Blues are now sitting 7 points out of the final playoff spot, just over halfway though this season. They will need a major push to move into the playoffs, and with the way this season has gone so far, it is not likely to happen. The focus for the rest of this season should be to see how the young players on the roster develop and perform the rest of this season, to formulate the plan for the off season.
Several of the younger players are having good seasons, Bowen Byram among them. Of this young defensive core, he is having a great campaign. The young forwards are producing, and if this growth can continue through this offseason and into next year, the Blues won’t be far from the playoffs.
The goaltending, while not terrible, has been a major let down this season. More was expected out of starter Alex Nedeljkovic, and he just hasn’t performed to expectations. This offseason will be critical for him. He really needs to work on his endurance and durability. He doesn’t seem to be able to handle multiple games in a row, and for the Blues to contend, this will certainly need to change.
There is still time for a second half push, but the Blues will really need to put together several winning streaks, and need to probably go 25-15 in the final 40 games.
7/27/2021 - 235 words
