ST. LOUIS -- For the longest time, the St. Louis Blues were setting themselves up for a third straight seasons without the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Inconsistency seemed to be the theme -- or flavor -- of the day, even after a coaching change from Drew Bannister to Jim Montgomery.
But the team caught fire at the right time. There were remnants of it prior to the 4 Nations Face-Off break, but once they came out of that break on Feb. 22, the Blues left a blazing trail that shot them all the way into the top eight and in as the second wild card from the Western Conference.
It unfortunately for them ended in the most gut-wrenching way in Game 7 of the first round series against the Winnipeg Jets after finishing the regular season with a 44-30-8 record, good for 96 points, which was up from the 92 the previous season.
So who had a good year? Who had a great year? Who was average? Who didn't perform up to expectations?
I give you grades for the 2024-05 Blues roster, Montgomery and the job of general manager Doug Armstrong (includes regular season and playoff performance, with majority emphasis on regular season).
FORWARDS:
Robert Thomas -- Thomas followed up his breakout season in 2023-24 (86 points) with another stellar year with 81 points (21 goals, 60 assists) but in 12 fewer games while averaging 19:57 per game, down from the career-high 20:58 the previous season. He missed 12 games early in the season after fracturing his right ankle blocking a shot in October which forced him to miss a month after being described to be out six weeks. He shot himself out of a cannon with 16 points in the ensuing 13 games and seemed to be well on his way to elite status. There was a dip, much like the team, in January that saw Thomas struggle with just seven points in 13 games, but he would revive things in a big way with 11- and 12-game point streaks (to go with a seven-gamer earlier in the season) and lead the Blues in points and matching last year's assist total with 60. His plus-20 was tied for third on the team and career best despite getting most, if not all, of the tough matchups on a nightly basis and I liked that he more than cut his penalty minutes in half (48 last season, 20 this past season) while having five-game winners and increasing his face-off percentage to a career-best 54.1 percent. The power-play points were down (19 from 27) but that was due in large part to the team's struggles in that area earlier in the season. And it was evident, when Thomas was going, the team followed suit with a franchise-record 12-game winning streak. Thomas had eight points (six assists) against the Jets and had his moments when he was really good, but I still think he was playing through that nagging lower-body injury late in the regular season despite the Blues downplaying it. Can he still shoot the puck more? Sure. But 47 goals the past two seasons is nothing to scoff at for a playmaker. He deserved high marks.
My grade: A
Jordan Kyrou -- What have we been asking from Kyrou for years now? The ability to play-make and be an offensive threat was never in question. It was always what he could do on the other side of the puck. The proof is in the numbers, and it showed. Kyrou hit the 70-point mark and was one off of tying his career high in goals when he scored 36 this season while playing all 82 games for the second straight season. I've always said that I don't put a strong amount of stock in plus-minus, especially on individual games, but a season's body of work is rather telling, and for Kyrou, his plus-23 led the Blues this season. This, from a player who for the past two seasons was a combined minus-50, including a team worst minus-38 in 2022-23. Kyrou spent much of the season on a line with Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway and it was evident those players dragged the 27-year-old into the battle. It did take a little bit getting him to shed the lot of the debris he had in his game as far as clock management, when to take risks, when not to, being responsible defensively; he had two blunders early in the season against the Philadelphia Flyers and Utah Hockey Club that cost the team at least a point, if not two, but as the season wore on, you could see a marked improvement in playing both sides of the puck. He averaged nearly a minute less per game (17:29) this season compared to the 18:20 he played last season, but it worked out well for Thomas too. When the team got hot and won 12 in a row, that's when Kyrou's offense also picked up; he scored a third of his goals (12) in the final 16 games. Kyrou got rocked by a Logan Stanley open ice hit in Game 1 of the first round and never seemed like himself and had just three points (all goals) in the series. The Blues needed more from one of their top offensive threats. But as a whole, I thought this was his best season of the seven that he has played. You'd still like to see more compete in wall battles and winning pucks in general but this was a drastic improvement. The biggest sign of maturity: watching him and Holloway put in all the extra work after practices trying to build chemistry together.
My grade: A-
Dylan Holloway -- I have to admit, I didn't expect this kind of player when the Blues signed the then 22-year-old, now 23-year-old to an offer sheet from the Edmonton Oilers, along with defenseman Philip Broberg. The player I saw sporadically in Edmonton, I saw at his peak being a middle six forward, mostly as a third-line winger. Oops! The only thing that spoiled this first season for Holloway was being injured on April 3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins that essentially ended his season. They say good teams overcome blows to important players, but it was evident that the Blues missed his all-around game in the playoffs. As for Holloway's season, who saw 26 goals, 37 assists, 63 points in his first full season? In his two partial seasons with the Oilers, Holloway totaled nine goals and nine assists in 88 games. His plus-21 was second only to Kyrou; he led the team with eight game-winning goals while averaging 16:49 of ice time. I was coming in thinking if the Blues could get 15 goals and 40-45 points from Holloway this season, it would be considered terrific, and would be a player that could max out at 20-ish goals, maybe 50-ish points at his peak. Again, oops. It didn't start that way though. He had eight points (four goals, four assists) in 22 games. But you could see the work ethic from this kid. He wanted to make a difference, he wanted to put in the work, the extra work, and did so. From the moment Montgomery took over, Holloway followed with a seven-game point streak (11 points; six goals, five assists), he was elevated in the lineup and never looked back. This kid put in the work each and every game; his nine-game point streak (15 points; six goals, nine assists) came March 13-27, all during the Blues' record 12-game winning streak that was vital during the run to the postseason. Blues fans have so much to look forward to a player that still, in my opinion, has so much untapped potential. In all the years I've covered the Blues, this player's work ethic reminds me so much of a young Jaden Schwartz, a David Backes, but with more skill. Holloway will be in the Blues' plans for a long time. I see an eight-year extension in his horizon soon and deservedly so. It takes a lot to get a perfect grade from me but ...
