The St. Louis Blues Are Emerging as a Real Contender in the Western Conference
Despite their first-round Game 7 loss, St. Louis is just getting started.
The St. Louis Blues were devastatingly defeated by the Winnipeg Jets in the first round. Just 1.6 seconds away from upsetting the best team in the NHL, it’s one that’s going to sting. For a while.
But the Blues are just getting started. They’re an emerging contender in the Western Conference, and the way they battled against the best was only further proof.
Blues’ Jim Montgomery Hiring Marks Turnaround
Under head coach Drew Bannister, the Blues started the season with a .432 points percentage across 22 games. To put that in perspective, the Nashville Predators finished the season with a .415 points percentage, the third-worst mark in the NHL.
When head coach Jim Montgomery was available on the market on Nov. 19, following the Boston Bruins’ decision to fire him, the Blues were quick to act. Five days later, Montgomery was their own bench boss.
From that point until the end of the season, they led the NHL in 5-on-5 goal differential (plus-43). Going back to the 2023–24 season, the Blues were heavily outscored at 5-on-5 when Bannister was behind the bench (minus-21).
Montgomery undeniably changed the trajectory of the Blues, and in a big way. They were a sneaky contender after Bannister’s firing, led by Robert Thomas’s excellence (72 points after Nov. 23, tied for sixth in the NHL), strong goaltending, and a true four-line roster. The Blues had a .642 points percentage over Montgomery’s 60 games.
The eighth-seeded Blues were 1.6 seconds away from beating the Presidents’ Trophy winner—it’s a remarkable story. But they weren’t truly an eighth seed. In reality, you could argue that they’re closer to the Jets than a true bottom-of-the-West team.
The Blues’ in-season turnaround wasn’t random. It came directly as a result of Montgomery’s hiring. The best part is that they weren’t really prepared to be great. Additions like Cam Fowler, Philip Broberg, and Dylan Holloway (who missed the entire Jets series) helped, but all three were more or less acquired for a second- and third-round pick, combined. If St. Louis starts shipping out bigger assets for bigger stars, watch out.
