The St. Louis Blues shocked the hockey world when they fired head coach Drew Bannister and brought in former Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery just days after he was let go. Bannister was appointed head coach just this past offseason, so parting ways with him so quickly was almost unprecedented. However, the decision did not upset the fan base, as signing Montgomery to a five-year contract has reignited excitement around a team that was in dire need of a spark.
Bannister Earned Opportunity
Blues general manager Doug Armstrong emphasized that Bannister’s dismissal was solely due to Montgomery’s availability, not a reflection of Bannister’s performance. Coaches of Montgomery’s caliber are rarely available, making the decision a no-brainer. Bannister was placed in a nearly impossible situation, and while some of his choices were questionable, his hiring always felt like a lose-lose scenario.
Montgomery Brings Excitement
Montgomery brings not only an impressive resume but also a surge of excitement and energy to a franchise that has felt adrift in recent seasons. The 55-year-old coach has given electric speeches in the past, notably when he won the 2023 Jack Adams award and ahead of the Bruins dad’s trip last season. As well, he is candid with the media and highly vocal on the bench, qualities that have already made an impact.
Blues Have Exciting Prospects
Over the past three drafts, the Blues have made five first-round picks while also uncovering late-round talent and adding young players through trades and offer sheets. Those first-round selections brought in Adam Jiricek (2024), Dalibor Dvorsky (2023), Theo Lindstein (2023), Otto Stenberg (2023), and Jimmy Snuggerud (2022).
Related: Blues Must Trade for Blue Jackets’ David Jiricek
Jiricek has played just four games this season due to off-season knee surgery, but both Stenberg and Lindstein are making an impact overseas in Sweden’s top men’s league. The two Swedes have flashed elite potential in recent World Junior Championships and are expected to head to North America in the near future.
The Blues’ top two prospects are Dvorsky and Snuggerud, who have each dominated to start the 2024-25 season. A member of the University of Minnesota, Snuggerud, 20, has seven goals and 20 points through 14 collegiate games. He leads the team in both categories and sits third in the NCAA in points, trailing only Jack Devine (23) and Aidan Thompson (22), two members of the University of Denver. Ahead of the season, I predicted Snuggerud could win the Hobey Baker award, and his recent hot stretch could be the building block to accomplish this feat.
In the American Hockey League, Dvorsky, 19, has amassed six goals and 13 points through 17 games. He sits third on the team in goals and first in points. As well, he ranks first in the league in both goals and points among those below 20 years old and has outproduced top prospects like Joakim Kemell, Niko Huuhtanen, and Brad Lambert. The sample size is small, but the Blues’ center prospect has taken his game to the next level while continuing to provide a strong, two-way game.
Blues Have Exciting Youth in the NHL
In addition to their prospects, the Blues have an impressive core of youth in the NHL. 2020 first-round pick, Jake Neighbours, 22, broke out last season, scoring 27 goals and 38 points. Now 23 games into the 2024-25 season, he already has seven goals, a 25-goal pace. Many areas of his game still need improvement, but he is trending in the right direction.
The Blues shocked the hockey world when they sent offer sheets to Edmonton Oilers’ restricted free agents Philip Broberg and Dylan Holoway this past offseason, and their aggressiveness has already paid off. Broberg, 23, has missed the Blues’ recent stretch with a lower-body injury, but he had two goals and nine points in his first 12 games. As well, he impressed in the defensive end and in transition. Expectations need to be tempered as he, too, has much room for improvement, but Armstrong’s gamble is already looking promising.
Holloway, 23, struggled to find consistency under Bannister, often bouncing between lines. Despite this, he managed to deliver solid results, backed by impressive advanced analytics. In 23 games this season, he has recorded just three goals and 10 points, yet boasts 0.95 expected goals per 60 minutes (fourth on the team), 1.71 points per 60 minutes (sixth), a 61.5 goals percentage (second), and a 54.1 expected goals percentage (eighth). He has achieved all this while struggling to secure ice time on the second power-play unit, suggesting that more minutes could significantly boost his stats.
Zack Bolduc, 21, also faced challenges under Bannister, but arguably worse than Holloway. His power-play opportunities were comparable to those of players like Alexandre Texier and Oskar Sundqvist, and he frequently rotated in and out of the lineup. It was clear Bannister was ruining his development, yet Bolduc remained one of the team’s most effective forwards, ranking third in goals per 60 minutes (2.11), second in goals percentage (61.1%), and seventh in expected goals percentage (52.8%). He made an immediate impact in Montgomery’s debut, scoring twice, a promising start that should lead to more chances.
Overall, the Blues have four promising young skaters already contributing in the NHL, along with 25-year-old Robert Thomas and 26-year-old Jordan Kyrou, each inked to long-term deals. Additionally, goaltender Joel Hofer, at just 24 years old, and a solid core round out the roster. With an accomplished head coach now at the helm, the franchise’s future looks exceptionally bright.
