ST. LOUIS -- It wasn't that long ago -- less than a year as a matter of fact -- when I was able to sit down and write the following words regarding the Blues:
The Blues were the most balanced scoring team in the league, producing a league-high nine players with 20 or more goals on the season and it showed with an average of 3.79 goals per game; only Florida (340), Toronto (315) and Colorado (312) scored more this season.
Opposing teams viewed the Blues' goaltending situation of one with admiration, considering they had not one, not two, but at times, three options to go to due to injury or inconsistent play with Jordan Binnington, the rise of Ville Husso and to an extent, Charlie Lindgren and Joel Hofer in a pinch from the minors.
So with that in mind, general manager Doug Armstrong and management have to feel good about knowing that they are right up there among the conference top teams and that their Cup window remains open. Changes will be made, that's inevitable, whether it be with their own pending free agents, bringing in others or through possible trade, but the task now is to see where management can take this team and go from here trying to keep this group within a Stanley Cup window. Time will tell.
Well ... that was then (June 18, 2022 as a matter of fact), and this is ... now?
How the mighty have fallen, and the Blues, who recently completed the 2022-23 season at 37-38-7, a 28-point fall from 109 points to 81, out of the playoffs and left talking about how the culture needs to get back to what it was after feeling like it slipped.
The 2018-19 season for the Blues was great for the franchise, great for the city and great for the fans, but that's a shell of what the team looks like now and there are challenges that lie ahead of what the Blues hope is more of a retool rather than a rebuild.
It's not as if they took an entire plunge to the bottom of the league and they have to find their way back to the top, or at least to near respectability, but Armstrong and his staff know in order to do that, after stripping down many of the pieces that had the Blues among the NHL's best the past decade or so, getting back there will be no easy task.
So with the 2022-23 season now completed, let's grade this season's Blues (hockey-reference.com and naturalstattrick.com provided the stat numbers), the coaching staff and management:
SKATERS
Forwards:
Jordan Kyrou -- On paper, the 24-year-old once again put up some really good numbers, leading the Blues in goals (37) and points (73) in 79 games, which was a slight dip from the 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) he had in 73 games the previous season. When the offense is on, it's really on. He led the Blues in total individual expected goals led the team at 23.8 percent (good); his individual point percentage also led the team at 75.26 (good), and it should since he led the Blues in shots at 272. I can go on regarding the offensive analytics, including leading the Blues in scoring chances for, Corsi-for, Forced Fenwick-for, rush chances, rush chances created, etc. etc. They all stand out. Remember a guy named Brett Hull, whose offensive numbers were off the charts as well? Sounds similar? The difference with Kyrou is his speed with the puck and it's unparalleled on this team. But an outlier for me is the 200-foot game, which is a necessity for today's NHL. This isn't the 80's, and it's been long gone for quite some time. It's hard to ignore the offensive zone turnovers, which Kyrou was guilty of more than any forward; he led all forwards in giveaways in all situations. And the thing with giving the puck away, what makes you a complete player is the willingness to back-track and win pucks back, and I just don't think he did that enough this season. Not nearly enough. Case in point, Kyrou was No. 1 on the Blues in offensive point shares (6.6), which is an estimate of the number of points the player contributes due to his offense; his DPS (defensive point shares), which is an estimate number of points a player contributed due to his defense was 22nd (0.2). I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm not big on plus-minus numbers, but a number of times, it's reflective on one's game, and Kyrou was a team-worst minus-38, which was also third-worst in the NHL. I get it, he's 24, and there's still more upside to his game, and the room for growth in the small details of the game is still there to be had, so as long as the player is willing to grasp those details. I've seen Kyrou when he's on his horse and back-checking and doing those things, and I've got to tell you, when he's willing, he's an effective skater in puck retrievals and limiting odd-man rushes against because his speed makes up the ground. I don't believe Kyrou has hit his peak yet, not at 24 years old, and that's a good thing because one should continue to see an uptick in offensive numbers, and now that the massive contract (eight years, $65 million) kicks in next season, more is going to be expected of Kyrou, and the magnifying glass will be larger than ever on his game. For me, Kyrou was on par offensively with a season ago when he broke out, and his defensive game took a dip. For the Blues to climb back up, his all-around game will need improving. Maybe the expectation for me is greater than the return thus far
My grade: C
Pavel Buchnevich -- When I look at Buchnevich's season, I liked it. It's just too bad that injuries played too much of a part in it, which forced the winger-turned-center to miss 19 games because of various, lingering physical ailments, something I don't hold against a player when making these grades. The 28-year-old, playing in his second season in St. Louis, once again averaged over a point a game this season (67 points; 26 goals, 41 assists in 63 games) with 1.06; he was the lone Blues player to do so in a rather forgettable season. Buchnevich had 76 points (30 goals, 46 assists) in 73 games last season, so he was on par with his point production, although his shots total (199 last season, 123 this season) dipped quite a bit, and that had something to do with the late-season switch to center (more on that in a bit), but the shooting percentage (21.1 percent) was a career-high. What you like about Buchnevich's game is his willingness to play that 200-foot game, and the coaching staff puts him in all key situations 5-on-5, on the power play, penalty kill, 4-on-4, you name it, they trust him; he averaged 19:27 of ice time per game, the most among forwards. Which is why when the Blues needed to use someone, whether it be because of injury or loss of personnel, they put Buchnevich down the middle, a position he never played in the NHL and hadn't played in since a young skater playing in Russia. He was second behind Kyrou in OPS (5.5) and first among forwards in DPS (1.8). Need I say more about the balance of a forward? I liked Buchnevich's willingness to check, scrap when needed, and be responsible on the other side of the puck, which is the challenge for offensively-minded players, which he has become, and relied upon since his arrival in St. Louis from the New York Rangers. On a team that allowed the most goals in a season since 1983-84, Buchnevich somehow found himself as a plus-14, so he wasn't on the ice for goals-against as often as one would think. His high danger Corsi-for was slightly off but only by four chances, and playing in 10 fewer games, that number probably increases. The takeaways-giveaways number (35-31) could be better for a solid two-way player but the giveaways weren't nearly as costly in the long run. The Blues are getting quite the bang for their buck ($5.8 million AAV) with Buchnevich, who has two more years remaining at that price tag and his continued growth will only ascend the process of moving back up the rankings. I liked the player's season again. Now if the team can count on him for closer to the 82 games, that would even be more beneficial.
