The St. Louis Blues shocked the hockey world after they fired head coach Drew Bannister and introduced in former Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery simply days after he was let go. Bannister was appointed head coach simply this previous offseason, so parting methods with him so rapidly was virtually unprecedented. Nonetheless, the choice didn’t upset the fan base, as signing Montgomery to a five-year contract has reignited pleasure round a staff that was in dire want of a spark.
Bannister Earned Alternative
Blues common supervisor Doug Armstrong emphasised that Bannister’s dismissal was solely resulting from Montgomery’s availability, not a mirrored image of Bannister’s efficiency. Coaches of Montgomery’s caliber are not often out there, making the choice a no brainer. Bannister was positioned in a virtually unattainable state of affairs, and whereas a few of his selections have been questionable, his hiring at all times felt like a lose-lose situation.
Montgomery Brings Pleasure
Montgomery brings not solely a formidable resume but in addition a surge of pleasure and power to a franchise that has felt adrift in current seasons. The 55-year-old coach has given electrical speeches up to now, notably when he received the 2023 Jack Adams award and forward of the Bruins dad’s journey final season. As properly, he’s candid with the media and extremely vocal on the bench, qualities which have already made an affect.
Blues Have Thrilling Prospects
Over the previous three drafts, the Blues have made 5 first-round picks whereas additionally uncovering late-round expertise and including younger gamers by means of trades and supply sheets. These first-round alternatives introduced in Adam Jiricek (2024), Dalibor Dvorsky (2023), Theo Lindstein (2023), Otto Stenberg (2023), and Jimmy Snuggerud (2022).
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Jiricek has performed simply 4 video games this season resulting from low season knee surgical procedure, however each Stenberg and Lindstein are making an affect abroad in Sweden’s prime males’s league. The 2 Swedes have flashed elite potential in current World Junior Championships and are anticipated to go to North America within the close to future.
The Blues’ prime two prospects are Dvorsky and Snuggerud, who’ve every dominated to start out the 2024-25 season. A member of the College of Minnesota, Snuggerud, 20, has seven objectives and 20 factors by means of 14 collegiate video games. He leads the staff in each classes and sits third within the NCAA in factors, trailing solely Jack Devine (23) and Aidan Thompson (22), two members of the College of Denver. Forward of the season, I predicted Snuggerud may win the Hobey Baker award, and his current sizzling stretch might be the constructing block to perform this feat.
Within the American Hockey League, Dvorsky, 19, has amassed six objectives and 13 factors by means of 17 video games. He sits third on the staff in objectives and first in factors. As properly, he ranks first within the league in each objectives and factors amongst these under 20 years outdated and has outproduced prime prospects like Joakim Kemell, Niko Huuhtanen, and Brad Lambert. The pattern dimension is small, however the Blues’ middle prospect has taken his recreation to the subsequent degree whereas persevering with to offer a powerful, two-way recreation.
Blues Have Thrilling Youth within the NHL
Along with their prospects, the Blues have a formidable core of youth within the NHL. 2020 first-round choose, Jake Neighbours, 22, broke out final season, scoring 27 objectives and 38 factors. Now 23 video games into the 2024-25 season, he already has seven objectives, a 25-goal tempo. Many areas of his recreation nonetheless want enchancment, however he’s trending in the precise route.
The Blues shocked the hockey world after they despatched supply sheets to Edmonton Oilers’ restricted free brokers Philip Broberg and Dylan Holoway this previous offseason, and their aggressiveness has already paid off. Broberg, 23, has missed the Blues’ current stretch with a lower-body damage, however he had two objectives and 9 factors in his first 12 video games. As properly, he impressed within the defensive finish and in transition. Expectations must be tempered as he, too, has a lot room for enchancment, however Armstrong’s gamble is already wanting promising.
Holloway, 23, struggled to search out consistency underneath Bannister, typically bouncing between traces. Regardless of this, he managed to ship strong outcomes, backed by spectacular superior analytics. In 23 video games this season, he has recorded simply three objectives and 10 factors, but boasts 0.95 anticipated objectives per 60 minutes (fourth on the staff), 1.71 factors per 60 minutes (sixth), a 61.5 objectives share (second), and a 54.1 anticipated objectives share (eighth). He has achieved all this whereas struggling to safe ice time on the second power-play unit, suggesting that extra minutes may considerably increase his stats.
Zack Bolduc, 21, additionally confronted challenges underneath Bannister, however arguably worse than Holloway. His power-play alternatives have been akin to these of gamers like Alexandre Texier and Oskar Sundqvist, and he ceaselessly rotated out and in of the lineup. It was clear Bannister was ruining his improvement, but Bolduc remained one of many staff’s only forwards, rating third in objectives per 60 minutes (2.11), second in objectives share (61.1%), and seventh in anticipated objectives share (52.8%). He made a direct affect in Montgomery’s debut, scoring twice, a promising begin that ought to result in extra probabilities.
General, the Blues have 4 promising younger skaters already contributing within the NHL, together with 25-year-old Robert Thomas and 26-year-old Jordan Kyrou, every inked to long-term offers. Moreover, goaltender Joel Hofer, at simply 24 years outdated, and a strong core spherical out the roster. With an completed head coach now on the helm, the franchise’s future seems exceptionally vibrant.
