3 questions facing St. Louis Blues

NHL.com is providing in-depth analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the St. Louis Blues.

1. Can Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael fuel more offense for the top six?

The Blues ranked 24th in the NHL in scoring last season, averaging 2.80 goals per game. They wanted to go younger and create balance with their offense and hope to accomplish that with the acquisitions of forwards Mason McTavish, 23, and Connor McMichael, 25, through separate trades with the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals, respectively. Each player will have the opportunity for a top-six role.

The first line of Robert Thomas (25), Dylan Holloway (22) and Jimmy Snuggerud (21) carried the bulk of the offense last season, accounting for 68 of the Blues' 230 goals (29.5 percent). But McTavish (22 goals in 2024-25) and McMichael (26 goals in 2024-25) each will get an opportunity to supply much-needed balance on the second line. Whether it's with Pavel Buchnevich (48 points; 20 goals, 28 assists in 81 games last season) or Jake Neighbours (36 points; 15 goals, 21 assists in 69 games) remains to be seen.

The Blues lost Jordan Kyrou, their leading goal scorer in three of the past four seasons, in the trade to acquire McMichael, so the onus will focus on the two newly acquired forwards to help pick up the slack.

2. Will Joel Hofer take the No. 1 spot?

Based off results following the break for the 2026 Winter Olympics, it would appear Hofer will at least come into the season as the No. 1. He was 12-2-2 with a 2.04 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in 16 starts after the break, while Binnington was 5-3-1 with a 2.25 GAA and .907 save percentage in nine starts.

It's reminiscent of when Binnington supplanted Jake Allen in 2019 when Binnington was a rookie and St. Louis went on to win the Stanley Cup for the first time. Binnington, 33, has held the No. 1 spot ever since, but last season Hofer, 26, made more starts (43-39) and played more games (46-41).

Binnington, who was Canada's No. 1 goalie at the Olympics as well as the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025, is entering the final season of a six-year, $36 million contract ($6 million average annual value) signed March 11, 2021. Depending on performance, it could be a 1A/1B tandem. But with his usage down the stretch, Hofer seems poised to move into the top spot.

3. Will the Blues name a captain?

The only time St. Louis played a full season without a captain was 1996-97, between Wayne Gretzky (1996) and Chris Pronger (1997-2002). But the Blues appear headed that way again.

When forward Brayden Schenn (2023-26) was traded the New York Islanders on March 6, the Blues finished the season with a group of alternate captains, including Thomas, Neighbours and defenseman Colton Parayko.

St. Louis is geared to go in that direction for the time being.