My grade: A-
Brayden Schenn -- What should I say about the next captain of the Blues? I kid, I kid! I don't know this for a fact, but the path sure points in his direction. There was plenty to like -- again -- about the 31-year-old's game. He played in all 82 games, the second time since joining the Blues in 2017-18 that that's happened, which is hard to do considering the type of game Schenn plays; he skated in over 1,511 minutes this season, tops among all forwards; his 65 points (including a career-high 44 assists) were the most since he had 70 points in 17-18 and his total individual expected goals (19.17) was second behind Kyrou. He was second on the team in hits (140) and perhaps a primary reason he wasn't injured enough to not be able to play this season was the ability to avoid hits (71 in 82 games). Of course we already mentioned the career-high in assists, and had solid Corsi-for and Fenwick numbers. I liked the OPS, which was 4.0 and fourth on the team, but being 13th in DPS at 0.7 was not a Schenn-like season, someone who has historically created offense from defense. All in all, a lot of good, but there were stretches this season where uncharacteristically not so good. Schenn's 47 giveaways were second among forwards behind Kyrou, and there was a stretch there of 10 games after teammate and friend Ryan O'Reilly was traded that he produced only a goal and an assist that contributed to a minus-9 of his season's minus-27, which was second-worst on the team behind Kyrou. I get it, the transition was in full swing, and Schenn was one of the veterans to see this season through knowing it wasn't going anywhere, but as a professional, you have to play through even the toughest of times, and I didn't think he was near his best during that stretch. He picked it up again, gaining a point in 14 of 16 games down the stretch and finishing strong. His 46.55 percent on draws this season was his worst since 2015-16 with the Philadelphia Flyers, and that has to improve moving forward. Schenn is the kind of player that will run through a wall for you, will lead by example for the younger players and did so again for the many that played this season, which is good for the development of the next generation. There are still five years remaining on the eight-year, $52 million contract he signed in 2019, so he will be part of the retool, or whatever you want to call it, moving forward. Some mixed results this season, however, despite some decent offensive numbers lent to a harsher grade on the season, which was still pretty solid. But I thought Schenn's defensive game took a step back, like many others.
My grade: B-
Robert Thomas -- Much like Kyrou, now all eyes will be on Thomas moving forward, since he signed the same contract Kyrou got moving forward beginning next season, but as for this past season, like the team's success in the past, Thomas' numbers dropped off from a career-high in points (77), goals (20) and assists (57) in 72 games to 65 points (18 goals, 47 assists) in 73 games, averaging 19:21 TOI. The numbers weren't bad, but you could see the baton was passed to Thomas this season to become this team's No. 1 center, and he embraced that role by having a career year in face-off percentage (52.9); his OPS was tied for third on the team with Schenn at 4.0, and his DPS was 1.3, second behind Buchnevich, so he was willing to create offense from defense and committed to that side of the puck at a decent clip. Were there moments of inconsistency? Sure. But Thomas worked at his all-around game more so than some thought. His unwillingness to shoot more pucks was evident again. He did fire it a career-high 115 times, and I thought that number last season was still too low, and he finished with 106 shots on target this season. He did increase his power-play numbers to 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) this season on a unit that dipped drastically this season. Going forward, Thomas is going to have to produce at a higher clip than 61.32 on the IPP, which was fifth among forwards that played the entire season here, 14th overall. He had an individual expected goals of 12.55, which needs to improve, and an individual Corsi-for of 175, which was ninth on the team, and an individual Fenwick of 144, eighth on the team, and you're probably going to need Thomas to be near the top of those numbers going forward as a No. 1 center. His minus-8 wasn't terrible for a poor defensive team, but it wasn't great either, and I think a lot of his numbers are the result of being on the ice when empty-nets were scored, which the Blues were tied for second in the league with Chicago, Washington and San Jose in allowing (21). Again, like Kyrou, Thomas is just 23, but he just completed his fifth season in the NHL. He is going to start being judged at higher standards moving forward. Most nights, he was better than not, but improvement can be had.
My grade: B-
Brandon Saad -- Starting to sound like a broken record here, but another of the Blues' top forwards who under normal circumstances would be a solid third-line forward, took a bit of a step back this season. When Saad signed a five-year contract worth $4.5 million AAV, he backed it up last season with a nice 49-point output (24 goals, 25 assists) and solid plus-11 rating in 78 games. Those numbers dipped in 71 games to 37 points (19 goals, 18 assists) and a minus-8 rating while averaging 16:39 TOI. Saad had an OPS of 2.1, which is OK but not great and a DPS of 1.0, also OK but not great. His IPP was 62.71, a shade better than Thomas; an ixG of 15.15, which is solid, a 198 iCF and a iFF of 167. Saad's power-play points dipped from 13 to four, and he put just 127 shots on goal compared to 158 a season ago, so someone expected to provide a scoring punch probably could have eclipsed 20-plus goals again had he shot it more. Watching Saad was a one or the other case: when he was on, you really noticed his play, from providing offense to playing sound, fundamental defense, an effective penalty killer who used his burst and puck protection to be noticeable in the offensive zone. But when he was off, there were too many games where he was a non-factor and wasn't noticeable on the ice. Part of that was moving all over the lineup, but there were just too many stretches when you look at Saad's game log and three-, four-, and give-game stints of zeroes were evident. When the lineup is deep, which it was earlier in the season before the Blues had their fire sale, they needed Saad to be a more consistent offensive threat; his best stretch of games was Jan. 3-8 when he produced seven points in four games, and March 26-April 4 when he produced eight points in six games. That's just who Saad was this season, when he was on, he was on, but again, too many stretches of off-nights to be as consistent as the Blues needed from him. I liked his penalty kill game, and he led them with two shorty's this season for a unit that was 30th in the league at 72.4 percent. All-in-all, I didn't mind Saad's season, but also need more consistency moving forward, and it wasn't there this season.
My grade: C+
Sammy Blais -- Talk about a renaissance of a career. Who was more happier than the Montmagny, Quebec native to come back to his grass roots more than Blais? When he was traded almost two years ago to the New York Rangers that netted the Blues Buchnevich, Blais returned and was part of the package that sent Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola to Broadway on Feb. 9. It was as if Blais was shot out of a cannon, and he instantaneously became an offensive threat, finishing with a career-high 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 31 games after he had five assists in 40 games with the Rangers. Perhaps Blais was just finding his game again. It was a long road back from tearing his ACL in mid-November of 2021. He could never find his footing in New York but once he returned to St. Louis, the 2014 sixth-round pick of the Blues picked up as if he never left. He finished with a 1.5 OPS, a 0.6 DPS and was a checking machine again, finishing with 238 hits on the season (119 with the Blues). Blais knows his role is more of a checking, fourth-line role, at best a third-liner. But he was thrust into positions in the top six and even had some time on the power play. For what he brought to the table, Blais had a really good IPP of 71.43. There were some turnover hiccups, which is natural, but the Blues were putting Blais in positions he hadn't had to deal with, out of necessity. He's already re-signed for next season at $1 million, a solid contract for what he can bring to the table moving forward. Blais is a well-liked guy in the locker room, he brought positive energy on and off the ice, and will be a welcomed addition moving forward. For what he brought in less than half a season, the Blues got more than they bargained for.