My grade: A+
Pavel Buchnevich -- Like many of his teammates, Buchnevich was one of the veterans trying to piece together an identity before Montgomery's arrival. It didn't start that way for a player the Blues started the season as a center iceman (bad idea!) with three goals and four points the first three games. But in the next 19 games, there were only nine points, and this was from a top six forward. I didn't think it would be possible for Buchnevich to reach 20 goals this season, but scoring in six of the final eight games, he made it for the fifth straight season and sixth time in his career, finishing with 20 goals, 37 assists in 76 games. He had a decent plus-minus at plus-10 and cut his penalty minutes by more than half from last season (23, after 48 the previous season) playing just over 19 minutes (19:02) per game. Montgomery's no fool. When he had Buchnevich playing with Thomas, things seemed to mesh accordingly between those two. The constant meandering of playing the 30-year-old from one line to the next and again, playing him in the middle, did nobody any good. Buchnevich, whose new six-year, $48 million ($8 million average annual value) contract kicks in next season, is a key contributor on each side of special teams, and although it's not on one player, the Blues were 16th on the power play (after being in the bottom half) and 28th on the penalty kill (74.2) percent, not nearly good enough. And with that new contract kicking in, the Blues got good value for the $5.8 million AAV the forward just finished up. But he's going to need to be closer to a 30-goal scorer, 70-point player moving forward. In his four years with the Blues, his point production has dipped from 76 to 67 to 63 to 57 and the 67 points came in just 63 games. His eight points against the Jets in the playoffs is nice, but four came in Game 3. Maybe a training camp under Montgomery will keep Buchnevich stirring strong when the season opens. The dip in point production isn't a concern ... yet, but it's something that can't continue. It was a decent year, but I think there's more than needs to be had.
My grade: B
Brayden Schenn -- OK, the goal scoring was down a touch from the captain, who at 33 is seeing his production in that area take a dip, but with this player, look at the whole picture: leadership, physicality, 200-foot game, coachable, adaptable, all things that were evident. Schenn scored 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists), which was a slight uptick from last year's 46 points. It was his third straight injury-free season playing in all 82 games, but like his aforementioned linemates in Kyrou and Holloway, I loved the adaptability that this trio was able to gravitate towards and form quite the viable second line. Schenn reversed his plus-minus drastically from minus-22 to a plus-3; not eye-catching but the difference is quite noticeable. While averaging 17:34 per game, Schenn's face-off percentage matched his career best at 52.3 percent and first time he's been over 50 percent since 2020-21 when he also was at 52.3. He's kept the room together and helped galvanize the room when a coaching change was made again, and was part of the fuel of making the run to the playoffs. And once in the playoffs, he only had two goals and an assist in seven games but right along with the 'WTF Line,' Schenn's willingness to check and be a physical force while winning a whopping 56 percent of his draws. Schenn still makes the kind of money you'd like to see an uptick in production, yes, but in all honestly, if the Blues are able to land a No. 2 center behind Thomas,Schenn would be a terrific No. 3 center. He filled the role behind Thomas as well as he could.
My grade: A-
Jake Neighbours -- In one thought, I'll get this out of the way: the more I get to know this player, the more I see him wearing a letter, whether it be a 'C' or an 'A', that's to be determined. As for this past season, it was going to be tough, and likely unfair to judge Neighbours based off his 27-goal output of his first full season of 2023-24. Neighbours finished with 22, which wasn't far off, but he did improve his assist total and finished with 46 points this season, eight better than last. And in playing his first 82-game regular-season, Neighbours also finished at even in the plus-minus, after being a collective minus-37 to begin his career, and it just shows another player committed to playing the defensive side of the puck and greatly improving himself there. When you play Neighbours in the right situations, this player can thrive, and his average time per game (15:54) showed just how much coaches can trust him, and they trusted him in mainly a top six role. Is he equipped to stay there permanently? I don't know. I do know he's a very versatile player that the coaches move onto a line when they need some bite on it. His willingness to go to the hard areas, battle in corners and check will go a long way under Montgomery. The only negative is some unnecessary penalties that more that topped his previous three seasons combined (56 minutes to 47 previous). Neighbours also added a goal and five assists in seven playoff games. Can the consistency improve? Sure. A top six guy doesn't need to be going nine, 11 and 10 straight games within a season without scoring, especially a guy the Blues count on so much at the net front. But he still is 23 years old and will continue to improve. If Neighbours can continue to provide the 20-plus goals, 40-50 points per season, he'll be just fine.
