The 2022-23 St. Louis Blues season was an awful disappointment for fans and management alike, resulting in the team becoming a trade-deadline seller and ultimately ending up in a draft lottery situation out of the playoffs. So who is to blame for the team’s failures? And who succeeded despite the suffering of the team? That’s what we’ll be looking for in the 2022-23 Blues report card series.
Despite entering the season with the New York Rangers, Sammy Place finished the season as a Blue. was part of Deal That sent Vladimir Tarasenko and Niko Mikkola to the Rangers. He played his first five seasons in the NHL with the Blues. He was traded prior to the 2021-22 season to the Rangers at Trade Pavel Buchnevich. The coaching staff and Bliss himself welcomed him back to St. Louis. This became all too apparent as the regular season wane.
Done Right: Post-Deadline Numbers
Blais has been one of the Blues’ best strikers in the last few months of the season. He joined the team at a time when they needed strikers in the top nine after trading Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly and Ivan Barbashev. He fit in well with Coach Craig Berube’s system once again. Fits him like a glove. In 31 games with the Blues, Blais scored nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points. He recorded highs in both goals and an assist this season. He looked like a different player.
Related: Best and Worst St. Louis Blues Trades
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Blais has never been a key piece in Tarasenko’s trade. It was a throwback I struggled with in New York. However, his knowledge of Pyrope and his system paid off in a big way. He was up there with Jacob Vrana as the Blues’ best striker in the second half of the season. I’m excited to see the current version of Blais for a full season with the Blues in 2023-24.
What’s Wrong: His Time in New York
All of his time in New York was a disaster. Several factors affected his time there. He tore his ACL after 14 games with Rangers in 2021-22. He was back and looked uncomfortable in the Rangers lineup. He played 40 games before being traded to the Blues and scored zero goals and five assists with a plus/minus plus of 1. Overall, he played 54 games for the Rangers and had no goals.
It’s safe to say that his time in New York was a huge failure. The Blues robbed the Rangers in a Bukhniewicz trade. The Rangers have transferred their draft pick from the Blues to hire Andrew Cobb in 2021-22. They don’t have a piece that they got for Buchnevich. Blais fits in much better in St. Louis.
Key stats
- 19 points equal strength in 31 games with the Blues
- 119 hits in 31 games with the Blues
- A career high 16 tips in 71 games
Final score: A-
The Blais Blues got a lot more than they expected. He didn’t look so good in New York. However, he looked like a brand new player in his second spell with the Blues. His puck and playmaking skills along with his physique was a sight to behold.
What’s next for Belize?
He got himself One year extension With the Blues for the 2023-24 season. The salary cap is probably a million dollar steal. I think Blais will play on any of the first three lines next season. He finished the 2022-23 season with Buchnevich and Kasperi Kapanen as his teammates. It will be interesting to see how big of a role he takes on as the season gets underway in October. He earned himself sixth place, but he could start on the third line.