This most recent loss by the St. Louis Blues to the Dallas Stars was very similar to the last two times these teams met, but this one stung a lot more. With 67 seconds left, a 3-0 comeback in the making was snuffed out with a screened, deflected, and unlikely goal that sent the Blue Note faithful home unhappy.
Throw in the damn towel, this season is over.
Looking at the standings, it is not a huge gap between the Blues and the second-place wildcard team, but it also begs two questions. First, does this team even deserve a playoff opportunity? And second, if they were to make it to the big dance, what exactly would they bring to the table?
Let's talk about it.
Not like last season
This "improved" team over the offseason has actually become a shell of itself. There is no dormant superteam waiting to be unlocked following the Olympic Break, unlike last season as this Blues team rattled off 12-straight wins following the Four Nations Faceoff.
The 2025-26 Blues squad is not the same as it was last season, and it has been shown time and time again this season. They go down early, and a comeback is futile. Goaltending continues to be shaky and inconsistent, leading to less-than-favorable results. Goal-scoring is atrocious, and the core group up front should be ashamed.
Do they even deserve a spot in big dance?
Frankly, if the Blues were to pull off this amazing and incredible comeback, it would not even be worth it. The second wild card spot will have to face the best show on ice, the Colorado Avalanche, and it will be the hardest road to climb for all playoff teams.
This Blues team has not done anything spectacular all season long to make a valid case as to them deserving a spot.