My grade: B+
Zack Bolduc -- In French, it says bienvenue dans la LNH. Translation: welcome to the NHL. Also, it was a season with two worlds in it for the No. 17 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, who played in his first full season (72 games) after getting a taste of it last year. Bolduc's body of work (five goals, four assists) in 25 games gave a glimpse of what was to come moving forward. Only this season, it didn't start out that way. He had just five assists in 16 games under Bannister, finding little to no traction and not a threat to score. Enter Montgomery, and Bolduc immediately scored his first two goals against the New York Rangers, and from then on, he slowly moved up the chain, and Montgomery helped the 22-year-old gain his confidence to finish with 19 goals and 36 points and a plus-20, good for third on the team. What Bolduc has developed is a physical edge to his game for a player known as a scorer coming out of the QMJHL. Sometimes, that feisty edge got the best of him into taking an unnecessary penalty or two, as evidenced by the playoff series against the Jets. He showed an uncanny knowledge of finding the soft spots on the ice and using that quick shot of his to score, something that lacked early in the year. Was it coaching? Probably played a hand in it. But once he found his willingness to shoot pucks first and not think, he was a dangerous player skating on that third line, something the fan base thinks is pointless and wasteful of his talent. I get where you're coming from, but let the coaches build him into who he can be, and for the time being, it was skating on that third line, which put him in dangerous situations on the ice. Bolduc had just an assist in the playoff series against the Jets, and you could see he was getting an immediate crash course in how much the temperature rises in playoff hockey. But it was a learning tool for him that he can take with him moving forward. Nothing beats experience, and he got it. This player has a bright future here, and he found a coach that will continue to utilize his strengths as he gains experience. Tough start to his first full season, very promising majority of it though and lots to look forward to.
My grade: B+
Oskar Sundqvist -- Bear with me here ... but in all seriousness, every time I see Sundqvist, I can't help but feel sorry for him. Only in that I know what he's been through with some serious injuries, especially with torn ACL's. Coming back this season from another one, late in the 2023-24 season, I didn't expect a ton from the 31-year-old because I've seen it from players before, including Sundqvist, and that first season back after that kind of injury and forthcoming rehabilitation is tough, especially in this sport. But Sundqvist, who had 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) and a minus-6 in 67 games this season, did everything and anything asked of him. On a team thin down the middle, he centered the third line the majority of the season. Is he a third-line center at this point in his career? Probably not, but he was a mentor and a glue guy for anyone that played there. Bolduc spoke highly of Sundqvist's influence on him indoctrinating him into the NHL. Sundqvist was used on the power play and scored four of his six goals and seven of his 20 points there. In a perfect world, would be be used there? Probably not. But not only was he willing to be the net front/bumper guy but he also killed penalties and was better -- not great -- on face-offs this season (45.5 percent) when he was at 41.9 last season; he had a goal and an assist and was a plus-1 against the Jets in the playoffs. Sundqvist is what he is at this point in his career, and if the Blues are absolutely balanced and deep throughout their lineup, he's a fourth-line/depth player. But since he did play on the third line and averaged 13:12 per game -- not a ton but adequate -- I would have liked to see a little more offensively but I understand under the circumstances. I expect a better version heading into the final year of his contract after a healthy off-season and full schedule of training. For what he was asked to give, I thought he gave as much as he could, and that's all you can ask. Effort was never an issue.
My grade: B
Alexey Toropchenko -- Hard-working, tenacious, never lets up an inch on any particular. Some things never chance for this 25-year-old in his fourth NHL season. Once again, I never came away thinking Toropchenko gave shifts away. The guy works as hard, if not the hardest, on this team, time and time again. His relentlessness and chemistry developed with linemates Radek Faksa and Nathan Walker as the 'WTF' line was everything and more the Blues could ask for. And don't think for a second that Montgomery started this line in games down the stretch and into the playoffs and put them on the ice against any particular line was some sort of gimmicky thing. This was done with intent, because they would set the tone. And Toropchenko was front and center. He played in 80 games this season after playing 82 the previous season. It was a good year, again. My only concern was the drop in goal production, dipping from a career-high 14 to four. I'm not sure Toropchenko was ever going to be the mid-teens type of goal scorer but in the 10ish range isn't too much to ask. He didn't nearly shoot the puck on target (114-90) as he did last season. You have to get some offense from your fourth line at some point, and although his assists (14) doubled from a season ago, he finished with 18 points. Against Winnipeg in the playoffs, he had two goals and two assists and was a plus-7. He was part of arguably the Blues' most consistent line. I think he's the perfect fourth-line energy winger that hasn't even reached the peak of his career, so there will be even bigger and better from this player. Again, effort will never be an issue. Montgomery will love having this kid for years to come.
