The St. Louis Blues nearly took down the Winnipeg Jets during the first round of the playoffs. Their young core of Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway make up one of the most exciting forward groups in the Central division.
What would turn a good roster into a great one, however, are rebound seasons.
While it’s true that many players took significant steps in 2024-25, others struggled with consistency. This could all change next season, however. Next season is head coach Jim Montgomery’s crack at a full 82-game slate with the Blues. Now that the team is familiar with his system, the former Jack Adams winner can take employ more complex strategies.
Newcomer Logan Mailloux looks to take up the mantle Nick Leddy left. Pius Suter provides depth at center. Nick Bjugstad gives the Blues a hard-nosed weapon on the team’s bottom-six. All in all, the team looks ready to take their next big step. Should these two candidates bounce back, they’ll make all the difference for the roster.
Binnington Showed Flashes of Brilliance with Blues
Hockey fans around the world saw glimpses of the Jordan Binnington that won the Cup in 2019 at the Four Nations Faceoff. Binnington showed he’s still capable of clutch play, stopping 63 of 66 shots between the Cup clincher and the Four Nations finale.
“That’s what sports are all about in some ways,” Binnington said. “As an athlete and a competitor, there are always going to be doubters. You’ve got to use that as motivation and find a way and believe in yourself that you’ll get the job done.”
With that said, however, his momentum at the Four Nations failed to translate to NHL ice. Binnington ended last season with a subpar .900 save percentage and a 28-22 record. If his Four Nations appearance indicated anything, though, it’s that Binnington still has some gas left in the tank. He’s more than capable of competing at a high level. A fresh start to the season should help to reinvigorate his game.
Justin Faulk Needs Different Context
It’s hard to put the lion’s share of blame on Faulk for his performance. He has always been an offensive-minded defenseman with perfectly acceptable defensive metrics. The loss of Torey Krug has forced Faulk to punch above his weight, taking on tougher minutes. This, in turn, has negatively impacted his defensive metrics and offensive figures.
At 33 years of age, it’s hard to imagine Faulk will reach career highs again. But that doesn’t mean all hope should be lost with Faulk; in fact, quite the opposite. In order to help the Blues succeed, they have to play to his strengths. That means giving him more sheltered minutes in an offensive role.
NHL insider Nick Kypreos, however, thinks Faulk will be traded. “Faulk again will be a trade candidate as Doug Armstrong looks at ways to improve St. Louis’ roster for 2025-26 and set them up for future success as best he can before handing the GM reins over to Alexander Steen,” Kypreos wrote. “Faulk is 33, played in all situations for St. Louis this season, and though he makes $6.5 million against the cap, he’s owed just $4.5 million in actual salary in both of the last two years of his deal.”
Daily Faceoff has Faulk on the second pairing in their projected lineup alongside Phillip Broberg. Whether he starts the season here or finds himself on another team is anyone’s guess. But, should the Blues decide to keep Faulk, they have to let him do what he does best.
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