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ANAHEIM, Calif. — The NHL’s trade deadline sailed by on Friday afternoon without a trade executed by the Blues.

Captain Brayden Schenn remained with the team, as did every other member of the organization. And amid a 5-1-1 stretch since the return from the 4 Nations tournament break, there were no reinforcements for a Blues team on the bubble of the Western Conference playoff picture.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said the team was looking to do “hockey trades,� which aren’t deals for pending unrestricted free agents or aren’t a part of a salary-cap dump or a draft-pick swap.

“At the end of the day, we talked to a lot of people,� Armstrong said on a video call with reporters after the deadline passed. “We bandied around a lot of ideas. But we weren’t involved in anything that made sense for us.�

Schenn was the Blue with the most noise surrounding him leading into the deadline, as the captain was connected to teams such as Toronto and Vegas.

Schenn, 33, has 12 goals and 26 assists in 63 games this season. He has three more years remaining on a contract with a $6.5 million cap hit. Armstrong was asked about Schenn, but declined to get into specifics.

“I’m just not comfortable talking about any individual negotiation with a team or with a player,� Armstrong said. “It’s not something we’ve done in the past, and it’s not something I’m comfortable getting into individual players like that.�

Over the summer, Schenn’s full no-trade clause drops to a modified no-trade clause and he can block deals to 15 teams.

In addition to Schenn, defensemen Justin Faulk and Torey Krug each have no-trade clauses that shift to 15-team no-trade lists. This summer, Nick Leddy can reject trades to half of the league. Asked broadly about the effect of clauses changing and opening up trade possibilities, Armstrong said that “sure does� allow the Blues to do more in the marketplace.

“Obviously, when you negotiate with unrestricted free agents, there’s a give and take on all different things from no-movement clauses to no-trade clauses, signing bonuses,� Armstrong said. “The ones that we do have an expiration date on the full no-trades and we’re getting into that window with some of our veteran players. It does open up the door if we decide to do certain things with less restrictions.�

The Blues have two pending unrestricted free agents on their roster: forward Radek Faksa and defenseman Ryan Suter. While teams around the league were acquiring rentals for a playoff run, none bought from the Blues.

“The last couple of years, those depth UFAs, there’s not a lot of movement in that,� Armstrong said. “We saw that last year with our group. We saw it again this year with our group. At the end of the day, we ended up moving forward with a team that’s playing excellent hockey right now.�

Last year, the Blues also did not make any trades at the deadline, and Marco Scandella and Kasperi Kapanen were the team’s only UFAs to deal.

With Suter in particular, he’s taken on added importance with Colton Parayko out for the next six weeks following a scope on his left knee. Suter has played in all 63 games for the Blues this season, and at age 40, is the oldest skater in the NHL.

“Because of the Parayko injury, moving him for a later-round pick, if it was offered at all, wasn’t something that made sense to us,� Armstrong said.

The Blues also didn’t heavily consider adding pieces at the deadline to fortify a run at a playoff spot. Armstrong said the management group did the math, and understands it’s “a tall task� for the Blues to make the playoffs in the final 19 games.

They entered Friday two points behind Calgary for the second (and final) wild-card slot in the West, and one point behind Vancouver for ninth place in the conference. The Flames and Canucks are on pace for about 90 points, which would require the Blues to go 12-7-0 down the stretch to match their record.

“We weren’t looking to use assets that we’ve acquired over the last couple years, young players for a stopgap,� Armstrong said. “Anything we would have done would have been more of a hockey trade, and we didn’t see a lot of those happen today that we were involved in, or could be involved in. We weren’t looking for a band-aid this year.�

The Blues were set to finish a swing through California by playing the Ducks on Friday and the Kings on Saturday, part of a schedule that Tankathon has ranked as the easiest remaining slate in the NHL, as opponents own a combined .520 points percentage.

“It’s an uphill battle,� Armstrong said. “I’m not naïve to think it’s not an uphill battle. Certainly, with Colton’s situation. But I hope they have as much excitement in this as our fans do about what they’ve accomplished and what we hope they can accomplish by pushing and playing meaningful games and staying on task.�

Blues return to over-the-air TV Saturday night after stout ratings: Media Views

Game from Los Angeles will air on KMOV (Channel 4) and Matrix Midwest (Channel 32).

Blues defenseman Colton Parayko to undergo scope on left knee, out 6 weeks

Colton Parayko was enjoying the best offensive season of his career, with a career-high 15 goals in 62 games.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — For almost 500 games, Cam Fowler got used to his path from the parking lot to the home dressing room to the home bench. He never even went to the visiting room or bench. Friday was to be the first time.