My grade: B+
Alexey Toropchenko -- Before Blais arrived on the scene again, is there anyone that brought more positive energy than the 23-year-old? Heck, he rose to fame the night of a 3-2 OT loss against Vancouver at home, a game in which the Blues frittered away a 2-0 third-period lead by calling out the team's character and heart. Toropchenko's first full season produced 10 goals and nine assists in 69 games, and that's not bad considering he was used primarily as a fourth-line checker and penalty killer. I won't get into too many of his analytics, but the fact he produced a 1.1 DPS shows you his willingness to play defense and produce offense out of it. One thing was certain watching Toropchenko this season: you can't question his character and heart. No matter the situation, no matter the score, this guy brought it every night. He played like a player honored to play in the NHL and didn't take a moment for granted and was fourth in hits with 122 despite averaging just 12:05 of ice time per game. He was given games in the top six and could have actually put up better numbers had he converted some Grade-A chances. It wasn't for lack of effort, it was simply a lack of execution, which is something he will continue to grow into and learn. But let's face it, this kid gets it. And he did well coming back from off-season shoulder surgery and rehabbing in St. Louis throughout the summer. It just took him a bit to get going, understandably so. He's a straight line north-south player; he doesn't put himself out of his element, and he's a blue-collar kind of player. I think he understands the role he needs to play and will continue to get better at it. If he works on his skill-set game, there's no reason why Toropchenko couldn't be a consistent 10-15 goal scorer and 20-25 point fourth-liner. Toropchenko will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, but I'd safely say this kid's earned himself a raise off the $750,000 he made last season.
My grade: B+
Tyler Pitlick -- When the 31-year-old veteran arrived last summer looking for a job, I honestly didn't know what to expect. Just looking back at Pitlick's career, he was a journeyman whose best numbers came with the Dallas Stars in 2017-18 (27 points on 14 goals and 13 assists) in a career-high 80 games. A career that started in Edmonton, then stops in Dallas, Philadelphia, Arizona, Calgary and Montreal last season left Pitlick without a job and a contract moving forward. But the forward came in and earned himself a job, and there were a number of healthy scratches early on, and when he was in the lineup, there wasn't a ton there. He had one goal and one assist in 24 games and just didn't seem like much of a factor, leaving many to wonder why the Blues even signed him in the first place. But from about mid-January on, Pitlick started getting more ice time. He was playing well in a fourth-line role, many nights playing with Toropchenko and Nathan Walker. Pitlick's physical presence seemed to become more and more noticeable, and he finished the season with 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 61 games, the third-most he's played in a season. He had 103 hits on the season and helped that fourth line forge an identity of playing with the puck in the offensive zone and effectively doing so. Pitlick will become an unrestricted free agent July 1 and I'm not sure what the Blues plans are for him, but it's certainly possible he could come back on a minimum wage deal of $750,000, and after the way the season started to how Pitlick finished it, he made a case for himself to stick around the league longer. If not here, then certainly somewhere else.
My grade: C
Josh Leivo -- Another depth signing for the Blues, I thought might be good insurance when that depth was called upon. But the 29-year-old, who had some moments playing with Ryan O'Reilly, just didn't seem to cut it after a Calder Cup-winning season with the Chicago Wolves in 2021-22. Leivo actually played against the Blues' AHL affiliate in Springfield during the final, and after putting up 46 points (22 goals, 24 assists) in 54 games during the regular season, he finished with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 18 playoff games. Impressive numbers all things considered, and even though he signed a one-year, $750,000 one-way contract with the Blues for this season, nobody expected those kind of numbers at the NHL level. But Leivo, a healthy scratch many nights, produced only four goals but did tie a career-high with 12 assists in 51 games. The Blues put Leivo in positions to thrive in scoring roles and played with scoring players but managed just the four goals on 91 shots, a 4.4 percent clip. It's the most shots on goal he's had in a season since 2018-19 with Vancouver (113). He produced a better DPS (0.7) than an OPS (0.2), which isn't what the Blues had in mind. He was willing to produce offense from defense, but they needed it to be more the other way around. Leivo's last goal was Jan. 3 in Toronto and didn't score again in his final 20 games played; he will be a UFA on July 1 and I just don't see a fit for him here moving forward.
My grade: D
Jakub Vrana -- If anyone needed a change of scenery, it was Vrana, who was acquired on the March 3 NHL Trade Deadline from the Detroit Red Wings. After falling out of favor with the Red Wings after being in the NHL's Player Assistance Program, the 27-year-old got a new lease on his career by coming to St. Louis and putting up 14 points (10 goals, four assists) in 20 games, which would equate to 41 goals, 17 assists in a full season. Four of his goals came on the power play. The Blues would take those numbers any time, any place. Vrana made an immediate impact scoring four times in his first five games, taking advantage of ice time up in the lineup and playing with skill players using a good skill set of speed and a quick release of a shot. A former Stanley Cup champion in 2018 with the Capitals, Vrana's OPS was OK at 1.5 but DPS of 0.4 needs to improve quite a bit. He had an IPP of 73.68, which ranks well, but a 5.73 ixG needs to get better. An individual high danger Corsi-for of 21 in 20 games is really good. The offense is there, the transition game is there and it showed. But you can see the defensive side of the puck needs some work. But Vrana did take care of the puck when he had it, with only four giveaways in 20 games. It's the play away from the puck that needs some work. It's a small sample size of what Blues cans can expect moving forward, but Vrana checked off a number of boxes, and he will come in with something to prove with one year remaining on a $5.25 million AAV contract that the Red Wings will pay half of ($2.625 million). Vrana has already made a good impression in his initial stages of his Blues career. It will be up to him now to maintain and better it moving forward.
My grade: B
Kasperi Kapanen -- Another player in dire need of a change in scenery after being placed on waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 26-year-old just couldn't make it work in the Iron City when he had 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 43 games. Some would ask how can you not make it work with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Co. But it was his third season in Pittsburgh and it simply didn't work out, so the Blues took a flyer in another mid-20's player with a relatively modest contract ($3.2 million with one year remaining) in hopes of reviving his career. Kapanen, who like Buchnevich was used at times down the middle as a center because of need, finished with a respectable 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 23 games with the Blues, including three game-winners. I hadn't watched Kapanen much in Pittsburgh but what I saw was a combination of burst skating, quick around the edges, strong on the puck and a better than average shot that needs to be utilized more often. The OPS (1.0) and DPS (0.4) need some work but 23 games is hardly a tell-all for analytics. He was used as a penalty killer because of his instincts and willingness to play the other side of the puck, which will be good for the Blues going forward, and just like Vrana, heading into the final year of a contract looking to revive his game, Kapanen will be given the opportunity here to help the Blues retool.
