The St. Louis Blues used an impressive second half to make it to the 2024-25 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This was led by Robert Thomas, who was the X-factor in the Blues making the playoffs. The Blues fell in the first round of the playoffs to the Winnipeg Jets, and if the team is going to make a deeper run in the playoffs, a new X-factor needs to step up.
Thomas once again led the Blues in points in the 2024-25 season. The Canadian found the back of the net 21 times while adding 60 helpers, amassing 81 points in 70 games. It was a second straight 80-plus point season, while it was the third time in four years he lit the lamp 20 or more times. Further, the 26-year-old was one of the best players in the NHL after the 4-Nations break. He led the NHL in points after the break with 40 total points.
The forward was instrumental in the playoff run for the team. In the final 17 games, Thomas scored just four goals, but added 26 assists in that time. That rate of scoring would put him on a pace for 142 points in 82 games. Thomas could score 100 points this year, but he is not the X-factor for the Blues in 2025-26.
The goaltending tandem will play a major role for the Blues
The Blues were a solid franchise in 2024-25, sitting 12th in the NHL in goals scored last season. Still, one of the major factors that brought them to the playoffs was the defense and specifically the goaltending combination of Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer. The team was tied for ninth in the NHL in goals against, led by that combination. Binnington is coming off another solid campaign. He went 28-22-5 with a 2.69 goals agaisnt average and a .900 save percentage. After the 4-Nations break, he was amazing. He was 13-3-1 with a 2.21 goals against average in that time.
Binnington also had a solid set of playoff games as well, going 3-4 with a 2.53 goals against average and a .901 save percentage. Further, he gave up just five goals in the three games that the Blues won. Hoffer was also solid in 2024-25. He was 16-8-3 with a 2.65 goals against average and a .904 save percentage. He went 6-1-1 after the 4-Nations break as well.
Regardless, the Blues spend nearly 10 percent of their salary cap on goaltenders, and this was not an elite tandem. While a quality group, it was not one of the top ones in the NHL, and played commensurate with the salary cap portion they are taking up. The two need to continue playing well, but the difference this year is going to be another player.
Jordan Kyrou is the 2025-26 X-factor
There were rumors of the team potentially trading one of their top players, but the Blues decided to hold on to Jordan Kyrou. In the past four seasons, Kyrou has been a major part of the Blues. He has chipped in 30 or more goals in each of the past three seasons, while having 70 or more points in three of the past four seasons. He was also a major player in the last 17 games as the Blues made the playoffs. Kyrou found the back of the net 12 times while adding eight assists in just 17 games.
His advanced statistics also showed a massive improvement. The Canadian had the highest shooting percentage of his career, as well as his best expected goals number. He also created more high-danger scoring chances and scored more on high-danger scoring chances than at any point in his career. Kyrou is going to be in a position to score plenty of goals this season. He is going to be paired with Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway on the second line, which will make him the primary goal scorer and a major part of the offensive attack on the second line.
The forward is also expected to lead the second powerplay attack as well. He has been a major factor on the powerplay in his career. The Canadian has 80 powerplay points over his last four seasons of play. Still, if the Blues are going to make a run at competing for the Cup, Kyrou needs to be at his best. Not only does he need to score 40 goals for the first time in his career, but he also has to be better in the playoffs.
Against the Jets, Kyrou scored three goals and went without an assist. He also had two of the three goals on the powerplay. This was a major step back in his playoff production from prior runs. In 2021-22, the last time he played in the playoffs, Kyrou scored seven goals and added two assists in just 12 games. Still, he has not had a positive plus/minus rating in the playoffs in his career. Kyrou took a step forward towards the end of this past campaign, but if the Blues are going to make a run, not only does he need to take another step, he needs to be a factor in the playoffs. That is what makes him the X-factor this year.
