The St. Louis Blues made an amazing run to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024-25 but fell in the first round to the Winnipeg Jets. Now the team looks to improve in 2025-26, and there are bold predictions to be made about their upcoming campaign.
The Blues were in 11th place in the Western Conference in mid-February and moved up just one spot by March 13th. They then won 12 consecutive games to enter the playoff race. On the final game of the season, the team defeated the Utah Hockey Club, now known as the Utah Mammoth, to secure the final playoff spot.
The front office also made solid moves in NHL Free Agency. The team added veteran depth, bringing in Nick Bjugstad at a solid price. They also added Pius Suter to be a middle-six center. He not only adds offensive skill but also improves the penalty kill. With an improved roster, the Blues now aim to make a run in the 2025-26 season.
Robert Thomas hits the 100-point marker
Robert Thomas is coming off a second straight solid season. In 2023-24, he played in all 82 games, scoring 26 goals and adding 60 assists. He suited up in just 70 games last year, finding the back of the net 21 times while adding 60 helpers. While scoring fewer points in 2024-25, he increased his points per game from 1.05 to 1.16 points per game.
His advanced statistics indicate the potential to make a significant jump in the upcoming season. His individual point percentage went up five percentage points, while his expected goals per game also increased.
It is the final 17 games of the season that show how good Thomas can be. Including the 12-game win streak through the end of the season, the Canadian was dominant. He scored just four goals but added 26 assists in that time with 16 of them being primary assists. The pace he was putting up points would have produced 145 points over 82 games. While that is not sustainable, more prolonged streaks like this will be coming, giving him 100 points in the season.
Jordan Kyrou scores 40 goals
There were rumors of the team potentially trading one of their top players, but the Blues decided to hold on to Jordan Kyrou. He is going to reward the team in spades this upcoming season. The forward is coming off his third straight season lighting the lamp 30 or more times, but he has yet to break the 40-goal barrier.
Like Thomas, Kyrou was great in the final 17 games of the season. In those games, he beat the goaltender 12 times while also adding eight assists. His 12 goals in 17 games would place him on a pace for 58 goals in 82 games.
Meanwhile, his shooting percentage was the best of his career as was his expected goals. Kyrou also had a career high in high-danger scoring chances conversion rate. He is also going to be in a solid position on the second line with Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway, making him the primary goal scorer on the line. Kyrou will make the most of this situation, finally making it over the 40-goal mark and potentially making a run at 50 goals.
The Blues play in the Western Conference Finals
St. Louis was one of the best teams in the NHL in the final month of the season. From March 12th through the end of the season, they were tied for second in the NHL in points, just one point behind the Los Angeles Kings, who played one more game. The Blues were tops in the NHL in point percentage during that time.
The Blues also led the NHL in goals per game in the last month of the season, averaging 3.94 goals per game. Aiding that was the No. 4 power-play unit during that time. They also stepped up on the penalty kill, going from a middle-of-the-pack unit to one of the best in the league. That will continue to improve with the addition of Suter.
One of the major reasons for the solid season was the play of Jordan Binnington. After struggling the first month of the season, he rebounded to put up a 2.69 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage for the year.
The Blues continued their solid play into the playoffs, facing the Presidents' Trophy-winning Jets. After losing the first two games of the series on the road, they won the two games at home by a combined 12-3. The two teams continued to win on home ice, forcing a Game 7.
In Game 7, it took a double-overtime game to defeat the Blues. This team has shown that it can compete with any team in the conference. The Blues will carry the momentum from the end of the 2024-25 season into the 2025-26 campaign, making a run to the Western Conference Finals.