My grade: B-
Jake Neighbours -- This 21-year-old rubs off on those that cover him and fans the right way. In his first sort of full season after a cup of coffee nine-game stint last season, Neighbours finished with six goals and four assists in 43 games. It was an up and down start to the season for Neighbours, who was sent to Springfield, once in early November and again in early December and spent 23 games with the Thunderbirds, putting up 16 points nine goals, seven assists) before coming up for good to play on Jan. 3 in Toronto. The Blues sent Neighbours down when the team was playing so inconsistently, they wanted the young forward to go down, play in all situations -- which he did -- and gain some confidence before bringing him back. One thing you learn about Neighbours quickly is he will check, hit (63) and fight (did so twice this season). He plays a blue-collared game, will go to the net, will go to the corners and along the walls to win pucks and puts in the effort to back-check. Coach Craig Berube loves the kid. These are traits that will help him grow his game. This may not be a popular opinion since Neighbours is just getting his feet wet in the NHL, but Neighbours was put in spots to contribute offensively and had good looks. He was a minus-19 and his plus-minus was a mixed bag. Neighbours had that chance to be in the 10-15 goal range and in the 20-point range. He just didn't create enough as evidenced by his OPS (0.0) and his DPS (-0.1). Maybe I'm being too harsh on a kid that's played in just 51 games, but when you're playing in the top nine, regardless of age and experience, and you're playing with high-end players, averaging a point every 4.3 games isn't enough. Don't get me wrong, I think this kid is still raw, his game has tremendous growth written all over it, and if he keeps heading in that direction, the results will follow. I'm not saying Neighbours had a bad first season, it just wasn't that eye-popping either.
My grade: C
Nathan Walker -- Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi. Yes, Walker was part of the rotating mix of fourth line players the Blues implemented this season, playing both the wing and center. Let's get Walker's numbers out of the way, two goals and eight assists in a career-high 56 games with a solid plus-10. Plus-minus was good, scoring wasn't, but what did you expect? Walker was a really solid 53.7 percent on face-offs, which was needed when the Blues lost O'Reilly and Noel Acciari to trade to Toronto. He didn't produce offense from his OPS (-0.5) but did the little bit from the scoring he did from DPS (1.0). I never come away from Walker's game saying he doesn't get involved. His diminutive frame (5-foot-9, 187 pounds) doesn't sway him from mixing it up; he did so well. He had 82 hits and blocked 35 shots, so he doesn't mind paying the price for success. But as I mentioned with some of the other fourth line guys, there wasn't much to offer in the first half of the season, then like the rest, Walker picked it up in the second half when that line had more effective shifts. Overall, Walker's Corsi for (41.9 percent) and Fenwick (42.0 percent) were among the worst on the team. Believe it or not, those numbers improved in the second half when they were even worse prior to that, and it had a lot to do with getting hemmed in the d-zone. Walker was rewarded early with an extension for one more season next year for $775,000, a $25K raise off the two-year contract that expires June 30. He will be a role player moving forward again with the hopes that when utilized, perhaps a little more pop in the offense can be in the cards. This past season wasn't bad for Walker, it wasn't great either.
My grade: C-
Logan Brown -- I'll get right to the point on this one. I remember the day the Blues acquired Brown two years ago from Ottawa for Zach Sanford. It was a storybook tale: the hometown kid, where his dad Jeff was once an offensive defenseman weapon for the Bluenote in the early-to-mid 1990's, comes home as a second generation player. Logan needed a change. As the 11th pick in the 2016 draft, it simply wasn't in the cards in Canada's capital. I spoke with the Brown the day the trade happened, and he was tickled to death to be coming back home. I'm not sugarcoating this one either: it hasn't worked out in St. Louis either. After an 11-point campaign last season (four goals, seven assists) in 39 games, Brown followed it up with just six points (two goals, four assists) in just 30 games this season. The 6-6, 218-pound center had himself a really strong camp and seemed to raise some eyebrows -- finally -- that maybe, perhaps this could be a stepping stone season for him. But Brown was injured late in camp, missed the start of the season and once healthy, when given the chance, I rarely noticed him on the ice in positive moments. There were some, and I always seemed to ask myself, 'Why can't this guy figure it out?' when they occurred. A big body with a big frame, that can skate, with the puck on his stick, should be able to affect games. But Brown couldn't win face-offs (34.5 percent), he couldn't create offense in zone (-0.1); he did create minimal offense out of defense (0.2) but the Corsi-for was not good (42.6 percent) and the Fenwick-for was even worse (42.2 percent). The coaching staff tried giving Brown rope to pull and run with it, playing him as a third-line center, but often times in games, he'd end it on the fourth line or barely seeing the ice in third periods. He averaged 10:24 per game on the ice. I know Brown is only 25, and you just wonder if the potential can ever be tapped into, but two franchises now have taken a flier on him with little to no results. Brown is a RFA with arbitration rights this summer, but what case can he make? If this was the first season, I'd say give it another chance, but this is two seasons in a row Brown can't make inroads. They tried. It didn't work. Might as well cut him loose and fill the position elsewhere.
My grade: F
Nikita Alexandrov -- Alexandrov was one of the young draft picks also that got a look for the Blues this season. The 2019 second-round pick made his NHL debut back on Nov. 10 in San Jose and played 28 games this season, finishing with three goals and four assists before being assigned back to Springfield for the stretch run and to help the Thunderbirds reach the Calder Cup playoffs. The 22-year-old impressed so much during training camp, it was under the impression he would be a surprise keeper on the big roster. But he was sent down and recalled in November, sent back over Thanksgiving before returning just after the new year, going back to Springfield in February, before finally returning for the final time on Feb. 18. I don't think Alexandrov was overwhelmed by playing in the NHL. He seemed to fit into the situations given. Alexandrov, when in the lineup, played mostly center, but if he is to make a career there, he will have to work a ton on face-offs; he won just 35.3 percent of his draws (not good). Alexandrov was not afraid to hit (28), and for a rookie, his Corsi-for wasn't all that bad at 45.1 percent, and his Fenwick-for was 47.8 percent, better than a number of veterans that played regularly. I think it was good for Alexandrov to finally get his feet wet in the NHL. This taste, albeit a small one, will help move along the progression and give him a chance to be a regular on the roster next season. Again, nothing great but nothing bad either.
