The Stanley Cup playoffs really feel as large open as they’ve in any latest season. Whereas there are lots of glorious groups within the area, there isn’t a one actually dominant crew that stands out as a transparent favourite. Nearly each crew has a significant flaw or query that would find yourself holding it again.
That additionally means it’s totally potential for an sudden crew, or maybe even a bottom-seeded crew, to go on a run.
The St. Louis Blues, the second wild-card crew within the Western Convention, are a type of groups that would go on a surprisingly deep run at a championship.
There are a few elements working of their favor going into their first-round matchup in opposition to the Presidents’ Trophy-winning, top-seeded Winnipeg Jets.
The Blues are going into the playoffs as one of many hottest groups within the league and clearly taking part in their greatest hockey of the season. Since Feb. 1, their 21-5-4 report is the perfect within the NHL, and there may be nothing of their play to counsel it’s any type of a fluke.
So, how did they flip right into a juggernaut greater than midway by way of the season?
The primary improvement was the hiring of head coach Jim Montgomery virtually as quickly as he turned obtainable. When the Boston Bruins fired Montgomery, the Blues wasted no time in firing their very own coach (Drew Bannister, who had simply been employed on a full-time foundation previous to the season) to convey him in.
The change behind the bench was not the one important transfer.
Additionally they made among the finest in-season trades once they acquired veteran defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Geese. Fowler has been an enormous addition to the Blues’ protection, and together with the offseason addition of Philip Broberg (restricted free agent provide sheet from the Edmonton Oilers), has helped utterly remodel a unit that had develop into a critical weak point lately.
With Montgomery behind the bench and the revamped protection, the Blues have virtually in a single day develop into one of many stingiest defensive groups within the league. Throughout their 30-game run to shut out the season, the Blues rank third within the NHL by way of anticipated objectives in opposition to per 60 minutes throughout 5-on-5 play whereas additionally proudly owning the league’s greatest 5-on-5 purpose differential. They suppress opponents scoring probabilities and have considerably outplayed everyone at even-strength.
That alone makes them a crew that playoff groups may need to keep away from.
However it isn’t simply their protection that has improved. They’ve additionally develop into one of many high offensive groups within the league in the course of the second-half. Dylan Holloway (the opposite restricted free agent they signed away from Edmonton) has been a breakout star in his first yr with the crew, whereas returning core gamers Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas have had huge years.
They’re second within the NHL in objectives per 60 minutes throughout 5-on-5 play since Feb. 1.
They’re additionally taking part in a Winnipeg crew that, for all of its strengths this season, has had some disappointing playoff showings lately. Particularly because it pertains to beginning goalie Connor Hellebuyck. If Hellebuyck falters once more, even somewhat bit, the door can be open for the Blues to drag off the upset and doubtlessly begin a run.
An in-season teaching change helped flip a disappointing Blues crew right into a Stanley Cup champion in the course of the 2018-19 season. The identical recipe is in place this season.
