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St. Louis Blues season preview 2024-2025
The St. Louis Blues experienced a pivotal 2023-2024 season that saw significant changes in leadership and direction, leading to a missed playoff berth with 92 points in the Central Division. As they regroup for the 2024-2025 season, the focus shifts to adjusting strategies under new leadership and integrating new players, all while dealing with substantial roster changes.
2023-2024 Season Recap: Leadership Transition
A major storyline for the Blues last season was the departure of head coach Craig Berube, whose analytics-driven performance had been on a decline since leading the team to a Stanley Cup victory in 2019. The mid-season coaching change brought Drew Bannister from the assistant ranks to the head coaching position, marking a new chapter in the team's strategy and development.
While Bannister's influence began to take root, the team's performance throughout the season didn't see a dramatic change. The ESBC Power AI ratings suggested an overall mediocre performance, but a late-season uptick provided a glimmer of hope that the new coaching might start to yield better results.
Offseason Movements: Roster Adjustments
In terms of player personnel, the offseason was marked by strategic adjustments rather than sweeping changes. The departure of Kevin Hayes opened up roster spots that were filled by Radek Faksa and Alexandre Texier, aimed at injecting fresh energy and skill into the lineup. Additionally, the acquisition of veteran defenseman Ryan Suter from Dallas was a move designed to bring stability and experience to the blueline, though his recent performance metrics tells that he is not the powerhouse he once was.
Defensive and Goaltending Core
The Blues are set to continue with the goalie tandem of Joel Hofer and Jordan Binnington, which has been a solid pairing. However, a significant challenge on defense is the loss of Torey Krug for the entire 2024-2025 season due to injury. Krug's absence leaves a substantial void in both defensive play and power-play contributions, pressing the remaining defensemen to step up their game.
2024-2025 Season Outlook: A Focus on Cohesion and Development
Looking ahead to the 2024-2025 season, the Blues are positioned to focus on team cohesion and strategic development under Coach Bannister’s full-season leadership. Integrating the new players effectively and adapting to the absence of key personnel like Krug will be crucial.
The upcoming season will likely be one of mixed expectations. The fans see the 92 points season and might think that the Blues were just unlucky missing the playoffs. The analytics on the other hand show, that the "narrow miss" was actually a lucky one and ture talent of the team was way below the 90-point mark.
Conclusion
The St. Louis Blues are approaching a critical juncture. With a blend of veteran presence and new additions, the team’s ability to gel and adapt to Coach Bannister's system will determine their trajectory in the highly competitive Central Division. While the smart move might be to blow up the whole team and start from a fresh plate, the Blues are more likely to endure one season of mediocrity and miss the playoffs by 15-20 points.
(Please read our Disclaimer for NHL Team Points Distribution Histograms.)
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