My grade: C+
Noel Acciari -- Initially signed as a fourth-line center to come into the season, who would have thought how important Acciari would be at the bargain price of $1.25 million? Acciari had 10 goals and eight assists in 54 games but was part of the trade to Toronto with O'Reilly on Feb. 17. But from the moment Acciari put on the Bluenote, he played with a purpose. He won face-offs (53.5 percent), his point shares, whether it be OPS (0.5) or DPS (0.6) were ok, not great; he hit everything in sight and led the Blues (168) even though he played in just 54 games; led the forwards with 55 blocked shots, was a solid penalty killer and was rewarded with more ice time when the need to move up the lineup was evident. The Corsi-for (43.2 percent) and Fenwick-for (46.0 percent) weren't great, but a lot of that was playing fourth-line minutes when that group for the Blues wasn't pulling its weight early in the season; he averaged 14:35 per game but probably deserved more ice time as a whole. I vaguely remember Acciari during the 2019 Cup Final, but I never really quite understood how hard of a worker this guy is. But he deserved to be moved, to get the chance in the playoffs, with the Blues going nowhere. I enjoyed watching this guy play, enjoyed covering him, and I get it's probably a longshot, but if the dollars and term make sense, Acciari will be a UFA on July 1 and I would most definitely entertain bringing this guy back if the situation arises.
My grade: B+
Ryan O'Reilly -- A captain who led by example, certainly on the ice, and off it too, the guy brought in to help the Blues finally win that Stanley Cup (2019) was shown the door (with Acciari) when the Blues gave him the chance to also compete in the Stanley Cup playoffs. But let's go back to the start of the season, O'Reilly's fifth in St. Louis, and it didn't go very well, at least from a scoring standpoint. First off, O'Reilly lost his version of Robin (David Perron), who was not re-signed and he moved on to the Detroit Red Wings. The Blues had to find Batman his new Robin, and it started with Kyrou. That was a disaster. The two just didn't mesh together whatsoever. O'Reilly continued to work; it's what he does. He was still winning face-offs (54.2 percent) and winning key draws at important times, but the offense was anemic. He had just 19 points (12 goals, seven assists) in 40 games this season with the Blues; an 0.9 OPS and -0.1 DPS is a strong indicator that he just couldn't generate offense on his own. O'Reilly was also an uncharacteristic minus-24, but he would be on the ice for many of those empty-netters the Blues allowed this season that contributed to that number. Some wondered if the 32-year-old was starting to break down, but he has moved to his hometown and has been a huge factor -- coincidentally his nickname -- in the Maple Leafs' push. I'd like to think O'Reilly's numbers were a one-off here. He's been so valuable for this franchise the past five seasons and his captaincy since Alex Pietrangelo departed via free agency has been a good run. O'Reilly will also be a UFA on July 1, and listen, I know it sounds preposterous to a certain degree, but I would entertain bringing him back if the situation arises. He's a great leader, a winner who can help retool and transition to the new wave of Blues even if it's in a reduced role. He's played so much in so many situations throughout his career, he would be a good mentor for Thomas. Of course it would have to come at a significantly lower price tag than the $7.5 million. Had some of the intangibles O'Reilly brought here this season not been there, this would have been classified as a bad season. I get losing a teammate you clicked with as well as a close friend stunk for O'Reilly, but that's something that's overcome all the time. His stint this season was pretty average.
My grade: C
Ivan Barbashev -- You knew Barbashev was going to be put on a pedestal this season after producing career numbers last season (26 goals, 34 assists) in 81 games. In 59 games before he was traded to Vegas on Feb. 27, Barbashev's numbers dipped drastically to 10 goals and 19 assists. Not for a lack of opportunities, though; he was playing all over the lineup. Craig Berube loved Barbashev, and his aggressiveness, his willingness to forecheck, hit, check and do all those things to be successful didn't waver. He's gone on to Vegas and been a key cog in helping the Golden Knights advance to the second round. Barbashev finished behind Acciari and Schenn with 132 hits, and his point shares of OPS (1.0) and DPS (0.7) were OK but not great. The Corsi-for (46.7 percent) and Fenwick-for (47.2 percent) were below average. Even though he was going into his walk year, Barbashev continued to play hard. The 27-year-old has himself set up for a nice payday this summer. It won't be in St. Louis, which did try to offer an extension before the trade. Barbashev is a Cup champ, part of a group that was key to winning. You hate bringing his grade down because the offensive numbers fell off, but such is the case when you're able to have the kind of season he had last year. That's just too big a dropoff.
My grade: C+
Vladimir Tarasenko -- Well, he finally got his wish. Tarasenko had asked for a trade prior to the 2021-22 season and was finally moved to the Rangers with Niko Mikkola on Feb. 9. But in his 11th and final season in St. Louis, Tarasenko's season was again marred by injury that forced him to miss a month with a hand injury suffered on Dec. 31. Points-wise, it was pretty steady 29 in 38 games, but the goal scoring took a major dip (10) compared to the 34 he scored last season, when he had a career-high 82 points and 48 assists. Tarasenko remained a good passer of the puck this season, and he was always considered an underrated passer, but he just didn't finish, nor did I think he shot the puck as often as he should have (103), and when he did, it was his second-worst shooting percentage of his career (9.7 percent). And he produced just nine power play points in his 38 games when the lineup was still loaded with guys that were in the top five on the man advantage. I don't know if the contract expiring or the trade request had anything to do with the dip in play, but it certainly was a dip. His OPS was a low 1.9 and his DPS was a paltry 0.1, so he wasn't creating offense out of defense. Tarasenko's Corsi-for (46.4 percent) and Fenwick-for (46.0) were below top-six line standards as well. Tarasenko will go down as one of the most important Blues in their history, there's no denying that, but this season, he didn't exactly go out on top either.
My grade: C-
Forwards Klim Kostin, Will Bitten, Matthew Highmore and Hugh McGing all receive incomplete grades.
