The St. Louis Blues crushed every expectation in 2024-25. A team that was destined to be fighting for a draft position spot was fighting for a playoff spot, and then they took the best team in hockey to the brink of elimination.
Can’t write a better script than that. It was truly a cinderella story, with a bitter ending that will resonate until opening night of next season.
For 2025-26, what kind of new expectations will be placed upon them?
Better regular season?
The number one expectation for the regular season is that it will be a strong campaign. From opening night to the Olympic break and then down the stretch to next season’s playoffs, it has to be strong and consistent.
The only reasons the Blues could get into the playoffs this past season were their resilience and unworldly performance after the 4 Nations Faceoff. Chances are, another franchise record like a 12-game win streak is doubtful, so they cannot rely on that again to get them into the playoffs.
Back to the playoffs, and beyond?
After making it to the playoffs and taking the Winnipeg Jets to game seven, the Blues are expected to return to the postseason annually. This offseason will prove whether or not they test the waters in free agency, and who they decide to take with the 19th pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
Even more than that, the Blues cannot have a first-round exit next season. They were just two seconds away from being a second-round playoff team, and in another dimension somewhere, who knows how they would have fared against the Dallas Stars.
The Blues have every opportunity to be a great hockey team, and this next season will prove it. They are expected to be better than they were in 2024-25, by a considerable amount.