The Most UNEXPECTED Hockey Team Just Got Better

The Most UNEXPECTED Hockey Team Just Got Better

This is Jordan Bennington and he just suffered a heartbreaking loss that ended his team season. Coming into the year, the St. Louis Blues were a team with a lot of questions. They were unsure of their coach, not confident in their GM’s direction for the team and stuck with a roster that was not good enough for playoffs, but also not bad enough to hit the lottery. Essentially, they were just mediocre. A word that no NHL franchise wants to be associated with. But after 2019, the Blues showed us that if there were any team capable of turning a group of misfits into something great, it was them. Following a rocky start to the year, the Blues somehow ripped off a 12-game win streak that would get them back into the playoffs as a wildcard team. Shocking, I know. While the season didn’t finish where fans expected, especially when you consider the context of the game and the series in which they lost, there was still a newfound sense of optimism. And when you reflect on how much this team evolved since the start of the year, the improvement is remarkable and unmistakably positive. But are the Blues a team worth mentioning with contenders this year? And will they be able to build off their strong finish and carry that momentum into next season? Well, let’s talk about it. What’s up, guys? Welcome back to the channel. As you can see, again, we’re still in this different sort of recording space because it’s still a heat wave here in Massachusetts. And like I said before, I just can’t record in a studio that’s that hot. So, we’re going to continue kicking it with these kind of casual vibes. But for today’s video, we’re talking about the St. Louis Blues. Last season, they had a pretty crazy story arc, arguably the biggest of the NHL season. And today, we’re going to talk about what went right for the team, what they can improve on, and what next season is going to look like for one of the more exciting rosters in the NHL. But before we get into that, if you guys have been enjoying the content lately, be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe. Now, let’s try to reach a new sub goal. I think we’re just under 27,000 right now. So, let’s see if we can hit that before the end of the month. So, if you’re enjoying this video, toss that sub out now. I really do appreciate it. But with all of that stuff out of the way, let’s get into today’s video and talk about the St. Louis Blues. Off season 2024, the Blues failed to make the playoffs the year prior and Doug Armstrong was ready to change that. First news broke that Tory Krug would be out for the season after having surgery to repair a prearthritic condition in his left ankle. Krug had 39 points and averaged over 20 minutes of ice time before going down for the Blues. And while they didn’t have an instant replacement, it did give them a bit more flexibility to find someone who maybe better fit the style of hockey that they were looking to play. To counter this, Armstrong made some key signings, including Ryan Sudter, Pio Joseph, and the biggest of the three, offer sheeting Philip Broberg. It was tough to lose a player like Krug from your lineup, but Broberg became an instant fit with the team and exceeded expectations from the very start. Defense wasn’t the only issue that the Blues needed to address. In fact, their offense took a pretty significant step back the year prior. The Blues finished the year 24th in scoring, averaging 2.85 85 goals per game, not to mention their struggling power play that finished 23rd with a success rate of 18%. Recognizing that the team needed a spark, Armstrong made a second offer sheet to an Edmonton player, Dylan Holloway, locking him down to a fantastic deal, 2.2 million per season, where we now know today he wildly overachieved, scoring 63 points in 77 games played. In addition to Holloway, the Blues were also preparing to have their young players take a step forward in their development. Jake Neighbors was a player who showed a lot of promise and had earned the trust of the front office. Dabour D’Vorski played with Sudbury of the Ontario Hockey League last season and was third on the team scoring with 88 points and was expected to make the lineup at some point during the year along with Jimmy Snugarude who eventually got the nod from the Blues later in the season showing that he also had a lot of potential with his game. And even though it would take a bit more time than a guy like Neighbors, he was worth keeping around because these three players were going to be the future for St. Louis. Regardless, it was an eventful off season for St. Louis. But nothing was for certain. Still though, based on their mediocre performances the years prior, I think that the fan base and organization was feeling pretty optimistic about their chances. The regular season finally arrived, but from opening night to the midway point, the Blues were unfortunately performing worse than the year before. They posted a 1918 and4 record for 42 points, which was an 82point pace that, as we know now, wouldn’t have been enough to make the playoffs. During this stretch, St. Louis made two major moves. as they replaced head coach Drew Banister with Jim Montgomery who had been let go of Boston and swung a deal with Anaheim to bring in steady defenseman Cam Fowler adding even more depth to their blue line. While both moves did eventually pan out, still the Blues were kind of seen on the outside looking in being potential sellers based on how their season was going. And you have to add on to the fact that there were a lot of other competitive teams within their division that people weren’t really expecting the Utah, Minnesota, etc. that ended up panning out a lot better than St. Louis and put them in a pretty difficult situation. On paper, the biggest need for this team was help in their top six, ideally a top six center. But with only 3.6 million in cap space, any move would require a lot of creativity and flexibility, which the Blues didn’t really have. So, they made the decision to trust their guys in the room, hoping that they could turn things around before the trade deadline on March 7th. and if they couldn’t, there was the option of potentially selling off some of their pieces. Thankfully, the decision to hold off and keep your players up