The St. Louis Blues raised the bar pretty high in their 2024-25 campaign, and it will be tough to try and beat it. What kind of benchmark is a successful season in 2025-26?
Let's discuss a couple of scenarios.
Better Record?
Last season, the Blues snuck into the playoffs via the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. They had a record of 44-30-8 for 96 points. The highlights of the year included the 12-game winning streak down the stretch, setting a new franchise record, and also sending this team into the playoffs.
One benchmark to reach is to have a better record than last season. The Central Division is still just as powerful, if not more dangerous, this season, meaning it will be even tougher for the Blues to get a better placement. The chance of them getting inside the top three of the division is slim, but not impossible. Not to mention, Utah got a new identity and upgraded with a top-five selection in the draft, and Chicago made some key moves this offseason as well.
A better record is a good start, but is is a safe one.
Further in playoffs?
This is the sweet spot. If the Blues were able to get a better record and make it back to the playoffs, would a second-round appearance warrant a successful season? After a devastating loss to Winnipeg in the first round last season, losing game seven in the last few minutes, a second-round appearance sounds amazing right now.
This team can certainly do it. Much of the same team from a year ago is still there, plus there will likely be a healthy Dylan Holloway in the mix, which was sorely missed last time around. Going further in the playoffs is the perfect benchmark for this team. They might not be able to go all the way yet, but the possibility is there.
Stanley Cup or bust?
All or nothing. Can the Blues make it all the way through the regular season with a better record and reach the end of the road by lifting the Stanley Cup? This is a high benchmark to have, but you never know.
The Blues were not supposed to win their sole Stanley Cup in 2018-19, and there is a sense that this current Blues team is under that same label. They use that disrespect of not being a contender as a chip on their shoulder, and it was evident last season and in the offseason. General Manager Doug Armstrong went out there and grabbed some necessary pieces, and the hope is that it will push them over the edge of last season's end result.
Will the Blues win the Stanley Cup next season? Maybe, but unlikely. Should they call next season a down year if they don't win the cup? Absolutely not. Any progress is good progress, and as long as this team doesn't do worse than last season, anything is considered a success.