Defensemen:
Justin Faulk -- Once again, the 31-year-old Faulk played some of the most important, top minutes for the Blues this season, his fourth in St. Louis. Faulk led the Blues in TOI at 23:23, finished with a career-high in points (50) and assists (39) playing in all 82 games after 47 points (16 goals, 31 assists) in 76 games. The minus-4 is a byproduct of the porous defense this season, a drastic drop from his career-high plus-41 a season ago. Faulk finished with 10 power-play points by getting more opportunities and shot the puck much more (196 shots on goal), an uptick from the 167 last season, but he was second in blocked shots with 140. Faulk's OPS was tops among defenseman (3.5) and his DPS was also solid (3.1); he was second among d-men with 112 hits. Faulk did lead the Blues d-corps in giveaways this season and somewhat overshadows what I thought was a better than most think season. But that's what one of the Blues' biggest problems was: giveaways. Along with allowing odd-man rushes, getting hemmed in their zone and exiting cleanly. Faulk had his issues and he rightfully said he wasn't good enough. The most alarming stat: Faulk allowed the second-most expected goals-against (80.9) in the league in 5-on-5 situations. That can't happen for a player of his caliber. He got extensive time on the penalty kill, but that unit obviously wasn't nearly as good as it needed to be. I still thought Faulk had a good year; not great but good. He made more mistakes than one would expect, sure, but I liked his physical play, his minutes against top-end players was strong and his ability to produce offense from the blue line was good. We all know everyone regressed from that unit this season; that's no secret. But of that group, Faulk was probably the best of the bunch, which probably doesn't say a whole lot when you don't make the playoffs. Faulk still has four years remaining on a contract that pays him an AAV of $6.5 million, so he's going to be around for the retool, or whatever you want to call it. He has the ability to be an 'A' player, and he certainly has the tools to be one of the leaders. Considering the defensive deficiencies with a solid offensive output, it was a pretty average season.
My grade: C
Torey Krug -- As one of the top paid defenseman on the roster, it was a very underwhelming season for the 32-year-old in his third season in St. Louis. Krug played in just 63 games this season dealing with various injuries, including a shoulder that bothered him for chunks of the season. He also played in just 64 games last season because of injury when he had 43 points (nine goals, 34 assists); the numbers dipped to 32 points (seven goals, 25 assists) this season despite shooting the puck a touch more (126 shots on goal compared to 119 last season) and the plus-minus was not good at minus-26. Krug did produce marginally from an OPS standpoint (2.3), which was second behind Faulk among d-men, but from a DPS, not much at all (0.2), which ranked 23rd. However, Krug's Corsi-for (49.9 percent) and Fenwick-for (49.3 percent) were actually best among Blues defensemen; he didn't nearly have as many giveaways (30) as some thought, but the d-zone coverage left plenty to be desired. And not nearly enough takeaways (19) from the defensive position. He's a power-play specialist that produced only 14 points. I still think Krug can play an important role moving forward, and unless the Blues are able to move him and his contract (four years at a $6.5 million AAV with a full no-trade clause), Krug isn't going anywhere. But considering what they got this season, even in a season where Krug probably played through some injuries, it wasn't good enough for a top-four guy.
My grade: D-
Colton Parayko -- The target was so large for the 29-year-old that Blues fans everywhere took their shots. Parayko was at the forefront of the majority of venom Blues fans had for a porous defense, and without going into statistics, it was probably the worst of Parayko's eight seasons. Remember the guy who teamed up with Jay Bouwmeester to be the best shutdown d-pair during the run to the Cup? This year's Parayko was a shell of that player. Parayko, who played in 79 games and averaged 23:00 minutes per game this season, saw his offensive numbers dip to 27 points (four goals, 23 assists) after putting up 35 points in 80 games last year, usually covers it up with his defensive play. He did lead the team with 144 blocked shots, but too often his coverage laxed, whether it be breakouts or in-zone coverage. Parayko was a minus-19 and was 15th on the team with an OPS of 0.7, but he did produce slightly better from a DPS standpoint at 1.8, which was best among d-men and tied with Buchnevich for fourth-best on the team. Parayko had the third-most giveaways with 49, but he was second-best behind Thomas' 67 with 59 takeaways, and a lot of those good numbers came towards the end of the season when Parayko was playing much better. And Parayko didn't have effective numbers in Corsi-for (45.1 percent) and Fenwick-for (45.1 percent). Parayko was a plus-1 over his final 22 games and played some of his best hockey when the talk of trade leading into the March 3 deadline subsided. By his own admission, Parayko thought too much this season instead of playing with his instincts and allowing his 6-6, 228 frame to do what it does best. Parayko still has a whopping seven years at $6.5 million AAV remaining on his contract, and he also has a full NTC for the next five years. If, and I do stress if, the Blues approach Parayko in the off-season about getting moved, he still can nix any deal. Otherwise, Blues fans will have to hope that Parayko can get back to the level he's been at before, because this season wasn't one of his best. He did salvage something the last quarter of it with better play, but as a whole, if the Blues want to get back to being a playoff team, Parayko has to be way better.
My grade: C-
Nick Leddy -- Leddy or Perron, Perron or Leddy. That's the choice GM Doug Armstrong was left with last off-season. Which player would he bring back? Each was a UFA. Armstrong felt the Blues needed the reinforcements on D, allowed Perron to walk and signed the 32-year-old to a four-year, $16 million ($4 million AAV) contract. Leddy was reliable, playing in 78 games this season and had two goals and 21 assists for a plus-4 rating. His OPS was 0.4 but he did produce from defense to offense with a team-best 3.2 DPS. Leddy's ability to transition pucks from D to O is his game, and when he's able to do that, he's effective. Leddy was third in ice time per game at 21:07, playing primarily 5-on-5 and a penalty killing role. He was third in blocked shots with 96. Leddy was part of the group that had coverage issues throughout the season, and he did have the occasional giveaway that was fatal (34) but he also broke more plays up and did have more takeaways (43) on the season. I didn't think Leddy had that poor of a season, but as a top four player, I would have liked to see a bit more offense; he's now gone four straight seasons without scoring more than three goals after three seasons of 10, 11 and 10 with the New York Islanders. Leddy also has a NTC the next two seasons and three remaining on his contract. He will also have to improve if the Blues are to improve because Armstrong will have a tough time moving one of his top four d-men since they all have no-trade clauses. Leddy's may be the easiest to move because of the term and dollar value. Time will tell; otherwise Leddy is here for the retool.