My grade: B+
Nathan Walker -- Is there a player that deserves more appreciation than this one? As someone who covers the team, it's hard not to root for this guy considering everything he put himself through and the times he was cast aside as not good enough to be an every day NHL player. That's a story for another day, but as far as this season is concerned, what wasn't there to like? Like his linemate Toropchenko, this guy competed his tail off each and every game, every period, every shift. The 31-year-old may be listed as 5-foot-9, 187 pounds, but he attacks like a pit bull. Relentless, heavy, willing to check, cycle, grind, work hard in the dirty, greasy areas, penalty killer, all the little stuff that goes unnoticed on the stat sheet, except for the hitting and blocked shots part. Walker led the Blues with 281 hits, which was good for seventh in the league this season. Not bad for the smallest player on the ice. But he plays each shift like it's going to be his last. That's the persona he plays with after being told so many times he's going to the minors or will be a healthy scratch. In 73 games, he matched his career high in goals with eight and set a career high in points with 16, averaging 12:06 of ice time and a minus-5, then had three goals and an assist to go with a plus-4 in seven playoff games. Like Toropchenko, no need for a plethora of chapters here. You know what you're going to get, and that's an honest night's work every night. Sure, you'd like to see a touch more in the finish side and the penalty minutes (63) were a bit on the high side, but you've got another player here in your bottom six that can play the wing or center in a pinch that Montgomery knows he can rely on. Players like this are good to have on your team, especially when you're trying to advance in the playoffs, which the Blues hope to do soon.
My grade: A
Radek Faksa -- I'll admit, when the Blues acquired the 31-year-old from the Dallas Stars in July 2 last year for future considerations, I had to wonder why. How did this player fit in with a team looking to, as Doug Armstrong said recently, re-whatever? And certainly not someone with a cap hit of $3.25 million that the Stars didn't want anymore. But as the season wore on, it didn't take long to see the big, physical, smart game he played, keeping it simple, winning face-offs, grinding pucks in the O-zone, using his 6-3, 215-pound frame to check with efficiency. He finished with just five goals and 15 points in 70 games with a minus-2 and averaging 13:01 of ice time per game. Oh, and his 57 percent face-off efficiency was not only a career high but tied for 13th in the NHL with the great Sidney Crosby. Not too shabby. And Faksa, followed that up with a goal and four assists and a plus-7 in the playoffs. There were a lot of intangibles to like about the player, a lot of the small details needed to complement the top-end guys. It's obvious the Stars drafted him 13th in 2012 based on offensive skill, but it's obvious he found his niche in this league as a bottom half center that can grind with the best of them and with the unknown of how Sundqvist would come back from his torn ACL, Faksa turned into a nice insurance piece that was obviously a lot more. He is a pending UFA on July 1 and depending on the price and term, I'd give him a run back with the 'WTF' line. Montgomery obviously likes him and that trio was obviously good for one another. I'm not paying him $3.25 per, but I'd go in the $2-$2.5 per for, say, three years and roll with it. Solid year in St. Louis.
My grade: B+
Mathieu Joseph -- Acquired the same day the Blues traded for Faksa, Joseph was brought in from the Ottawa Senators and his remaining two years at an AAV of $2.95 million to add speed to the forward group. The problem wasn't the speed portion, it was the consistency and ability to stay in the lineup. The 28-year-old had four goals and 10 assists in 60 games to go with a minus-6, a noticeable drop from the 11 goals and 24 assists he had with the Senators in 72 games the previous season; his 11:54 average ice time was his lowest since 2020-21 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He scored two goals in the first six games of the season, then went 30 games without one before scoring Feb. 8 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Joseph would score a goal in three games in the playoffs. Bannister utilized Joseph often, but he was a healthy scratch a number of times under Montgomery, and the player just never seemed to stay in often enough. He would show flashes, then there'd be the occasional penalty that would result in a killer goal against or missed assignment. Joseph still has a year remaining on his contract, but I'm just not sure where he fits in the grand scheme of things. All I know is the bang for the buck was not near what they were looking for.
My grade: D+
Alexandre Texier -- The Blues touted the skill set and believed in it so much that they traded a fourth-round pick for the 25-year-old before signing him to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2.1 million. Between the healthy scratches, injuries and illnesses, and I get some of that you can't help, it was a very disappointing first season. When Texier played, he exhibited flashes at times just how good he can be, but there were too many instances when he went unnoticed, and unlike a defenseman, that's not good for a forward. He finished with six goals and five assists in just 31 games with a minus-3 rating and averaging just 12:29 per game, which the lowest of his six-year career. Texier played in three games in the playoffs and had an assist and a minus-1. Just from the outside looking in, I see there's some skill there, but I didn't see the commitment needed to be an effective player. I saw him make some very gifted plays and makes you wonder how this guy couldn't be more of a regular in the lineup, but it all goes back to the commitment, and that's something that will need to get better heading into the final year of his contract.
My grade: D
Brandon Saad -- All I'll say on this one is I have never seen a player that you could count on for 20-30 goals every year just drop off like Saad did this year. To go from 26 goals and 42 points in 82 games in 2023-24 to seven goals and nine assists in 43 games before the cord was cut, first with healthy scratches, then waivers, followed by termination of contract before signing with the Vegas Golden Knights ... I am perplexed. It's not like Saad is old (he's 32); he still had that burst with the puck and ability to shoot pucks but Montgomery tried using him up and down the lineup and it just didn't work anymore. And when you're not affecting the scoresheet at one end, you better be affecting it in a good way at the other end and Saad was a minus-14 and averaged just 14:36 of ice time, which was his lowest since 2020-21 (14:06) with the Colorado Avalanche. His seven goals with the Blues this season came in three games too, which is even more bizarre. Bottom line, for a guy that was carrying a $4.5 million AAV, it was not nearly good enough.
