Turning the net over to Joel Hofer instead of Jordan Binnington is the smart decision, and it’s giving the Blues a chance to compete this season.
Even after trading Jordan Kyrou this offseason, there is a solid forward group here that is just starting to reach its prime years, and a few of them are off to slow starts that should turn around at some point. When they do, and assuming they keep giving Hofer the net, this could be an interesting team in the Western Conference.
They still need some help on the back end, but the group of forwards featuring Robert Thomas, Jake Neighbours, Jimmy Snuggerud, Dylan Holloway, Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael is intriguing. There isn’t really a star in that group, but when Thomas is at his best, he is one of the most underrated players in the league.
Mediocre start for the team, but there is a decent ceiling here.