The St. Louis Blues have been a rollercoaster ride since the 2020-2021 season, and not the fun kind you’d find at Six Flags. After hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2019, the Blues have been searching for that championship mojo like it’s a lost sock in the dryer—occasionally glimpsing it but never quite pulling it out. Four seasons removed from that COVID-shortened 2020-2021 campaign, the team’s performance has been a mixed bag of “almost there” and “what happened?” But lately, something’s brewing in St. Louis, and it’s not just the Budweiser. With Jordan Binnington channeling his inner 2019 heroics fresh off his 4 Nations Face-Off triumph and Brayden Schenn still lacing ‘em up like a captain who’s too stubborn to quit, the Blues are starting to quiet the trade rumor mill. Could this be the spark that reignites a Cup run? Let’s break it down.
The Post-2020 Blues: A Tale of “Eh” and “Oh No”
Since the 2020-2021 season, the Blues have been stuck in a weird limbo—good enough to make the playoffs most years, but not quite good enough to scare anyone in May. In 2020-2021, they finished 27-20-9, sneaking into the postseason only to get swept by the Colorado Avalanche faster than you can say “Nathan MacKinnon.” The next year, 2021-2022, they looked feisty with a 49-22-11 record, pushing the Avs to six games in the second round before bowing out. Then came 2022-2023, a dismal 37-38-7 flop that saw them miss the playoffs entirely—think of it as the hockey equivalent of forgetting your lines in the school play. Last season, 2023-2024, they clawed back to 43-33-6, but still fell short of the postseason dance. And this year? As of March 4, 2025, they’re hovering around .500 with a 29-25-5 record through 59 games, five points out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Inconsistent? Yes. Cup-worthy? Not yet. But something’s shifting.
Binnington’s 4 Nations Tear: From Trade Bait to Brick Wall
Enter Jordan Binnington, the masked man who’s been turning heads faster than a double-overtime goal. After leading Team Canada to victory in the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025—where he posted a sparkling 1.75 GAA and .935 save percentage in four starts—Binner’s come back to St. Louis like a goalie possessed. Since the tournament, he’s gone 3-0-0, boasting a .951 save percentage and stopping 78 of 82 shots. That’s not just good—that’s “I dare you to score on me” good. Earlier this season, his play was shaky enough to fuel trade rumors, with whispers of the Edmonton Oilers sniffing around for a playoff-proven netminder. But now? Those rumors are quieter than a library during a power outage. Binnington’s proving he’s still got that 2019 swagger, and the Blues are reaping the benefits.
Schenn Stays Put: Captain Clutch Silences the Chatter
Speaking of rumors, Blues captain Brayden Schenn was another name floating around the trade deadline buzz like a pesky fly at a picnic. With a $6.5 million cap hit through 2027-28 and the team teetering on the playoff bubble, some thought GM Doug Armstrong might ship him off for a haul of prospects. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, and others reportedly called, but Schenn’s recent play—11 goals and 32 points in 59 games—has reminded everyone he’s still a top-six force. Sure, he’s not lighting up the scoreboard like it’s 2017, but his leadership and grit are the kind of intangibles that don’t show up on a stat sheet. The trade whispers? They’ve been hushed by his steady presence and the team’s uptick in form.
Flashback to 2019: From Last Place to Lord Stanley
Let’s rewind to 2019 for a second, because the parallels are too juicy to ignore. On January 3, 2019, the Blues were dead last in the NHL standings—think “basement dweller” with a side of despair. Then, Binnington, a rookie at the time, stepped in, went 24-5-1 down the stretch with a 1.89 GAA and .927 save percentage, and dragged the team to the playoffs. Paired with a gritty roster featuring Schenn, Ryan O’Reilly, and a cast of blue-collar heroes, they toppled the Boston Bruins in seven games to claim their first Cup. It was a Cinderella story with more plot twists than a soap opera—and a reminder that when Binnington’s hot and the team buys in, anything’s possible.
Can History Repeat Itself?
So, here we are in 2025, and the Blues are flirting with that same magic. Binnington’s on a tear, Schenn’s holding the fort, and the team’s starting to string together wins—three straight as of March 4, their first such streak this season. Are they Cup contenders yet? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves; the Western Conference is a meat grinder, and they’ve got ground to make up. But if Binnington keeps stopping pucks like he’s auditioning for a superhero movie, and Schenn keeps leading like the grizzled vet he is, who’s to say they can’t make a run? The 2019 squad wasn’t perfect either—they just got hot at the right time and believed. Sound familiar?
Final Thoughts: Trade Rumors? What Trade Rumors?
The Blues’ recent play has turned trade talk into background noise. Binnington’s not going anywhere if he keeps this up—sorry, Oilers fans—and Schenn’s proving he’s still the heart of this team. With 23 games left, there’s time to climb the standings and channel that 2019 energy. Will it lead to another Cup parade down Market Street? Maybe, maybe not. But one thing’s for sure: the Blues are reminding us they’re not ready to be counted out—or traded off—just yet. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some “Gloria” to blast on repeat.
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