My grade: F
* Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorsky and Kasperi Kapanen each received an incomplete grade. But if I could grade Snuggerud (well, I guess I can), he gets very high marks from me and offers much promise for the future. Need to see more than one game for Dvorsky.
DEFENSEMEN:
Cam Fowler -- When Blues GM Doug Armstrong made the trade to bring the 33-year=old veteran defenseman into the fold, it was done with a purpose: get this D-core some help in the top four, a player that can help in all situations. I thought this was a good move when it happened, despite Fowler's lack of production in his 17 games with the Anaheim Ducks this season (four assists) in 17 games, but my goodness, what this guy brought here after spending 14-plus seasons in Southern California, you almost thought that the left-handed D-man had spent his entire career here. Talk about fitting in seamlessly and then some. From the moment he arrived, Fowler and Colton Parayko fit like a glove, and when Parayko was injured in March, he and Nick Leddy also fit seamlessly. This is a player that brought a calming presence to the blue line, poise, a power play quarterback, penalty killer, late-game situational skater, and the offense, how about top 10 among blueliners in the league from the moment he arrived on Dec. 14. Fowler finished with 36 points (nine goals, 27 assists) in 51 games, then led the Blues in scoring against the Jets with 10 points (two goals, eight assists); this was a guy who was a career minus-129 in Anaheim and in 51 games, was a plus-19 in St. Louis averaging 21:42 ice time per game, just a remarkable resurgence. Sure there were moments every player would like to have back, but I can honestly say it's hard for me to look at anything this guy did the moment he put on a Bluenote and felt like it was a detriment. The offer sheets Armstrong made for Holloway and Broberg were a stroke of genius. You can make the argument that this goes right up there with trading for Ryan O'Reilly is among the best, if not the best trades he's made for the cost (2027 second-round pick, fringe prospect Jeremie Biakabutuka). Fowler has one year left on his current contract that the Blues are only on the hook for $4 million of the $6.5 million AAV left on it. He's expressed an interest in extending his stay. If Fowler can keep up his performance, and sure, Father Time catches up to us all, extending him here would be wise. Loved everything about his game, and fans quickly found their appreciation too.
My grade: A+
Colton Parayko -- Another situation like Holloway: too bad he was injured, because the career offensive numbers that Parayko put up were already his career-best but imagine how much netter they could have been in an 82-game season? But in 64 games, returning for the final two games of the regular season after having his left knee scoped following an injury March 5 against the Los Angeles Kings, Parayko finished with a career-best 16 goals and 36 points, surpassing his previous career high in points of 35 three times; he once again led the Blues in average ice time at 23:45, just a shade below the 23:52 he averaged last season, but once again, this was a player that dominated ice time at 5-on-5 for the Blues, mostly with Fowler since his arrival. Yes, we've documented where the PK ranked this season and Parayko was a part of that, but the group as a whole struggled there, not just one player. Could he have been better at times being more physical around his own net, clearing the lanes and traffic in front? Sure. But I thought Parayko led that D-group as well as one could. He's been questioned by this fan base as to whether he's a No. 1 defenseman or not, and I'll let you all debate that as you wish, but from my vantage point, like Thomas among the forwards, when Nathan MacKinnon is on the ice, so will Colton Parayko. When Connor McDavid is on the ice, so is Colton Parayko. When Nikita Kucherov is on the ice, so is Colton Parayko. He came out of the season a plus-12, his best since 2021-22 and fourth-best of his career, playing against the league's best and for him to dedicate himself as well as he did defensively, but for him to apply himself like we all thought he could offensively speaks to the commitment and successful season it was. He also had a goal and five assists and was a plus-4 in the playoff series against the Jets. Again, to me, the injury derailed what could have been even a better season, and I think the Blues are in good hands with No. 55 patrolling their blue line.
My grade: A
Justin Faulk -- This may have been the toughest one for me to grade. I caught myself watching a lot of good from the veteran this season and there were other times where I kept thinking to myself, 'He's got to be better than that.' There were nights where his shutdown capabilities were at the top of the Blues group that night, and then there were times, particularly when Faulk would make a puck error or coverage mistake and the puck would turn into a high danger chance or in the Blues' net. Faulk increased his ice time per game slightly over last season (22:27 from 21:58) and on more nights than not, he and Broberg were the most consistent pairing. But Faulk was a minus (minus-9) for the third straight season, and a number of his minuses, whether directly or not, were a result of the Blues' inability to close games out 5-on-6 when they allowed an NHL-high 13 goals. Montgomery had Faulk on the ice in a number of those instances. As for the offense, he had two more goals -- and points -- than last season (four goals, 28 assists) in 78 games, but Faulk was healthy this year; last year, he wasn't and played in just 60 games. He quarterbacked one of power play units and did have 12 points compared to seven a year ago, but there was more to be had. And for whatever reason, Faulk had 18 fewer shots on goal this season than last despite playing 18 more games. And Faulk had pointless streaks of 15 games and 10 to end the season, but the end of season, his defensive game was on par with the team putting together a run to the playoffs, where Faulk played well with a goal and two assists and a plus-3. Again, I thought there were more better games than not for the 33-year-old, who has two years remaining on a contract that averages $6.5 million AAV but a limited no-trade clause from July 1 on. I know a lot of the fans poured on Faulk this season, but I didn't mind him on a lot of nights, but I still come away thinking there was more there. Does that even make sense? I hope so.
