Scouting the Playoff Race: St. Louis Blues

The race for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference has suddenly tightened. With the Vegas Golden Knights falling at an alarming rate, drama has ensued. Now the Golden Knights have the Minnesota Wild AND the St. Louis Blues to worry about.

Here's what the Blues bring to the table. What makes them stand out that has the Golden Knights worried? Will St. Louis catch Vegas in the standings? Let's dive into the Blues without becoming sad.

1. The Case for the St. Louis Blues

Sitting at 71 points entering Saturday's game against the Minnesota Wild, the St. Louis Blues are near striking distance from the Vegas Golden Knights. With bright spots such as Pavel Buchnevich (24 goals, 25 assists) and Robert Thomas (21 goals,49 assists), the Blues have the star power to make a run. That's why the Blues have five forwards with more than 20 goals this season.

Also, Jordan Binnington has been decent this season, tied for 12th in the NHL in save percentage (.913) and ranking eighth in shutouts (three). In wins, the goaltender has a GAA of 1.94 and a save percentage of .940. When Binnington is on point, the Blues win.

2. The Case Against the St. Louis Blues

Everything else is mediocre on the St. Louis Blues. From the special teams to the weak defenseman unit, there's not much to inspire confidence in a playoff run. Considering St. Louis is 4-5-1 in their last ten games, it backs up this case.

Even their strengths have some problems. Binnington has stopped plenty of shots this season. However, the Blues have allowed the eighth-most shots in the NHL this season (2,142). That coincides with blocking the second-fewest shots this season (975). Defensively, the Blues have no bite.

It's the same thing with the offense. Yes, St. Louis has its bright spots on its forward unit. However, there's no bite on the lower lines, making the Blues prone to scoring droughts. That's why they're 26th in the NHL in average goals a game (2.79).

4. The Verdict

There isn't much to support the St. Louis Blues making a run at the Vegas Golden Knights's current spot. The team is just... pedestrian at best. Nothing stands out, whether it's the overall scoring or the special teams.

If the Vegas Golden Knights should worry about an incoming team, it's Minnesota. The Wild have earned points in seven of their last ten games and are playing like they want to be there. A week ago, there wasn't much panic over losing the final playoff spot. Now, that dialogue's changed. If the Golden Knights don't carry a sense of urgency, it's over for the defending champions.