could help catapult the Blues into the last playoff spot in the Central. That would set up a St. Louis-Winnipeg rematch, and it would be one for the ages.