The St. Louis Blues were perceived to be one of the league’s biggest sellers heading into the 2026 NHL trade deadline, but they stopped well short of the total rebuild many anticipated.

The Blues managed to fetch a first and third-round pick from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for veteran defenseman Justin Faulk, and then got a similar package from the New York Islanders when they traded away Brayden Schenn.

Considering there were trade rumours surrounding other cornerstone pieces of the franchise like Colton Parayko, Robert Thomas, Jordan Binnington and Jordan Kyrou, this was far from the full teardown that many expected from Blues GM Doug Armstrong in his final season at the helm.

From March 1, the Blues managed to go 16-4-3 in their final 23 games of the season, which was the best record in the NHL in that span. 

While that run ultimately ended their chance of being awarded the 2026 first overall pick after spending the majority of the season at the bottom of the standings, it raised an intriguing question: Are the Blues closer to contention than we think?

For starters, it cannot be understated just how pivotal Armstrong’s offer sheets of Dylan Holloway and Phillip Broberg were to changing the direction of the franchise. 

Offer sheets always run the risk of hurting you long-term, but the Blues took smart bets on young assets that fit in their competitive timeline, and those acquisitions have paid out in spades since they joined in the summer of 2024.

The Blues have also been building a strong pool of prospects that began taking shape in the 2025-26 season with the breakout performance of Jimmy Snuggerud, who finished fourth in rookie scoring with 51 points in 70 games. That offensive pace was on par with the other top rookie forwards this year in Beckett Sennecke and Ivan Demidov, who played 12 more games than him this year.

Dalibor Dvorsky, 21, also had a promising first season in the NHL and an even better appearance on the Olympic stage with Slovakia. Jake Neighbours, who is a little further along in his development, had a strong showing despite his season being derailed by injuries. There’s also 19-year-old Justin Carbonneau, who just put up 51 goals in the QMJHL and could push for a roster spot throughout the season.

That’s all without mentioning the foundational offensive piece in Thomas, who still managed to produce at a point-per-game pace on a Blues team that finished 24th in goals per game and was 26th on the power play.

The Blues also have three first-round picks this year, over $14 million in salary cap space, and only two pending UFAs and two pending RFAs on their roster.

While it may have hurt fans to see their captain leave, the Blues ultimately shed two of their worst contracts in Schenn and Faulk while setting themselves up for long-term success in the process. It’s rare to be able to do that at all, let alone at the same trade deadline.

With Alex Steen taking over as GM, there isn't a clear idea of which direction he’ll take the team in. Still, he’s inheriting a team with financial flexibility, along with a full cupboard of picks and prospects to at least have multiple options.

However, there are still some questions that come with this Blues roster that could ultimately dictate whether or not they realize their full potential.

Jordan Kyrou took a big step back this season, and it’s unclear if he’s already hit his ceiling as a point-producing right winger.

Pavel Buchnevich has been trending downward over the last four years and is older than the majority of the forward core.

Jordan Binnington was statistically one of the worst goaltenders in the NHL last season, and if that trend continues, there’s no certainty that Joel Hofer can be the successor the team needs.

On top of all of that comes the unfortunate circumstance of playing in the Central Division, which has turned into a gauntlet headlined by the Colorado Avalanche, the Minnesota Wild, and the Dallas Stars.

The emergence of the Utah Mammoth and bounce-back candidates like the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets could provide some issues for them, too. The Blues’ late-season surge would suggest they’re a better team than their record suggests and can remain in the playoff race, but the race could end up being for a wild-card spot at best.

However, even if it doesn’t happen right away, the plan for St. Louis should be to contend. Teams spend years trying to build the type of young core and organizational depth the Blues already possess, making a patient push forward a more sensible path than starting all over.

The only glaring need for the Blues to address would be a scoring defenseman, and fortunately for Steen, there are a couple of intriguing options set to hit free agency. One of those options includes John Carlson, who is testing the market for the first time in his career after proving his value with the Anaheim Ducks. However, it's been reported that Carlson would prefer a return to the Eastern Conference.

There’s also the possibility of them leveraging one or two of the first-round picks they own this year to facilitate a trade, similarly to the Montreal Canadiens’ acquisition of defenseman Noah Dobson at last year’s draft. If the New York Rangers are committing to a rebuild, Adam Fox would be an intriguing name to look out for.

There are still holes that need to be filled and questions that need to be answered, but the foundation of the roster, the wave of young talent, and the draft capital they have make it pretty clear they should push for another Stanley Cup in the near future.

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