until the deadline ended up being a perfect decision for the St. Louis Blues. Jim Montgomery tapped into his roster and became a similar coach to what he was in Boston those first two years. Getting the most out of players who a lot of people felt were washed and ultimately getting the Blues to go on a 12game win streak that would get them into the playoffs throughout the final moments of the season. It was eerily similar to their run back in 2019. Maybe not as drastic or dramatic, but still it brought back vibes of a team that was going to be a scary one to face in the playoffs because they had gotten in towards the end. This success stem from a lot of things under Jim Montgomery. The Blues defensive play was nothing short of outstanding, but not the sole reason for the turnaround. Instead, this was actually pointed out by their general manager. The depth forwards were the biggest reason why the Blues continued to win on the margins. And the more they leaned on their speed and shot blocking instincts, the more they shut opponents down. And that’s why they were able to go on such a large win streak and turn their season around. The Blues accomplished their ultimate goal of making the playoffs. But unfortunately, being a lower seed, they would have to go up against the powerhouse Winnipeg Jets, who had just won the President’s Trophy. But because of their past, there was still some optimism that the Blues were going to come out on top, given how the Jets continued to fall short in their own playoff endeavors. The series opener was all about Winnipeg stars. Kyle Connor had a dramatic gamewinner with 136 remaining. And the Jets claimed a five to3 victory thanks to a huge performance by Mark Schiffley who racked up three points, a goal, and two assists and set the tone for the rest of the matchup as the Winnipeg Jets continued their dominant run from the regular season. Game two was a much tighter contest, but the Jets dug in and found a way to prevail, edging the Blues 2 to1 again thanks to Kyle Connor, who scored a goal 143 into the third to seal the deal for Winnipeg. Game three, however, turned into a nightmare for the Jets, who came into St. Louis hoping to seize a commanding series lead, but instead were run out of the building by St. Louis. They chased Connor Hellbuck out of the net after putting six past him and ended up winning seven to2, setting the tone for how the Jets would have to play when they came into their barn. Game four brought even more nightmares for the Jets as they continued to struggle, falling back into old habits. Connor Hellbuck was pulled after surrendering five goals and Winnipeg dropped another game in embarrassing fashion 5-1, sending the series back home deadlocked as St. Louis looked in control of this series. Game five was a redemption night for the Jets as they battled their way to a 5-3 victory. But again, heading into St. Louis, they were embarrassed on the road as the Blues secured a 5-2 victory, forcing a massive game seven. The seventh game of this series delivered a pretty incredible finals for this matchup. St. Louis did jump out to a 2- lead, but Winnipeg quickly answered on the power play to make the game within reach 2-1. The Blues would then extend it back to 3-1, but the Jets would score two goals within the final 3 minutes, including a goal with just 2.2 seconds left to force overtime. After a very tense double overtime period that nearly stretched into a third, the Jets ultimately claimed the series in seven games, ending what was a magical year for the St. Louis Blues. While the season may have ended in heartbreak, I think we all can admit that it was a better year than anyone anticipated. And this new optimism that I have about the Blues going forward is something that I felt was non-existent to start the season. Their head coach clearly fits well with the team and will be able to get the most out of their young players like Neighbors D’vorski and Snugarude. Their defense is well-rounded and structured, the perfect group to play the style of hockey that the Blues are known for. And I like the additions they made in the offseason like Pia Sudter, who I think is going to add more depth to this team, which is something I feel they were missing during the postseason. All in all, I think you should be very optimistic about the Blues because they’re in a great spot and with a healthy roster, the potential of their young players stepping into new roles, I feel like the sky is the limit for this team. And I didn’t even mention anything about their goalending because you all know I respect Jordan Bennington a lot and what he brings to the table for the Blues is without question one of the most important pieces of this team. If he’s able to stay healthy and the defense in front of him looks anything like they did last year, then I would be afraid of facing this team. The Blues may not have won the cup last season, but I think it’s safe to say that they are back and have earned the respect of hockey fans worldwide. But this is my breakdown of the St. Louis Blues, their past season, their unlikely playoff run that unfortunately ended in heartbreak, and of course, what you guys can expect moving forward. If you enjoyed this video, be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe now. And drop your thoughts in the comments below about this team and some other topics you would like to see me visit here on this channel. I also have a few other pieces of content here for you guys on the screen to check out if you’re bored as we continue to go through the off season. And again, thank you guys for watching this channel. I will see you in the next upload.

The St Louis Blues officially changed the entire hockey worlds opinion in just one season. From mediocre to overnight sensation the St Louis Blues turnaround brought fans back to one of the teams most iconic moments back in 2019. While the Blues ultimately fell short of their goal, the team at least managed to show the league that they are not entering a rebuild but instead are already back to action and ready to compete. Today let’s delve into one of the most unexpected storylines of the year to explain not only how the Blues found success but how this team has a very bright future ahead. Subscribe to Jimmy Hockey for more NHL News and Breakdowns.

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