![[original_title]](https://rawnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/78c19d859a49ade8ed08642d1edd3f55-1024x683.jpeg)
Heading into the 2023-24 season, it will’ve been a daring assertion to say Robert Thomas would rating 19 extra factors than second place on the St. Louis Blues on the finish of the season.
Nevertheless, that is precisely what occurred. The Blues number-one heart had his finest season to this point and hopefully will get extra assist from the remainder of the forwards within the upcoming season.
The Blues march into the season with an similar roster, however the core must step their sport up in the event that they wish to get again into the dance. Beneath we make a couple of daring predictions that will come to fruition this season for St. Louis.
View the original article to see embedded media.
In 2023-24, Jordan Binnington barely improved his play within the crease for his group, and the hope is that the 2019 Stanley Cup Champion is beginning to return to kind.
But, a younger 24-year-old netminder is tickling Binnington’s heels, and is coming off of a strong rookie season because the group’s backup.
© Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports activities
When Binnington had some inconsistency and poor play, Joel Hofer took over the online and obtained consecutive begins final season. The 6-foot-5 netminder carried out and dealt with the workload like an expert and firmly established himself as an on a regular basis NHL-caliber goaltender.
Hofer achieved a save share of .900 or increased in 20 out of 30 video games performed, making him some of the constant backup goalies within the 2023-24 season, alongside tendies like Semyon Varlamov, Anthony Stolarz, and Jonathan Quick.
Related: Blues Goalie Playing For A Payday Next Season
Our prediction is not that Hofer will steal the beginning position from Binnington this season. Not but not less than. As an alternative, we’re predicting that the previous 2018 fourth-rounder will steal extra video games from Binnington and create a tandem scenario in St. Louis the place the 2 have a 40/40 break up.
From a technical standpoint, Hofer is best than Binnington. Jordan at instances can lose management of his edges and positioning when the play in entrance of him begins shifting side-to-side quickly. Hofer showcases a calmer demeanor and extra poise. Joel has the makings of changing into a future starter within the NHL sometime.
St. Louis Powerplay Finishes High 10
The Blues’ powerplay to start out final season was abysmal. Earlier than present Head Coach Drew Bannister took over for Craig Berube behind the bench on Dec. 12, 2023, the group’s powerplay ranked thirty first at a lowly 8.8%. That they had scored solely seven objectives on 80 powerplay alternatives.
Bannister and with the assistance of former NHL all-star Brad Richards — who was employed as a particular groups marketing consultant shortly after Bannister took over — turned St. Louis’ powerplay from a catastrophe right into a menace.
Within the 55 video games beneath Bannister, the Blues had the Thirteenth-best powerplay (from Dec. 12 to Apr. 18) with a 22.4 share. One change they made which clearly aided them was shifting Jake Neighbours to the highest unit.
Beneath Berube final season, Neighbours was averaging 1:09 PP TOI/GP. Beneath Bannister, these numbers jumped to 2:47 PP TOI/GP, together with seven powerplay tallies. Neighbours is terrific at redirecting pucks on the high of the crease and putting himself in spots to bang residence rebounds on the person benefit.
Related: Former Blues First-Rounder Poised For A Breakout Season in a Contract Year
St. Louis suffered a blow to their high unit with the information of Torey Krug‘s harm. Both Justin Faulk or Scott Perunovich ought to slide into that spot, however the powerplay runs by Robert Thomas anyway.
They’ve an elite playmaker (Robert Thomas) and objective scorers like Jordan Kyrou, Jake Neighbours, and Pavel Buchnevich to function as a top-10 powerplay unit within the upcoming season and construct off of what their powerplay was like on the finish of final season.
This prediction is kind of daring contemplating Philip Broberg has but to ascertain himself as an on a regular basis NHL participant. However hear me out, the Oilers fully mismanaged and underutilized their former high 10 decide, and the smooth-skating Swede is simply itching to interrupt out of his shell.
Related: Philip Broberg looking forward to new challenge with St. Louis Blues
It will not occur instantly, however we’re saying that by the top of the season, the Blues’ high protection pair can be Philip Broberg and Colton Parayko.
Parayko specializes on the defensive facet of the puck. He is astute at utilizing his prolonged attain and measurement to nullify rush probabilities and put an finish to cycles. However he might use a younger defenseman with the skating and puck-moving abilities to kickstart the transition.
At 6-foot-3, Broberg could be very athletic and a sleek skater who makes use of his ft to make impactful performs on either side of the puck. He possesses good puck abilities for a defender and produced 38 factors in 49 AHL video games final season.
A very good NHL comparable for Broberg is Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley. Each defensemen had been first-rounders due to their measurement, athleticism, and distinctive skating talents. These sorts of defensemen have grow to be extraordinarily helpful in immediately’s NHL due to how briskly the sport has grow to be and the way helpful it’s to have a defender with the attain and mobility to neutralize gaps at a fast tempo.
Harley emerged as a top-four defender in Dallas when he was given the chance, the identical might occur in St. Louis with Philip Broberg.
Bookmark The Hockey News St. Louis Blues web site to by no means miss information, interviews, and any updates across the league.