My grade: D
Calle Rosen -- He came into the season as the eighth defenseman and ended up as the most consistent blue liner. That sums up the 29-year-old's season, which saw Rosen finish with career highs in goals (8), assists (10) and points (18) in 49 games with a team-best plus-19, averaging 15:36 ice time per game, seventh in blocks (51) despite playing just a little more than half the season. His OPS was not bad for a defenseman (1.5) and his DPS (2.7) was third on the team behind Faulk and Leddy. It seemed like any time Rosen was on the ice, the Blues were producing positive results. For a good while there, Rosen went on a stretch of goal scoring among the defensemen, he actually was their team leader. A willing participant in the offensive zone to shoot pucks from the point, trying to get them on goal, looking for deflections, tips, whatever. He was doing all he could to remain a regular in the lineup, and he was while injuries were happening. Would there be the occasional hiccups with the puck or net front coverage? Oh yeah, and they were usually doozies. But given Rosen's track record of having little to no NHL experience despite being 29, he's been a good soldier for the Blues these past two seasons. And again, he's been on the ice more so in goals-for situations than goals-against. His plus-minus was five better than anyone else [Buchnevich] and one of three players [Walker] to reach double figures despite the defensive deficiencies this season. Rosen still has one year remaining on the two-year, two-way contract he signed last year and will be there again in the mix to fight for a depth spot for 2023-24. He's a good veteran to have and a player the locker room likes to have around. He had himself a really good year despite the team shortcomings.
My grade: B+
Robert Bortuzzo -- It's been a tough year for the man the room calls 'Bobbo.' One year after playing in a career-high 73 games, the 34-year-old Bortuzzo was limited to 43 games this season, mostly due to injury, including missing the final eight games with an upper-body injury. Bortuzzo was never one to be in the mix to produce offense, but he did have just one fewer point (two goals, three assists) in 30 fewer games than he had a season ago, so he did get himself more into the rush and involved, to a certain degree, more so than before. He's always been a solid PK'er and shot blocker, an area obviously missed with so many games missed; he still had 49 blocks in 43 games. Bortuzzo was a plus-9, his best in that category the past three seasons, so another one who was on the ice more for goals scored than given up. I don't hold injuries against a guy's seasonal grade, but it was hard to get a read on just how good or how bad a player was with so much time missed. Bortuzzo falls into that category; there was nothing too special about it, and there was nothing really too bad about it. Depending on where the team goes, the veteran of 12 seasons heads into 2023-24 with one year and a $950,000 AAV tagged on his contract. He should continue to provide experienced depth on the back end of the d-unit.
My grade: C
Marco Scandella -- Hip surgery and ensuing rehab sidelined the 33-year-old for much of this past season, limiting him to just 20 games (one goal, one assist). Would having a healthy Scandella helped a defense that took a drastic nosedive this season? Maybe it would have helped, but not a ton. Scandella's limited play this season could be described as much as many of the skaters: not bad but not great. He averaged 17:50 per game, so he was seeing the ice enough and managed to block 26 shots, was used on the penalty kill. Scandella has one more year remaining at a $3.275 million cap hit. He has a modified no-trade clause with a seven-team no-trade list. I could see the Blues try and peddle him this summer to shed some salary off the books, and it may make more sense with one year left, but should he return, it'll be another veteran presence to try and reclaim some semblance of normalcy to an otherwise disastrous defensive season.
My grade: C
Tyler Tucker -- Like Alexandrov, the 6-1, 204-pound 23-year-old was given an extensive look as part of the future of the Blues to see how he handles himself at the NHL level. As a defenseman, it's a tougher challenge than a forward -- for me anyway -- to get your feet wet in the league, and at least at the outset, I thought Tucker handled himself well. He played in 26 games (one goal, three assists) and was a minus-9, which came in his final eight games. He's big, he's physical, he showed he can handle himself in scraps and he moved the puck well at the outset. I thought his later games were more challenging, and that's only natural under the circumstances. As mentioned countless times in this report card, the Blues defense was not very good, and this seventh-round pick in 2018 was trying to learn on the fly. The Blues assigned Tucker to Springfield down the stretch to play more minutes and get the Thunderbirds into the postseason, much like Alexandrov. I think there's something to be had here with Tucker, so as long as he continues to develop properly. Gaining that experience this past season was good for him. I thought there were more ups than there were downs. He is a RFA this summer but I doubt he goes anywhere. The Blues will continue to develop and grow him.
My grade: C+
Niko Mikkola -- Part of the trade to the Rangers with Tarasenko, Mikkola's time in St. Louis, just like No. 91, was coming to an end. And he was given the opportunity to go play in the playoffs heading into his UFA summer. Last season, Mikkola finally arrived. Not just as a defensive presence, but he showed flashes of offensive capability with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 54 games. This season, it just wasn't there for the 6-4, 209-pound lefty, finishing with just three assists in 50 games before being traded. He averaged 16:39 ice time per game and was a good shot blocker (68) in his 50 games, and used quite a bit on the penalty kill who also had 96 hits. Mikkola was going to be too expensive to keep beyond this season. Simple as that. Again, sounds like a broken record, nothing flashy, nothing really poor about Mikkola's time in St. Louis this season. Pretty average.
My grade: C
Defensemen Scott Perunovich, Matthew Kessel, Steven Santini and Dmitri Samorukov each receive an incomplete grade.
Goalies:
Jordan Binnington -- OK, I know a lot of you have been waiting for this one. So have I. And I have no qualms about my grade. None whatsoever. OK, let's get to the numbers: 27-27-6 record, 3.31 GAA, .894 save percentage. Terrible numbers. Awful numbers, at least the GAA and SV%. If that's all you're looking at. I'm not. He did play in a career-high 61 games (60 starts), which was seventh in the league. Thanks to moneypuck.com for the following stats ... Binnington was fourth in the league in expected goals-against (184.84) behind Juuse Saros (NSH), John Gibson (ANA) and Connor Hellebuyck (WPG); the difference is his goals saved above expected was 97th at -9.2 and 73rd in goals saved above expected per 60 (-0.157). His save percentage on unblocked shots was .943, which should be better. Was he stealing enough games? No, and his wins above replacement was reflective at -1.53. Guys like Saros (7.78), Linus Ullmark (7.07), Ilya Sorokin (6.64) stole games for their respective teams more regularly. There was a .672 save percentage on high danger unblocked shot attempt, which equates to guys typically turning pucks over and allowing odd-man rushes, backdoor tap-ins, etc. The number is not higher because of a lack of help from guys on the ice. I can keep going on and on with these for you stat geeks but let's cut to the chase: the guy was under siege time and time again. The countless odd-man rushes against, the high danger chances faced, the backdoor tap-ins were plenty and often. I get the detractors would say steal more games; you're paid $6 million. I agree to a degree, that's what helps define greatness. But it's hard to justify the incessant chances against Binnington and whoever was in goal had to face. Watching it this season, it just wasn't good. As bad as the numbers looked, of Binnington's 27 wins this season, I can easily find a handful or more that he actually helped cinch as crazy as it sounds, but it's accurate. The guy is a competitor, he wears his emotions on his sleeve, and it was on display often. I get the antics, as some of you like to call them, have gone overboard. There have been moments where he can and should scale it back, but you know what, you reap what you sow, and I think he actually thrives under these conditions more. When you're constantly under siege, it gets mentally taxing. I do think if Binnington raises his game a little more, combined with the team game in front of him fixes what was obviously broken last season, his numbers will get better, and if they don't, then you can put the onus squarely on him. I'm judging off what I saw this past season, and I didn't see what the numbers say.
