The St. Louis Blues have not reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in two seasons. The magic of the 2019 Stanley Cup Championship is long gone. However, as we approach Thanksgiving, a day of thankfulness, there are things Blues fans should be thankful for this holiday.
Six Things St. Louis Blues Fans Should Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving
#6 The Franchise has Won a Stanley Cup
The magic of 2019 may be over, but the memories will never leave us. From Pat Maroon‘s memorable Game 7-winning goal to the image of Brad Marchand crying on the Boston bench, Blues fans finally gained memories they did not think they would ever have. Forever and always, the St. Louis Blues are Stanley Cup Champions from 2019. Someone tell Alexa play some Gloria! It is an obvious thing to be thankful for.
Interestingly enough, we may be the reason for this current down period in Blues history. Let us reflect on the day of June 12, 2019, just hours before Game 7 started. How many of us sat in our living rooms, cars, places of businesses, and said, “if the Blues win tonight, they do not have to win ever again.” Do not deny it. We all said it.
“For the first time in their history, the St. Louis Blues are the Stanley Cup champions!”
Five years ago today, we became champions and etched our name onto the @StanleyCup forever. #WeWentBlues pic.twitter.com/o3oNK3GKCn
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) June 12, 2024
#5 The Winter Classic
The Blues will play in their third Winter Classic next month when they head to Wrigley Field to play the rival Chicago Blackhawks. The Blue Note will look to improve their Winter Classic record to 3-0 and are the only team to play in multiple Winter Classics and have an undefeated record. Furthermore, the game will be the latest chapter in the Blues and Hawks rivalry. Furthermore, the game will serve as a renewal of a rivalry that has gone a little stale as both teams have entered their respective retools and rebuilds.
Something that should stand out to Blues fans is the fact that the NHL has once again chosen them for the Winter Classic. The Blues are tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins with the second-most appearances in the Winter Classic. What is important to understand is, the NHL chooses teams they believe are marketable for the game. Fans of the Blue Note should be thankful and proud that, despite being in a retool, the NHL still sees the team as marketable for one of the league’s biggest events of the season.
#4 Money is Coming off the Cap
The Blues have been restrained by the salary cap for many seasons. Thankfully, we do see some light at the end of that tunnel. General manager Doug Armstrong made a big stride in accomplishing that by trading Kevin Hayes in the off-season. Furthermore, the team cleared more salary cap when Torey Krug was placed on long-term injured reserve due to arthritis.
This has been a continuing process. There are still a few more contracts the Blues would like to get off the cap. However, the organization is in a much better boat than they were a few seasons ago. To see light at the end of this tunnel is certainly something to be thankful for.
#3 Do the Goaltenders Look Nervous?
Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer have formed one of the league’s best tandems the last season and a half. This season, the duo have averaged a 3.30 goals against average along with a .894 save percentage. Yes, those are not impressive numbers. However, the Blues defence has struggled in front of the duo at times this season. Nick Leddy, a typically reliable defender, has missed time with injury. Furthermore, newcomer Philip Broberg has also missed time due to injury.
The big takeaway from this season so far is that Binnington and Hofer have kept the Blues in games and have given the team a chance to win. As the team continues to retool, this tandem will play a key role in it. Be thankful for a tandem that does not look nervous.
#2 Youth Movement
When the Blues traded players like Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko, fans knew it was only a matter of time before we would see the youngsters get looks in the lineup. That came to fruition last season, when youngsters like Zachary Bolduc, Zach Dean, and Matthew Kessel entered the lineup and got regular playing time as the Blues made a late push for a playoff spot. This season, the Blues added more youth to their lineup courtesy of offer sheets. Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg joined the team from Edmonton and played well.
Furthermore, there is a chance we may see two more join the lineup later this season. Jimmy Snuggerud and Dalibor Dvorksy are prospects the Blues organization and their fans are excited about. This plethora of youth is something Blues fans are thankful for and excited about.
#1 Front Office has a Plan, But is Willing To Break From It
When the Blues announced their head coach and front offices changes over the summer, it showed fans that the organization had a plan in place for the retool. Retools are hard, but fans can be thankful when they see a front office have a plan in place to navigate it. This is especially true for a St. Louis sports fan and you have the disaster John Mozeliak has created with the St. Louis Cardinals.
However, what is even more worthy of thanks if the Blues being willing to break from the plan. The original plan was for Drew Bannister to be the head coach for two seasons and then Alexander Steen, who would be the general manager by that time, could evaluate the situation and see what was next. However, the team pivoted when Jim Montgomery became available. The Blues fired Bannister and hired Montgomery over the weekend. Furthermore, they gave Montgomery a five-year contract. The organization recognized an opportunity to bring in a coach with an impressive resume and jumped on it. Yes, it required them to deviate from their plan, but deviating from it in this instance has put the Blues in a better shape during this retool. Not all front offices are as bold during retools and rebuilds. Doug Armstrong is and Blues fans should be thankful.
Holiday Wishes
We would like to extend a Happy Thanksgiving to all our wonderful readers! Enjoy the day and the time with your families!
Main Photo: Danny Wild-Imagn Images