Fowler was set to make his return to Anaheim on Friday night, as a member of the Blues, his first trip back to Orange County since the Ducks traded him to St. Louis in December. Fowler spent the first 14 seasons of his career with the Ducks.

“Being on the other side of everything and not walking in to the home locker room setup, it’s all going to be super weird for me,� Fowler said after Blues practiced Thursday afternoon.

The Blues acquired Fowler and a 2027 fourth-round draft pick for a 2027 second-round pick and minor-league defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka on Dec. 14, and Fowler has become one of the most-used defensemen for St. Louis. Before Colton Parayko’s knee injury, Fowler and Parayko formed the top pair for the Blues and Fowler’s 22:14 of average ice time ranks third on the team.

Fowler also has played top power-play minutes and has seven goals and 12 assists in 33 games for the Blues.

“I’ve always been passionate about the game, and I’ve always been energized to play the game,� Fowler said. “Sometimes, you get to a certain point in your career as a player, just for both sides it might make sense to find a situation that works better. Anytime you come into a new environment, you want to make a great impression on the people that believed in you. I was energized in that way, but it wasn’t like this whole eye-opening experience where I found my love for the game again.�

Fowler left Anaheim first in games played, first in goals, first in assists, first in points, first in shots on goal, first in game-winning goals and second in power-play goals all-time among Ducks defensemen. He was nine games away from becoming just the second Duck to play in 1,000 games for Anaheim.

Instead, he played his 1,000th game at the Winter Classic in Chicago and scored two goals in the Blues’ win over the Blackhawks. The Blues honored Fowler’s 1,000th game on Jan. 9 in St. Louis — before a game against the Ducks.

“It’s going to be fun, emotional, some nerves about the whole thing, too,� Fowler said. “Overall, I think it’s just going to be a fun experience for me (to) get back to a place I spent a lot of years in and see all my friends. Being on the other side of it now, I already played them once, but going back in Anaheim. I think there’s going to be a lot of emotions with everything, so I’m just going to take it all in and handle it the best I can.�

Fowler said he hasn’t “thought too much about� his reception Friday night at Honda Center.

“I hope it’s a warm welcome from everybody,� he said. “I’ve spent 14 years there and I was happy and honored to be a Duck for all those years. I appreciated the fans and the organization. I hope it’s all love from everyone. It’s all love on my side. I am grateful for the opportunity I had. I’m going to try to go in with no expectations and just try to soak it all in as best I can.�

Media views

Blues return to over-the-air TV Saturday night after stout ratings: Media Views

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MARYLAND HEIGHTS — On the rink, the hockey players zig-zagged through cones and skidded into snowplow stops. It was week five of practice, and the wobbles had mostly worked themselves out.

Kim Seegers of Webster Groves watched her 5-year-old daughter from outside the glass during the recent Saturday morning drills at Centene Community Ice Center.

“Her confidence has improved so much,� Seegers said.

Austin Seegers, one of 48 girls who signed up for the St. Louis Blues’ six-week introductory program, likes to pretend she is the hockey-loving protagonist of “Inside Out 2.�

The family has been visiting the skating rink on their own, too. Austin, a soccer and gymnastics veteran, works on keeping her knees bent and her head up. She chews on her pink mouth guard.

If a movie character is what gets a girl on the ice, so be it, coaches say. But they credit the boom in girls hockey — up 65% nationally over the past 15 years, according to USA Hockey — to concentrated efforts, from recreational to professional levels, that target a long-overlooked population.

Exposure helps, too. In its second year of existence, the Professional Women’s Hockey League has expanded its schedule and found a streaming platform. On March 29, Enterprise Center will host its first women’s pro matchup, when the Ottawa Charge take on the Boston Fleet.

In the St. Louis area, girls have more opportunities than ever before, beginning with learn-to-play programs. Every National Hockey League franchise hosts one, but most — like the — are coed. The Little Blues were around for four years before the organization rolled out its companion, the , during the 2020-21 season. About half a dozen other NHL clubs do something similar.

“We wanted to grow the girls’ game,� said Sarah Peterson, the manager of youth hockey and fan development strategy for the Blues.

In the first season, 114 girls ages 5 to 17 participated. Last year, that number more than doubled, and the club expects a continued climb.

“Nationwide, girls’ and women’s hockey is more and more on the map,� Peterson said.

That means there are more places for girls like Austin to compete after they graduate from learn-to-play. Three local hockey clubs — the Lady Cyclones, Affton Lady Liberty and Chesterfield Lady Falcons — are girls-only. About 10 others offer coed divisions. And everyone’s drawing more players.