My grade: B
Thomas Greiss -- This was obviously a one-year stop gap signing to allow Joel Hofer one more year before he steps into this role next season. The 37-year-old would give Binnington a break with a game when needed, mostly playing the second of back-to-back nights and the occasional game to give Binnington a rest during a compressed schedule. Greiss was 7-10-0 with a 3.64 GAA and .896 SV%, pretty similar numbers to Binnington with the same results, playing behind an underperforming defensive effort. Greiss also had a -5.4 goals saved above expected, so he wasn't necessarily stealing games (although some would disagree after he literally stole games against Washington and Minnesota). His goals saved above expected per 60 was -0.297, but he did have a better than expected high danger unblocked shot attempt save percentage of .721. In his 16 starts, Greiss faced 35 shots or more, which tells you the degree of shutdown -- or lack thereof -- when he was in net. I wasn't a real big fan of the signing, but at $1.25 million, I understood it for just the one season. Greiss is a UFA, and he ended the season with a lower-body injury. I find it hard to see anyone picking him up as a 37-year-old next season. It's hard to find a lot of fault in his game this past season; he just didn't do himself enough favors either.
My grade: C
Goalies Joel Hofer and Vadim Zherenko each receives an incomplete grade.
GM/HEAD COACH:
Doug Armstrong -- When Armstrong made the last comments of his opening statement following a disappointing 37-38-7 season, he said, "there's too many nights I went home feeling I let our fanbase down by not creating a team that was competitive enough. And that's on me." Yes, it was on Armstrong, who needed to manage properly a roster that was coming off a 109-point season and pushed the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in each and every game, as hard as any competitor the Avalanche had in the six-game series. With any off-season that doesn't come with a title or not, come changes. It was clear and obvious the Blues were not going to be able to keep goalie Ville Husso, so Armstrong traded his rights to the Red Wings for a 2022 third-round pick. Then came the toughest choice of all: choose between Leddy or Perron, and Armstrong chose Leddy. Perron, who has been a heart and soul player for the Blues during three stints, including winning a Stanley Cup, had come off a very solid 57-point season (27 goals, 30 assists) in 67 games last season but was due a contract. Armstrong didn't commit to the 34-year-old, who signed with the Red Wings instead and played 82 games this season and put up 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists). It was a very unpopular move among the fanbase, and Leddy was part of a group that sorely underachieved; letting Perron walk certainly affected O'Reilly. Armstrong instead chose to sign plug-and-play guys like Pitlick and Leivo, among others playing in Springfield. He also chose to sign Greiss for modest money and term rather than commit to Charlie Lindgren, who took longer commitment with the Capitals, but that move was understandable with Hofer waiting in the wings. Assistant coach Jim Montgomery, who took the head coaching position in Boston, was replaced by veteran Craig MacTavish, and that move never worked out, and MacTavish and assistant Mike Van Ryn have since been let go. He traded away underachieving forward Klim Kostin to Edmonton early in the season, but that was a change of scenery gone right as Kostin has gone on to play some solid hockey for the Oilers. The chemistry and culture was off and not the same early, and when the rails began to unravel early in the season, it was obvious that a roster going in still believing it was good enough to compete, had to be transformed. It meant trading off assets rather than add to them. It meant trading Tarasenko, Mikkola, O'Reilly, Barbashev, Mikkola. The only saving grace is he was able to recoup some assets from these trades, including two first-round picks that could be used as trade bait this summer, a nice prospect (Zach Dean) and bringing Blais back. But going from a 109-point team to an 81-point was unacceptable for a team that ownership allows to be a cap-ceiling roster. Armstrong hasn't had many hiccups during his run as GM, but he did here. He even admitted he may have overestimated in putting together this roster. Picking up Vrana for next to nothing at half the cost could prove to be a shrewd move, and getting Kapanen for nothing at a low cost could also prove to be a good move, but those judgments are reserved for next year. As for this year, it simply wasn't good enough. I don't think anyone expected the Blues to fall as far as they did. Ownership will monitor closely what this management group does this off-season in particular, because it cannot and will not shell out cap ceiling money for an underperforming squad, which it was. I could give this grade a slight uptick with the moves made at the trade deadline and the acquisitions of Vrana and Kapanen, but it's still too early to judge. I just can't overlook the 28-point plunge.
My grade: F
Craig Berube -- The coach works with what is given to him, and for the most part, Berube inherited a lineup that was mostly in tact from the 109-point, second round of the playoffs season. The Blues started the season winning three straight, and all was well. Or was it? They then lost an uncharacteristic eight in a row, then won seven in a row. Talk about a yo-yo. But it was obvious early that this wasn't the defensively sound, grinding, forechecking, smothering style that has been a Berube staple since his arrival in 2018-19. There were obvious moments of frustration, which Berube voiced publicly, calling out the effort level at times, the compete level of some. It was time to see if not only the team was ready to transition to an altering style, but was the coach ready for it. It all amounted to mixed results. "We've always been a team here in the sum of our parts so much. That's how we're built. We just didn't manage that well enough as a coaching staff and as players. We've got to do a better job of it next year," he said. Yes, they do. This version of the Blues allowed the most goals (297, minus the shootout results) since 1983-84. Special teams turned into a disaster. The power play went from second in the league (27.0 percent) to 22nd (19.3 percent) and the penalty kill went from fifth (84.1 percent) to 30th (72.4 percent). The team simply just wasn't good enough, and the coaching staff didn't adjust accordingly, and Berube was at the forefront of it. What Berube did well was allow young players to play and get seasoned. He's turned Toropchenko into a solid bottom-six forward, gave Tucker a chance to get some experience and allow Neighbours to get his feet wet as well and begin the process of developing him into a gritty power-forward type player. Like players in the past [Alex Pietrangelo to name one], Berube lost another favorite of his favorites [Perron] but could never find a suitable replacement to play with O'Reilly. But for a roster where there was still enough talent to at least compete for the playoffs, it never got back on the rails early enough. The derailment was out of control early and he could never get it back. He did give Binnington more rope to work with this season but unlike last year where Berube could turn to Husso, there wasn't much of an option this year to offset the workload, and Binnington never seemed to feel the effects of wear and tear. I'll give the coach a little more slack than the GM, who controls the personnel decisions, but not much. Bouncing back needs to show some teeth next year with two more years remaining on his contract.
My grade: D