Don't let this team get hot. That should've been the lesson to the NHL after the Blues forced their way into the playoffs last season on the heels of a record-setting 12-game win streak.
The Blues are picking right back up where they left off and are starting the season on the right foot. After a disappointing game 1 where they probably lost by more than they deserved to, the team bounced right back with a resilient game 2 and a dominant game 3.
The team is starting to gel together slowly but surely and is putting wins on the board despite some miscues, proving that they are a good hockey team. What can we learn from the ways the Blues are winning, and how do they project into the future?
The team is settling in as a good hockey team
The Blues have proven by coming out with a winning record that they can compete and are a winning franchise.
The team is really starting to settle in and play much better together, even despite some miscues. They are still missing some passes through the neutral zone and are misconnecting on some chances in the offensive zone, such as the dropped pass that led to a shorthanded goal for Kiefer Sherwood.
Despite some lingering miscues, the team is still playing together at a pretty high level. Their chemistry is still weak, which always comes with time playing together. I expect this side of things will only improve for the Blues, meaning there is still yet another level to be unlocked.
What heights can this squad achieve?
If there is more to be unlocked for this Blues team, then watch out. They've already put their names out there as contenders in the West, beating out two playoff hopeful teams, and they have a big test this coming Saturday against the Dallas Stars at home.
The Blues handily took it to two playoff fringe teams, meaning they are above that line and should be squarely in the playoff conversation. This is a great place to be, above the NHL middle class and with the playoff contenders once again, and it might not even be the stopping point.
If the Blues do have another level to reach, there is serious upside for this team to improve and be able to play with a team like the Dallas Stars. If they can reach that level and play up to the level of some of the best teams in the NHL, then they should be considered among the NHL elite as one of the better teams in the league.
This future is not out of question for the Blues, as they're still developing a lot of chemistry on their lines. The squad is pretty different than last year, both parts in and parts out, as well as some young players getting their first shot on the roster, so it is going to take time for all of it to come together. But when they do, watch out for the Blues to become one of the scariest teams in the league very quickly.