No area high schools have girls hockey teams yet, but that’s the aim, said Jason Carrera, who is on the board for the in St. Louis. The league, formed in 2023, provides a “co-op system� for high school players. Girls represent their respective schools but compete on mixed teams.

“That’s how the boys’ high schools started,� said Carrera. “You build your way up.�

He also directs the and coaches his two daughters, ages 10 and 14.

At the collegiate level, Maryville University added a women’s team in 2020, joining Lindenwood, which has had a women’s squad since 2003.

“That’s basically a big billboard for girls hockey,� Carrera said.

‘A big spike’

Jayna Hefford is the lead operations executive with the Professional Women’s Hockey League. Hockey today looks different from when she was a kid in Canada in the 1980s.

She followed her brother into the sport and had no choice but to play with the boys. Eventually, there were enough girls for a team in her town, but they had to travel to other cities to find opponents.

The spark that ignited a fervor for girls hockey, Hefford believes, was its inclusion in the Olympics in 1998. She suited up for Canada in those Games, and the four that followed.

“We saw a big spike,� said Hefford, who lives in Toronto. “It’s been pretty incredible.�

It still took awhile — especially in the Midwest — for the burgeoning interest to reach critical mass, and for the infrastructure to catch up.

In 2002, the became the first all-girls club in St. Louis. It had a single team and no rink.

The Cyclones picked up steam slowly. Then, in 2019, it took advantage of a double power play: The Blues won the Stanley Cup — triggering youth interest across the board — and the Centene ice center opened, marking the first time the Cyclones had a permanent location.

“That was a big thing for us,� said Zane Truman, the Cyclones vice president. “We needed a home.�

Hockey has plenty of barriers to entry. Ice time is limited, so practices are often scheduled at odd hours. Rinks can be far-flung. And the required equipment is considerable — and costly.

Parents balk at sinking hundreds of dollars into pads, sticks and skates if they aren’t sure their kids are in it for the long haul.

Four times a year, the Cyclones club — which now has 19 teams — holds a “try hockey for free� class. The Blues’ development program costs $250 for six sessions and a full set of equipment, which the girls can keep. The Affton Lady Liberty, up to 10 teams from the three it started with in 2016, makes a lending closet of secondhand gear available for its players.

“We’re trying to ease that initial cost,� said Carrera, the league director.

The benefits are worth the investment, he said. A built-in community. Stronger bodies. And stronger minds.

“The girls still play a physical game,� Carrera said. “But they want to know the why, the when, the how.�

‘Time and patience’

At the Blues’ learn-to-play session, explanations accompany each drill.

Coach Erika Mueller, 21, oversees stick-handling. She spells out the importance of perseverance. She demonstrates how to bounce back up after a tumble.

Mueller, of Webster Groves, is herself relatively new to the game. In high school, she took up ice skating and then enrolled in an adult learn-to-play program.

“It takes a lot of time and patience,� Mueller said. “It’s really neat to see the progression.�

Montana Opsal, 8, a veteran of the Blues development league, returned to the rink with her parents on a recent Saturday to watch her little sister practice.

She had already shared her hard-earned wisdom with 5-year-old Prairie.

“I kept trying when I fell,� Montana encouraged Prairie.

And that grit landed Montana, of Crestwood, a spot with the Lady Liberty, where she dabbles in every position but favors forward.

“I have a lot of friends on the team,� Montana said. “I love playing.�

Round 2 of the Blues’ television test is set to be administered Saturday night, and results of the first offering are stout.

For the first time in 16 seasons, the team placed one of its locally produced telecasts on over-the-air TV when Gray Media stations KMOV (Channel 4) and Matrix Midwest (Channel 32) carried the club’s game against Winnipeg on Feb. 22. That led to the Blues’ second-best-rated telecast of the season, as viewership-tracking firm Nielsen said the contest was seen on those outlets in 4.4% of the market. The vast majority (4.2%) saw it on KMOV, while Matrix was at just 0.2%.

“We are ecstatic about the total viewership,� said JD Sosnoff, who runs Gray’s St. Louis operations.

Their only bigger overall rating for a Blues contest this season has come for a novelty act, when TNT and TruTV carried the Blues-Blackhawks matchup in the Winter Classic contest played outdoors on New Year’s Eve, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. That telecast drew a combined 5.3 rating.

While certainly not approaching the viewership levels of the Kansas City Chiefs (the worst rating they had in St. Louis for any of their 18 televised games in the recently completed season was 11.7), the combined number KMOV/Matrix drew was strong.