My grade: B-
Philip Broberg -- Smooth, poised, clean puck mover, responsible at both ends of the ice. Not much, if anything, not to like about Broberg's first season in St. Louis, arriving with Holloway from Edmonton via offer sheets. It was his first full season after three seasons of limited ice time at the NHL level with the Oilers. It almost seemed like this was a player screaming to get more ice time, and he got it in St. Louis playing in a top four role, mostly with Justin Faulk, which turned out to be a really reliable pair. Broberg did finish with 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) and was a plus-21, tying for second with Holloway. He then had a goal and an assist and was a team-best plus-9 in the playoff series against the Jets and was the only Blue not to have been on the the ice the entire series for an even strength goal against. I've always said this about defensemen, and I think it goes back to the days when Carl Gunnarsson was here: if you don't notice a defenseman or don't mention him often, that means he's playing well. I just didn't catch myself mentioning this player's name all that much for the wrong reasons. He only played 68 games because he missed 14 with a knee injury suffered earlier in the season. Getting to watch him extensively, he was someone that didn't get rattled under pressure, limited his puck mistakes and sealed out space in the D-zone when under duress with a strong ability to skate pucks out of danger. I think there were more opportunities to get involved offensively, but that hesitancy was natural being a first-time player here. Those things can be ironed out, and I say there was more offense to be had because Broberg did such a nice job pinching in the O-zone when needed. The Blues knew the player they were getting, and like Holloway, the Blues will be looking to lock up this player for a long time, like Holloway. He will be a mainstay on this squad for years to come and had a terrific first year in St. Louis.
My grade: A
Ryan Suter -- Like Faksa, when the Blues signed the veteran to a one-year minimum wage deal laced with incentives that made the price $3 million in total, I thought about why, but then with news that Torey Krug would miss the entire season following surgery on his arthritic left ankle, the insurance made sense. A veteran with plenty of wisdom, games, experiences and more that help guide not only the young D-men but be a good complement to the veterans. Turning 40 this past season, I had to wonder if the game had passed Suter by, but he fit in well. Very durable and it was proof in the play when he played all 82 games for the fourth straight season and 11th time in his career. He would finish with two goals and 13 assists and a plus-7 playing anywhere from the bottom pairing to the top based on injuries. This was one helluva safety net the Blues had when Broberg was injured, when Leddy would miss a big chunk of the season, then Parayko going down and averaged 19:28 per game, more than the 18:56 he averaged with the Stars last season. He then had an assist in five games along with a minus-1 against the Jets in the playoffs. Suter was never fast but he made up for it with his ability to play physical in the D-zone and especially around the net. There was even a game against the Buffalo Sabres which Suter played an astounding 33:06, playing with Parayko that night after P-O Joseph was injured. I'd be willing to run it back another year if Suter still has the desire to play because quite frankly, who do the Blues have in the system right now that is ready to jump to the NHL level if they're looking internally? We don't know what they'll do with their D-core, Torey Krug will likely have to retire and unless they bring in someone else from the outside via trade or free agent signing, Suter makes a good safety blanket and he seemed to fit in with this group. Nice year.
My grade: B+
Tyler Tucker -- I've made mention a couple times in these spaces that I was wrong about Tucker, and good for him for sticking through the process and working himself into a regular top six on this squad. I figured when Tucker didn't make it out of training camp, he was out of options. The Blues had given him multiple opportunities, and he even played in 52 games the previous two seasons and still had to prove himself. But he went to Springfield of the American Hockey League and thrived up there, and once he was called up and made his season debut on Dec. 19, there were some challenges to meet but he started playing regularly, the minutes increased, the responsibilities increased and there was no turning back to the AHL. Tucker's snarl and physicality came to light, something the Blues sorely lacked enough of back there and this kid was playing 15-18 minutes a night regularly towards the end of the season. He finished with three goals and four assists and a plus-4 rating in 38 games, then played Games 2-4 against the Jets before unfortunately suffering a right leg injury towards the end of Game 4 and would not suit up again. There's no denying that young defensemen take more time to develop, and the Blues' patience seems to be slowly paying off in regards to Tucker. Is he a speed demon on skates? No. There were some edge rushes around the edges to the net that he was beat on, and he will work on those plays, but the willingness to box out and drop the gloves when needed didn't go unnoticed. And Montgomery loved Tucker's ability to jump into the play offensively, and I'd be willing to think that the Blues will want him to be more involved offensively, something Tucker said he's not known for. But don't tell those who saw his howitzer against the Jets in Game 3. Tucker's got a new two-year contract that kicks in next season and well-deserved. The Blues now feel like he belongs. It just took some time.
