Blues 2024-25 preview: Projected roster, season outlook, playoff picture
The St. Louis Blues missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024. However, they made things interesting late in the season. The Blues found their stride in the second half of the season after firing Craig Berube as head coach. Now with Drew Bannister as the full-time head coach, St. Louis is looking to keep their momentum going.
St. Louis did not attack NHL Free Agency like similar teams. The Nashville Predators went wild this summer, for instance. However, the Blues added depth in free agency to bolster their roster. There’s certainly more to the difference in offseason maneuvering. In any event, it’s an interesting difference to point out nonetheless.
There is some excitement around this team heading into the new season. And we won’t have to wait long to see this new-look St. Louis team on the ice. Here is our complete Blues season preview with the 2024-25 campaign set to begin in short order.
The projected Blues roster
The Blues have some interesting names, especially up front. Robert Thomas had an incredible season last year and could pace this offense in 2024-25. Jake Neighbours and Jordan Kyrou also showed some promise in the second half. Additionally, Pavel Buchnevich recently signed a contract extension with the Blues. He will certainly have an impact in 2024-25.
St. Louis will be without Torey Krug for the upcoming season. However, their defense could still surprise people. Especially if newcomer Philip Broberg breaks out as hoped. Broberg came over from the Edmonton Oilers after signing an offer sheet in the offseason.
The Blues should not have any changes in goal to start the 2024-25 season. Jordan Binnington is back and likely fills in as the starting netminder for St. Louis. Behind him, Joel Hofer hopes to build upon his rookie year as he looks the part of the team’s goalie of the future. Here is a complete look at the projected Blues roster:
Forwards – Robert Thomas, Jake Neighbours, Jordan Kyrou, Pavel Buchnevich, Brayden Schenn, Dylan Holloway, Alexandre Texier, Mathieu Joseph, Kasperi Kapanen, Radek Faska, Brandon Saad, Alexey Torpchenko, Nathan Walker, Oscar Sundqvist
Defensemen – Colton Parayko, Nick Leddy, Philip Broberg, Justin Faulk, Ryan Suter, Scott Perunovich, Pierre-Olivier Joseph
Goalies – Jordan Binnington, Joel Hofer
St. Louis’ season outlook
Jeff Le-Imagn Images
There are some interesting games to watch for on the schedule. The Blues begin their 2024-25 campaign with a game against the Seattle Kraken on October 8. This is the first game of a three-game road trip to open the year. St. Louis makes its home debut on October 15 against the Minnesota Wild.
On December 7, the Edmonton Oilers come to town. This is the first game Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway will play against their former team. Broberg and Holloway signed offer sheets with the Blues in NHL Free Agency this summer. Their first game in Edmonton as an opposing player comes on February 7.
On New Year’s Eve, the Blues take their game outdoors. St. Louis travels to take on the Chicago Blackhawks in this season’s Winter Classic. This is the fourth Winter Classic to take place before New Year’s Day. Furthermore, this is the first outdoor game for the Blues since the 2022 Winter Classic against the Minnesota Wild.
The Blues play against six Western Conference opponents in their final 10 games. Five of these West opponents are direct division rivals in the Central Division. They also face four Eastern Conference opponents down the stretch. This could certainly add some complexity if the Blues are in the playoff hunt. St. Louis ends its season against the Utah Hockey Club on April 15.
Are the Blues a playoff team?
The Blues caught fire at the end of last season. And we have seen cases of momentum carrying over from year to year. Look at the Florida Panthers for an example of this. Florida went on a Cinderella run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2023. In 2024, they finished as one of the best regular-season teams before going on to win the Stanley Cup.
Obviously, these are different cases. The Blues missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs completely in 2024. St. Louis has to hope they can keep their momentum going despite having fallen short of postseason hockey. It certainly won’t be easy. However, this team has the talent to make the playoffs in 2025.
The Blues likely won’t emerge as a Stanley Cup contender. As it pertains to making the playoffs, though, that is certainly something they can do. St. Louis will need its star players to continue leading the way. And they will need their new depth players to hold their own. If this happens, the Blues will find themselves in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2025.
The post Blues 2024-25 preview: Projected roster, season outlook, playoff picture appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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