Despite being only one season removed from hoisting their first Stanley Cup, Play Gloria seems a lifetime away. Much of that is due to lengthy season suspensions and delays due to COVID, but for Blues fans, their first-round upset at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs after a first-place finish in the Central division only added to the painful downtime.
But the fact of the matter remains — what made the St. Louis Blues a dangerous team is still very much present: a strong top six, potential difference-makers on defense, and a goaltender that, when hot, can not only steal a series, but can sustain an entire Stanley Cup playoff run.