Offseason Blueprint: 5 Priorities the Blues Must Tackle This Summer

With the 2024–25 season in the books, the St. Louis Blues find themselves at a familiar crossroads—competitive but incomplete. The team made strides under head coach Jim Montgomery, but several structural issues remain. If General Manager Doug Armstrong wants this team to take the next step, the 2025 offseason will require aggressive, decisive action.

Here are five priorities the Blues must address to retool for a playoff return:

Revamp the Defensive Core

It’s time to inject (more) new life into the Blues’ blue line.

Justin Faulk (33) remains a valuable minute-muncher, but with two years left at $6.5 million AAV and a 15-team modified no-trade clause now kicking in, his future in St. Louis is uncertain. Nick Leddy (34) enters the final year of his $4 million deal with a 16-team no-trade clause, and Torey Krug may be placed on LTIR for the entirety of the 2025–26 season.

Veteran Ryan Suter’s brief stint in St. Louis could be over, and while Tyler Tucker and Matthew Kessel are expected to remain in the mix, neither projects as a second-pairing stabilizer just yet. If Faulk and/or Leddy are moved—or even just phased into reduced roles—the club must target a right-shot defenseman capable of logging second-pairing minutes and contributing on special teams.

The bottom line: the defensive core needs a reimagining. Age and inconsistency plagued this group in 2024–25, and younger, more mobile options are needed to support the next wave of Blues talent.

Improve Special Teams—Especially the Penalty Kill

The Blues’ power play showed flashes of progress under Montgomery, and with a full offseason of refinement, there’s optimism for further growth. However, the penalty kill remains a sore spot.

Assistant coach Mike Weber has done what he can, but the unit lacked speed, discipline, and the personnel to succeed against high-powered opponents. With a PK rate near the bottom of the league, change is essential. Whether it’s adding more defensively savvy forwards, faster blue liners, or tweaking the overall system, this is a fix that can’t wait.

Special teams often make the difference in tight playoff races. The Blues must shore up this area if they want to avoid another spring on the sidelines.

Define the Goaltending Plan

Jordan Binnington silenced some critics this season, passing the eye test and often keeping the Blues in games they had no business being in. But with only two years left on his contract and top goaltending prospect Colten Ellis pushing from below, the future in net behind Binnington isn’t as settled as it seems.

Joel Hofer, now a restricted free agent, showed maturity and poise in his NHL appearances and is ready for a larger role. The Blues will need to balance Binnington’s status as the starter with Hofer’s development—and keep a close eye on how Ellis performs in Springfield.

Whether it’s a 1A/1B rotation or a slow transition, St. Louis has the luxury of depth in net. The challenge now is managing it effectively.

Address the Second-Line Center Vacancy

This is arguably the biggest on-ice question of the offseason.

Team captain Brayden Schenn, though still a valued leader, no longer has the wheels or two-way impact to anchor a second line. Dalibor Dvorsky, the Blues’ prized prospect, is progressing well but remains just 19 years old. Even if he breaks camp with the NHL club, expecting him to slot in as a top-six center from day one is unrealistic.

That leaves a glaring hole in the middle of the lineup. Finding a capable, short-to-medium-term second-line center must be a top priority—either through trade, free agency, or creative internal options.

This isn’t just about balance. It’s about insulating Dvorsky, maximizing Robert Thomas, and giving the top six a fighting chance against the NHL’s elite.

Explore Early Extensions for Broberg and Holloway

It’s only been one season, but both Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway have shown they’re key pieces of the Blues’ long-term future.

Broberg solidified his place in the lineup with responsible play and improved puck movement, while Holloway brought speed, energy, and flashes of top-six potential. Locking them up early—before breakout years inflate their price—should be a priority.

These are the types of players you build around, and the Blues can’t afford to be late on their next contracts. Get ahead of the market, show faith in their development, and reward two young talents who represent the next wave of Blues hockey.

The Blues aren’t far from turning the corner, but standing pat is not an option. This offseason presents a window to reshape the team around its emerging core and create a more balanced, structured roster.

Whether it’s a bold trade, a smart free-agent signing, or an internal promotion, the path forward is clear: rebuild the blue line, fix the penalty kill, manage the goalie transition, find a second-line center, and secure the future with early extensions.

The pieces are there. Now it’s time to fit them together.

READ MORE: 5 Players the Blues Could Trade This Offseason to Reshape Their Roster