The St. Louis Blues‘ season came to an end on Sunday night, losing Game 7 of their First Round series against the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in double overtime. Despite the loss, the Blues had an awe-inspiring run against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Jets, forcing them to an eye-catching Game 7 matchup. While it may be the end of their 2025 Playoff run, they showed a lot of promise for the future. Here are three takeaways from the Blues’ postseason.
Binnington Is Still Consistent in the Playoffs
This series against the Jets showed how much skill Jordan Binnington still has in the big moments. He was the team’s starter in 2019 when the Blues won the Stanley Cup, and this season, he was Team USA’s go-to goalie in the 4 Nations Face-Off and came up big. In Game 7, he holds a record of 2-1 with a .945 save percentage (SV%) and a 1.49 goals-against average (GAA).
Binnington had a 3-4 record in this series with a .901 SV% and 2.53 GAA. He played incredibly well despite the loss, especially in Game 7, where he saved 43 of 47 shots through double overtime. Binnington is good enough to continue being a leader on the Blues. St. Louis must keep him in the starting role for a few more seasons. Binnington has been the backbone of the roster since the club won the Stanley Cup in 2019, and he can ensure that they remain consistent contenders.
Snuggerud Lived up to the Hype of Expectations
Rookie Jimmy Snuggerud did better than expected in his short time with the Blues after joining the team from the NCAA. In seven regular-season games this season, Snuggerud scored a goal and three assists. He also had four points (two goals, two assists) through seven playoff games and played a key role on the power play, notching his first postseason goal on the power play in Game 2.
Snuggerud showed flashes of how great he can become and kept up with his teammates, playing on the first and second lines with Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas. His main role against the Jets was to play the corners and ensure he could keep the play going when the puck went to his wing. He was also a finisher on the power play, with six shots to lead the team. He’s being molded to be an offensive powerhouse, and Snuggerud will be one to watch for the next few seasons.
Montgomery Was the Problem Solver
Over the last two seasons, the Blues struggled to find the right coach who would help the team grow. Craig Berube’s coaching style no longer worked for the team after their 2019 championship. Then, Drew Bannister was brought in as a rookie NHL coach and was not ready for the challenge.
This season, Jim Montgomery came in and turned the team into a dark horse contender. With the help of Claude Julien and Mike Weber as assistant coaches, Montgomery fixed the Blues’ special teams, specifically the power play, pulling them up from the bottom of the league into the top 20. He also made them an offensively aggressive team, improving in shot and zone percentage. This season, St. Louis had an 11.4 shooting percentage, a significant improvement from 2023-24 when it was 9.9 percent. They also spent 42.4 percent of the time in the offensive zone this season, compared to 41.3 percent last season.
Montgomery has revived the team, emphasizing offense and changing the system from a shutdown defensive game to a counter-attacking offensive one. St. Louis played 39.5 percent in the defensive zone this season, compared to 41.1 percent last season. The Blues had to focus more on offense to start trending in the right direction.
Blues Have a Bright Future
The team should be proud of their 2024-25 season, especially with Snuggerud now in the fold, who could lead the team to great things, and with Binnington, who is still a top-calibre goalie. The team also has a solid coach in Montgomery to help them develop into a real contender in the near future, and they have a new star forward in Dylan Holloway. Even though he was injured throughout the First Round, he had a tremendous 2024-25 campaign. The Blues are well set up for 2025-26.
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