My grade: B+
Nick Leddy -- A small body of work by Leddy this past season due to a strange lower-body injury that occurred Oct. 15 against the Minnesota Wild that kept him out until Feb. 4. He would play 31 games and finish with two goals and three assists to go with a plus-6 before having one assist in seven games and a minus-4 against the Jets. His average ice time of 18:40 was cut down by almost four minutes (22:22) from a year ago. Leddy was a minus-4 when he returned from injury but finished a plus-10 in the final 25 games he played in this season, and a large swath of that good play came as a result of playing with Fowler in absence of Parayko. He did well filling in on the top pair with Fowler. He's always been a smooth skater and puck transporter; that didn't change much. There were times when turnovers/giveaways were an issue, and he was never a huge offensive provider, but there could have been more there too. I thought he and Suter were exposed in the playoff series against the Jets, hence the shortened ice times in most games. Leddy is 34 now and enters the final year of his contract that carries a $4 million AAV with a limited no-trade clause. Could he be a candidate to move? Certainly. But should be return, the Blues know they have an experienced, reliable third-pair D-man at their service. Overall, not bad for the limited number of games played.
My grade: B
Matthew Kessel -- Kessel was touted as the next young, up-and-comer to perhaps be a mainstay on the Blues' D-core moving forward, getting a sample size the past two seasons, especially the 2023-24 season playing in 39 of his 41 games played. But this past season, it just didn't seem like the 24-year-old gained any traction, playing in just 29 games (three assists) and a minus-3, playing just 13:08 per game and being passed on the depth chart by Tucker. Kessel played 18 of his 29 games early in the season under Bannister, and I'm not sure if his trust was lost under Montgomery or simply the depth chart was not good enough for him to climb. After playing on Dec. 12, Kessel played just three games the rest of the season and none in the playoffs. Kessel has one year left on a two-year, $1.6 million contract he signed in 2024. It's evident he has work to do. This year wasn't bad, it wasn't good either. It falls just under average for me.
My grade: C-
Pierre-Olivier Joseph -- Joseph signed a one-year contract ($950,000) the same day the Blues traded for his older brother, a depth signing with the Blues unsure of how their bottom six would unfold, but with the addition of Suter, Scott Perunovich still on the roster and ultimately the emergence of Tucker, Joseph became expendable and was dealt back to the Penguins, where he played last season. He was playing 13:06 here and had two assists in 23 games with a minus-7. There were moments of toughness and physicality but not much else.
My grade: D
Scott Perunovich -- After playing in 54 games in 2023-24 and putting up 17 assists and a plus-1 averaging 15:16 ice time per game, was it finally time for the second-round pick in 2018 and 2020 Hobey Baker winner to bust into the top six, or at the very least, be among the seven d-men the team would carry. He finally scored his first NHL goal against the Washington Capitals and had two goals and four assists in 24 games, but what was always apparent is the Blues just didn't trust the player defensively and wouldn't justify playing him regularly because of it. Ultimately, the offensive upside/ability to quarterback a power play wasn't enough to overlook the defensive end and the Blues dealt Perunovich to the New York Islanders. He fell into the Joseph range on the depth chart behind Tucker and Kessel and that put him in territory of being a regular in the press box. Something had to give. It's too bad the injuries early in his career thwarted his development.
My grade: D
* Corey Schueneman received an incomplete grade.
GOALIES:
Jordan Binnington -- What do they always say about the foundation of a good team? It starts in goal. The Blues have been saying that about Binnington since his arrival in 2019. And of course the supporting cast in front of said goalie can also make for an air-tight defensive scheme. For Binnington, the start to the season wasn't sub par, but it wasn't eye-popping either. The fire began to build playing for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Being in the spotlight seems to bring out the best in Binnington. The money game. And when the Blues were chasing down that second wild card, it seemed like every game was the money game. Just like last season, the numbers don't scream Hall of Fame (28-22-5, 2.68 goals-against average, .900 save percentage), but when you back this guy into a corner and need him to be at his best to fight out of it, he's going to come out swinging, and on most nights, he persevered. From Feb. 1 to the end of the season, Binnington tied for the second-most wins (15); he was 15-3-2 with a 2.34 goals-against average and .908 save percentage, which included a 13-3-1 mark with a 2.23 GAA and .910 save percentage post 4 Nations Face-Off break when the Blues were eight points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the second wild card in the Western Conference. I don't recall many of those "got to have it" saves but do remember a number of money stops. It's obvious Binnington gained confidence back when the games mattered most, but he did see 229 fewer shots this season than last, an indication that his team in front of him tightened things up better. I'd like to see the save percentage improve moving forward. I don't view the goaltending as the issue earlier in the season when the Blues were searching for consistency. In fact, it was the goaltending that really held the fort down, including this one.
My grade: A-
Joel Hofer -- Another go-round for a reliable backup behind Binnington, Hofer only won one more game (16) than he did a year ago, going 16-8-1 with a 2.64 GAA and .904 save percentage. The GAA is ever so slightly better than a year ago (2.65), but the save percentage dropped (.914) but the 24-year-old who could be a restricted free agent on July 1, has shown himself to be a capable backup and continues to take the necessary steps to be a starting goalie in this league. When Hofer was on his game, he stood tall (he's listed at 6-foot-5, 179 pounds), didn't leave many loose rebounds and was aggressive attacking the tops of the creases. His one vulnerability would come when he would play deep in his net and go down, exposing the top half. But cutting his losses by a third was another example of how he and Binnington have grown into one of the top 1-2 punches going. Hofer won five straight starts when the Blues went through their 12-game winning streak and allowed two or fewer goals in four of them and one or fewer in four of them. He started the year with three straight wins, then three losses in a row before winning four in a row, so like his teammates, consistency was inconsistent. But once he found it, the Blues were comfortable going with either of their goalies.
