The Stanley Cup playoffs feel as wide open as they have in any recent season. While there are a lot of excellent teams in the field, there is no one truly dominant team that stands out as a clear favorite. Just about every team has a major flaw or question that could end up holding it back.
That also means it is entirely possible for an unexpected team, or perhaps even a bottom-seeded team, to go on a run.
The St. Louis Blues, the second wild-card team in the Western Conference, are one of those teams that could go on a surprisingly deep run at a championship.
There are a couple of factors working in their favor going into their first-round matchup against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning, top-seeded Winnipeg Jets.
The Blues are going into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league and clearly playing their best hockey of the season. Since Feb. 1, their 21-5-4 record is the best in the NHL, and there is nothing in their play to suggest it is any kind of a fluke.
So, how did they turn into a juggernaut more than halfway through the season?
The first development was the hiring of head coach Jim Montgomery almost as soon as he became available. When the Boston Bruins fired Montgomery, the Blues wasted no time in firing their own coach (Drew Bannister, who had just been hired on a full-time basis prior to the season) to bring him in.
The change behind the bench was not the only significant move.
They also made one of the best in-season trades when they acquired veteran defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks. Fowler has been a huge addition to the Blues’ defense, and along with the offseason addition of Philip Broberg (restricted free agent offer sheet from the Edmonton Oilers), has helped completely transform a unit that had become a serious weakness in recent years.
With Montgomery behind the bench and the revamped defense, the Blues have almost overnight become one of the stingiest defensive teams in the league. During their 30-game run to close out the season, the Blues rank third in the NHL in terms of expected goals against per 60 minutes during 5-on-5 play while also owning the league’s best 5-on-5 goal differential. They suppress opponents scoring chances and have significantly outplayed everybody at even-strength.
That alone makes them a team that playoff teams might want to avoid.
But it is not just their defense that has improved. They have also become one of the top offensive teams in the league during the second-half. Dylan Holloway (the other restricted free agent they signed away from Edmonton) has been a breakout star in his first year with the team, while returning core players Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas have had big years.
They are second in the NHL in goals per 60 minutes during 5-on-5 play since Feb. 1.
They are also playing a Winnipeg team that, for all of its strengths this season, has had some disappointing playoff showings in recent years. Especially as it relates to starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck. If Hellebuyck falters again, even a little bit, the door would be open for the Blues to pull off the upset and potentially start a run.
An in-season coaching change helped turn a disappointing Blues team into a Stanley Cup champion during the 2018-19 season. The same recipe is in place this season.
