The St. Louis Blues are emerging as a dark horse contender for the 2025–26 NHL season, fueled by a mix of strategic acquisitions, promising young talent, and a coaching staff led by Jim Montgomery. After exceeding expectations in the 2024-25 season and making it to the playoffs, the Blues are aiming for a strong and consistent campaign, with expectations to return to the postseason annually.
The Blues have made several key additions to their roster, including forwards Nick Bjugstad and Pius Suter. Suter, who signed as a free agent, is expected to add scoring depth to the second line. The team also traded Zachary Bolduc to the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Logan Mailloux.
Projected forward lines for the 2025-26 season include:
The Blues will likely continue to utilize their standard first line of Buchnevich, Thomas, and Kyrou. Kyrou, who finished the previous season with 70 points in 82 games, is expected to maintain a significant role on this line. The addition of Suter to the second line is anticipated to provide more scoring.
The Blues' defense core features Justin Faulk and Philip Broberg, who form a strong second defensive pairing. Under head coach Jim Montgomery, Colton Parayko has reportedly found a new offensive side to his game, which should benefit the Blues. With the likelihood of Torey Krug heading to long-term injured reserve, the Blues have the cap space to accommodate a younger option. One potential target could be Bowen Byram, a talented left-shot defenseman.
The goaltending situation in St. Louis is noteworthy, with Joel Hofer poised to potentially take on a larger role. After signing an extension, Hofer could form more of a 1A/1B tandem with Jordan Binnington, rather than serving as a clear backup.
Jim Montgomery was named head coach of the Blues on November 24, 2024, signing a five-year contract. Montgomery's prior experience includes leading the Boston Bruins to a record-breaking season and earning the Jack Adams Award for coach of the year in 2022-23. His staff includes Steve Ott as Associate Coach, and Michael Babcock as a skills coach.
Expectations are high for the Blues to perform well in the regular season and make a return to the playoffs. After taking the Winnipeg Jets to a game seven in the first round of the 2025 playoffs, the team is expected to advance beyond the first round in 2026. The Blues are aiming to contend for a top-three finish in the Central Division.
Several players are being watched as potential breakout stars for the Blues in 2025-26. Jimmy Snuggerud, after a strong showing in his first 14 career games, is expected to play a significant role in the middle-six. Joel Hofer is another breakout candidate, with the potential to see more time in net.
The St. Louis Blues have a total cap allocation of $92,721,375, ranking 11th in the league. They have a cap space of $625,150, which is 27th in the league. Key players like Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas have cap hits of $8,125,000 each, while Pavel Buchnevich has a cap hit of $8,000,000.
The Blues will kick off the season with a challenging six-game stretch, starting against divisional rival Minnesota on October 9. The season will include 26 games against Central Division teams. A Winter Olympics break from February 5-25 will provide a mid-season opportunity for the team to regroup.
The St. Louis Blues possess a blend of experienced players and promising young talent, complemented by a strong coaching staff. While the Central Division is competitive, the Blues have the potential to surprise many and make a deep run in the 2026 playoffs.
