The St. Louis Blues have missed the playoffs in two straight seasons and have won only one series since their 2019 championship. They enter the 2024-25 season with many concerns that could keep them from getting back. The Blues' defense leaves a lot to be desired, especially after Torey Krug's injury announcement. The goaltending has been shaky recently and Jordan Binnington needs to step up this season. And their offense must be led by their two young stars, Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas.
Blues have massive defense concerns
The Blues have a bevy of aging defensemen on their roster. They added 40-year-old Ryan Suter to the core including captain Colton Parayko, Nick Leddy, Torey Krug, and Justin Faulk who are all over 30. While those players all had great primes, everyone besides Parayko is well past it. They took an even bigger hit with Krug's injury.
Krug was diagnosed with pre-arthritic issues in his ankle that could cost him the entire season. Even with Krug in the fold, they would need reinforcements to improve their team. They have made a move to get those improvements by giving an offer sheet to Edmonton Oilers defender Philip Broberg.
The Blues must hope that the Oilers do not match the offer and they can keep Broberg. They will have to give up a couple of draft picks to get him, but he is the best and most affordable option that they have. If they do not get Broberg, expect general manager Doug Armstrong to make a deal.
Jordan Binnington must maintain great play
Goaltender Jordan Binnington struggled in the aftermath of the big contract he signed in 2021. In his first two seasons of the contract, he posted his only two seasons with a goals against average above 3.00. He came back and was a star again in 2023-24. His .913 save percentage and 2.84 goals against average helped the Blues stay afloat even as the offense struggled.
With the subpar defensive core, Binnington must be his 2019 self for the Blues to make the playoffs. He is 31 years old and has three years remaining on the $6 million per year contract. The championship version of Binnington was simply incredible, bursting onto the scene with a 1.89 goal against average in 32 regular season games.
With another great season out of Jordan Binnington, the Blues can make a run at a Wild Card position in the Western Conference. Their struggles to make the playoffs also come from their tough division, which features the Avalanche and Stars.
Jordan Kyrou can power the Blues' offense
The firing of head coach Craig Berube put forward Jordan Kyrou in the spotlight. The forward said “I've got no comment. He's not my coach anymore” when asked about Berube after he was fired. He was booed by the home fans in the next game and apologized for his remarks.
The conversation came because Kyrou struggled under Berube. He scored just five goals in the 28 games under Berube but ended up with his second consecutive season of 30 goals. With a full season under Drew Bannister coming up, he must continue to push the offense forward.
The Blues also issued an offer sheet to Oilers' forward Dylan Halloway. He would help the depth scoring behind Kyrou and Robert Thomas but does not bring the top-end scoring talent that they do. If the Blues have any chance at making the playoffs, it will have to be a career year for Kyrou.
He has never scored 40 goals in the NHL but his pace under Bannister shows that it is possible this season. He scored 26 goals in the 54 games under Bannister, which is an 82-game pace of 39.5 goals.
The St Louis Blues must get great performances from Jordan Binnington and Jordan Kyrou to make it back to the playoffs. The team does not have a great defensive core but with their recent offer sheets of Philip Broberg and Dylan Halloway, they can improve their odds of making the playoffs.
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