The St. Louis Blues are entering the 2026-27 season with an open mind and a thought of being much better than they were a season ago. The false identity from their surprise playoff appearance in 2024-25 seems to have subsided, and their team now knows who they are and what they are capable of.
Many have labeled them as a team destined for the draft lottery, and others have explained why they could be a sleeper in the Western Conference wild card race. Either way, this team is going to be a very surprising bunch, and here is why.
New era
The old guard is gone, or leaving. Only Pavel Buchnevich, Colton Parayko, Robert Thomas, and Jordan Binnington remain as the longest-tenured members of this group, and at least half of those four could be on the chopping block by season’s end. Thomas, just named as the 25th captain of this franchise, is obviously safe.
There is also a new head of the table, with Alexander Steen taking over. He has already made a plethora of changes since being thrown into office, and that is likely not going to stop once the season begins. These players are on thin ice, and that could be due to external changes or internal call-ups.
Finding themselves quickly
The 2026-27 Blues are going to find themselves. They are going to work through the kinks, starting with a very fiery training camp and preseason coming up. For the entirety of this 84-game season, the roster will be critiqued and judged, with head coach Jim Montgomery likely being very vigilant again with line changes.
Depending on how fast they can find the right formula, the end result can be a very positive one. When the first line was established last season, the Blues were one of the best teams in hockey and were once again threatening a late-season push toward the playoffs. Unfortunately, it was a little too late, but the idea remains the same this upcoming season. A quicker realization of what works can erase that “sleeper” label and replace it with “contender”.
Nothing to lose
The scariest thing to face in life is someone with nothing to lose. That is what this Blues team is. Obviously, a worse result than their 37-33-12 record from last season is a giant step back, but a similar or better effort is a huge win.
With a number of first-round picks itching to get their chance in the NHL, and young players already on this roster trying to fit themselves into the future mold of the Blues, this is a trial year for everyone. Playoffs are a plus, and missing out on the draft lottery next season is not the worst thing in the world. There are enough pieces in the farm system that the time to win is now.
This team has never tried to tank in the past, and with an updated roster and a new leadership group in place, watch out for this team to make some noise in 2026-27.
