With a number of teams making a number of moves already for the 2025-26 season, the St. Louis Blues have been relatively quiet so far. It is still very early yet, but there doesn’t seem to be any sense of urgency from the Blues front office.
With that said, if the Blues are hesitant this offseason, much like they were at the trade deadline last season, things might go south before the season even begins.
Pulling the trigger
Doug Armstrong and company chose to bet on this team at last year’s trade deadline, and it turned out to be a win. The Blues defied the odds and made the playoffs.
This offseason has to be a much different story, as that tactic will not work again. There are only a handful of players who are now designated free agents this summer, so the integrity of last season’s team is going to be very similar. With some money in hand due to the salary cap increase, they should be able to afford some new players to make this team even better.
Hesitating at the Draft on a new prospect and then on July 1 in the free agent frenzy, Armstrong has to pull the trigger quickly. With every NHL team getting this extra money, the potential for record-setting deals can be made in record-setting time. It should not come as a surprise that when the floodgates open that day, updates on signings will fly around social media. The Blues have to get into that mix.
The last offseason for Armstrong
This is the last offseason for Armstrong, as his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2025-26 season. His tenure has been a successful one, and it should be expected that he wants to set this franchise up for success in the future.
The Blues have to be aggressive this summer, as they evidently need the help. This team is a playoff team, but they can be a Stanley Cup contender with just a few more tweaks. They cannot fall behind the rest of the competition, particularly their own division.