To that end, THN’s Stars site is analyzing the Stars’ Central rivals, looking at how they match up against each opponent. Tuesday, we began the series by breaking down the Winnipeg Jets; Wednesday, we turned our attention to the Colorado Avalanche. Thursday, the Nashville Predators went under the microscope; and today, we focus on the team that finished fifth in the Central last season -- the St. Louis Blues.
DALLAS’ 2023-24 RECORD: 52-21-9
ST. LOUIS’ 2023-24 RECORD: 43-33-6
DALLAS’ REGULAR-SEASON RECORD AGAINST ST. LOUIS IN 2023-24: 2-1-1
HOW THE STARS STACK UP AGAINST THE BLUES IN 2024-25: The Blues are a curious bunch – not elite by any metric, but not a bottom-dweller in the Western Conference or the Central. St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong retooled his mushy-middle roster this summer by trading for veteran forwards Radek Faksa, Mathieu Joseph and Alexandre Texier, and signing free agent defensemen Ryan Suter and Philip Broberg, as well as forward Dylan Holloway.
Certainly, those names aren’t marquee names and needle-movers, and the truth about this Blues team is they’re probably going to finish the 2024-25 campaign in approximately the same standings spot – just outside of the playoffs, and too far from the bottom of the conference to land a top spot in next summer’s entry draft.
In a perfect world for St. Louis, they’d improve on their offense (which was the league’s eighth-worst in that area) and improve on their defensive play (as they had the NHL’s ninth-best goals-against average per game last season).
Related: Stars Unveil Training Camp Schedule And Roster -- And Fans Can Get Free Tickets To Watch Them
Related: Stars Central Division Showdown: How Dallas Stacks Up Against The Winnipeg Jets
The Stars don’t face the Blues until mid-December this coming season, but they square off again in late-January, and finally, in early-March. But let’s be frank – this Dallas team is stronger than the Blues at all positions, and even if St. Louis manages to beat the odds and make the playoffs next spring, they’re going to be expected to be steamrolled in the first round against a true Cup-contending team like the Stars or Nashville Predators.
Of course, if goaltender Jordan Binnington starts stealing games, there’s a chance the Blues will land a post-season berth. But on paper, the Stars have it all over St. Louis, and Dallas fans have every right to expect their team to beat the Blues every chance they get. St. Louis needs everything to go right for them to make the playoffs, but Dallas’ all-round depth will almost assuredly put them well ahead of the Blues in the standings and make them the heavy favorite if the two teams square off in the playoffs.
Related: Stars Central Division Showdown: How Dallas Stacks Up Against The Colorado Avalanche
Related: Stars Central Division Showdown: How Dallas Stacks Up Against The Nashville Predators
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