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Blues' glaring roster flaw that must be fixed before 2026-27 NHL season
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- Blues' glaring roster flaw that must be fixed before 2026-27 NHL season
Blues' glaring roster flaw that must be fixed before 2026-27 NHL season appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The St. Louis Blues did not make the playoffs in 2026 . St. Louis had a good second half of the season. Unfortunately, this meant little as the team was one of the worst first-half clubs in the NHL. The Blues certainly had good pieces in place, but they flat out weren't good enough.
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The Blues entered this offseason with a choice to make. They could go for it again in 2027, add key veterans to improve their short-term play, and keep their talented core pieces. Or St. Louis could let some of their core players go while adding key contributors for the future.
New general manager Alex Steen elected to go with the latter. He traded some of the team's key contributors this summer. And he went out and acquired some intriguing young talent to improve the franchise's long-term outlook.
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The Blues traded winger Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals to kick things off. Kyrou had signed a massive eight-year, $65 million contract back in 2022. However, he was moved to the American capital city in exchange for Connor McMichael, a prospect, and a first-round pick .
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Speaking of first-round picks, St. Louis entered draft night with four selections in the 2026 NHL Draft. They only used two of them, as they sent the other two to the Anaheim Ducks in a trade for Mason McTavish . McTavish is a young center who showed promise in 2024-25 before struggling in 2025-26.
The Blues are largely done with their offseason business and are looking ahead to the new season. With this in mind, here is one glaring flaw with this roster as currently constructed.
Blues' goaltending could be disastrous in 2026-27
Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The Blues have some intriguing forward talent on display. Robert Thomas remains with the Blues despite rampant trade rumors over the last year. Pavel Buchnevich, Dylan Holloway, and Jimmy Snuggerud add to a top-six group that can provide offense. Add McTavish and McMichael, and this is a group capable of genuine offensive production.
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It's what's behind the forward group that could doom the Blues in 2026-27. Their defense isn't great, though Philip Broberg and Colton Parayko are standouts. And their goaltending situation remains an absolute nightmare at this time.
Jordan Binnington, despite rumors of his departure this summer, is likely to start a good amount of games again in St. Louis. He is far from the same goaltender who won a Stanley Cup for the Blues in 2019. He finished last season with -25.71 Goals Saved Above Expected and -3.05 WAR, according to HockeyStats.com.
Not only was Binnington's GSAx the worst mark in the league, but it was also five points worse than the next-closest goaltender. Suffice it to say, the Blues veteran was the worst goaltender statistically in 2025-26. This is a major reason why the Blues failed to trade him. Few teams are willing to take the chance on him.
Behind Binnington is Joel Hofer, whom St. Louis is high on. He performed much better than Binnington this past season. And he has a legitimate case for being the starter this coming season. Hofer finished with a 15.2 GSAx and a 5.15 WAR, according to HockeyStats.com.
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The Blues can certainly get by with Hofer as their primary option. However, it's unknown how he will perform as the full-time starter. Even if he is as advertised, it's hard to imagine a return to form for Binnington. That could prove to be a disaster for St. Louis this coming season.