My grade: B+
COACH/GM:
Drew Bannister -- The shoes were tough to fill as it is for Bannister, who replaced Stanley Cup champion coach Craig Berube in 2023-24. After going 30-19-5, good for a .602 points percentage, the Blues rewarded the first-time NHL head coach with a new two-year extension. It was more of a prove-it contract. But the season didn't start quite as well as the team had liked, nor management. The Blues were 9-12-1, they were 30th in the league in scoring (2.36), 25th in goals-against (3.36), 25th on the power play (16.7 percent) and 24th on the penalty kill (74.9 percent). They were also 29th in shots (26.2 per game) and 21st in shots against (29.2). When Montgomery was fired by the Boston Bruins mere days earlier, the writing was on the wall. Bannister was fired, Montgomery hired. The Blues wanted someone with the experience and pedigree, and quite frankly, I think Bannister lost some of the veterans in the room, and something he was good at (developing young players) when he was coaching Springfield, weren't progressing at this level (namely Bolduc). I thought Bannister did a nice job for the time he was given and the circumstances he was put under taking over for Berube. But some of the outlying numbers were telling, and the Blues were destined for another season of being on the outside looking in this year. It wasn't entirely his fault, but things weren't trending in the right direction.
My grade: D
Jim Montgomery -- Once fired by the Bruins, the marriage between the Blues and Montgomery was not if it would happen but when. This wasn't about putting someone new behind the bench but someone with Blues roots as a player, within the community (his wife Emily is from St. Louis), and someone who has ties to the veterans being an assistant coach here previously (2020-22). And sure enough, there was an instant coaching bump, the Blues went 5-1-1 in Montgomery's first seven games, but then as was the case under Bannister, inconsistency was something that kept creeping in. One step forward, one step back, two steps forward, two steps back, and so forth. It wasn't until the end of February when the Blues would be the last team in the NHL to put together a three-game winning streak. Little did we know it would become a precursor to what would amount to be a franchise record 12-game winning streak from March 15-April 5 and allow the Blues to overcome an eight-game points deficit to get themselves into the playoff picture. What the 55-year-old brought was a fun atmosphere back inside the locker room while teaching the finer points of how this particular group needed to succeed. The numbers backed up the process. The Blues were fifth in goals scored (3.30), seventh in goals against (2.62), and a power play that was 12th (23.8 percent). The penalty kill still needed -- and needs -- work (28th, 73.5) percent, and as the Blues painfully found out in the playoffs, their 5-on-6 work has to improve immensely (11 goals for, 13 against). It all resulted in a 35-18-7 regular-season record, good for 10th-best in the league from Nov. 25th to the end of the regular season. The Blues got their guy and signed him to a five-year contract. They know who will be guiding the ship for the foreseeable future and based off this body of work and moving into an off-season with the chance to implement his style with a full training camp, the Blues are in good hands. The veterans are receptive, the young guys were allowed to grow and gain confidence, and that blend right there is what makes for exciting times for Blues fans to look forward to.
My grade: B+
Doug Armstrong -- Remember at the end of the 2023-24 season when Armstrong said he felt he let Blues fans down fore not making the team competitive enough on a more consistent basis and missing out on the playoffs in the final week of the season for the second straight year? There was a different tune this go-round. Sure, there was disappointment and anger in how the Blues lost their first-round playoff series against the Jets, but in his second-to-last season as GM before giving that role to Alex Steen in 2026-27, Armstrong got busy real quick in trying to make upgrades to get this team competitive again, which he did. It started by dealing Kevin Hayes to the Penguins to free up cap space and a roster spot, and we already mentioned the additions of Faksa, the Joseph brothers and Texier as depth pieces, but the first stroke of genius was the the ballsy move of tendering offer sheets to Holloway and Broberg and the mid-season acquisition of Fowler. But what probably was not the best move but the smartest was standing pat at the NHL Trade Deadline. The Blues were starting to push up the ladder. They hadn't gotten there yet but it was evident they found something that they felt could get them there. And the GM listened to himself and his staff ultimately and instead of stripping this down and reworking it again, he had faith in his players and coaches and allowed them to get to where they felt like they could get to: the playoffs. It worked, and now going into an off-season feeling like they could have -- and should have -- knocked out the Presidents' Trophy winners in the first round, now there's a foundation to build off of and plenty of motivation for a group that doesn't want to feel like they did after Game 7 ended in double overtime again. I think Armstrong has a good idea of where he'd like to upgrade this team this off-season, and this roster this past season certainly won't look the same. But you have to give credit here for acquiring two promising young players that look like legit foundation pieces and the route he took to do it, and then bringing in an experienced glue guy on the blue line that really fortified that unit. Faksa turned out to be a solid add as well. It was a good season for the GM.
My grade: A