The rating for the Winnipeg contest doubled what the team’s 49 telecasts on cable’s FanDuel ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Network had been averaging (2.2) through the recent NHL break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. And it was significantly better than the 3 rating the Blues averaged the last time they had local telecasts on broadcast TV, in the 2008-09 season.

The combined viewership level for the game rose to 6.1 for the final 15 minutes of the contest, in which the Blues allowed the Jets to tie it 3-3 with a goal in the final minute of regulation play before Winnipeg won it in a shootout.

“The total amount of viewers is a clear indication of the tremendous fan desire to have broad and easy access to their favorite hockey team and they are looking forward to more,� Sosnoff said.

Two more to go

That was the first of three Blues locally produced games this season to be shown over the air (No. 2 is at 7 p.m. Saturday, when KMOV and Matrix air their road contest against Los Angeles) instead of the club’s usual TV home, FanDuel ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Network.

The Blues are using the Gray stations as an experiment to gauge how much interest there is among their fans for over-the-air games in this age of dwindling viewership for cable regional sports networks such as FanDuel, which is not carried on some major programming distributors.

The Winnipeg game was produced by FanDuel and its personnel were used on and off the air, and it was streamed by Victory+. That will be the case for the two remaining Gray contests this season. The finale is on March 25 but only on Matrix.

“We were pleased with the fan response to the debut of the slate of games we’ve made available on Gray Media and Victory+ and look forward to gaining additional insights from the viewership around Saturday’s game and the finale of the package later this month,� Blues chief revenue and marketing officer Steve Chapman said in a statement. “As is typical for us, we have seen increased engagement across our media platforms as the season has progressed and we hope to build on that down the stretch.�

Victory+ did not announce its viewership figures but promises to eventually discuss audience sizes.

“We are pleased at the traction we have received for the first� of its games, Victory+ chief operating officer Jason Walsh said.

Old is gold

Several notable viewership statistics emerged from the over-the-air telecast, as the audience skewed heavily to older demographics. Nielsen breaks down those who are watching into many age-specific ranges and reports the 50-and-older crowd tuned in at the highest rate, 5.9%. The worst rating (1.3) came from those ages 18-34.

Nielsen also tabulates viewership by gender, and the numbers were dominated by older men.

The top-rated group among men was among those 50 and older (7.7), with the worst figure coming for those 18-34 (1.4).

Among women, the 50-and-over crowd led the way (4.3), while the 18-34 bracket was at the bottom (1.2).

Because streaming audiences usually are more youthful that those of broadcast TV, it is likely that when Victory+ numbers become available they will be stronger among younger viewers than were the figures for the Gray stations.

“I don’t read anything into it,� Sosnoff said of the demographics. “... This was one regular-season hockey game in the middle of the season and it successfully delivered across all demos, especially considering it was the first locally broadcast game in 16 years.�

He also did not express concern that Matrix Midwest, which developed a sports presence when it added Mizzou football non-game programming in August and has been building its athletics programming lineup since then, drew just under 5% of the audience while long-established KMOV pulled in more than 95% of those watching.

“Matrix Midwest is seven months old and has exceeded our expectations already,� Sosnoff said. “Since its inception, it has delivered local programs from the Blues to Mizzou, City SC to MVC basketball, local sports programs like ‘The Fight with Randy Karraker’ and much more. It’s just getting started and its rapid growth shows that there is a tremendous desire for local sports programming on broadcast TV.�

Saturday slant

FanDuel regular Blues commentator Bernie Federko will be on the pregame- between period and postgame segments for the KMOV/Matrix/Victory+ presentation Saturday, which begins at 6:30 p.m. Former Blue Chris Pronger filled his spot for the first of those telecasts.

That show was conducted from Enterprise Center, but becasue the Blues are on the road this time the program Saturday will originate from Gray’s facilities at Westport Plaza. Scott Warmann again will serve as host and Joey Vitale will be back as a co-analyst.

John Kelly (play-by-play) and Jamie Rivers (commentary) again have the game broadcast, but a twist is that Denita Victor is set to make her debut as the rinkside reporter. Victor, an alum of Lutheran South High and the University of Kansas, works for the team’s Blue Note Productions and is in her third season of hosting segments that are shown in-house during intermissions of home games.

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Blues’ playoff push was dealt a major blow on Thursday afternoon when the club announced it would be without defenseman Colton Parayko as he undergoes a scope on his left knee.

The club said it would reevaluate Parayko in six weeks.

Parayko was enjoying the best offensive season of his career, with a career-high 15 goals in 62 games. He also tied his career high with 35 points and averaged a team-high 23:51 of ice time.

During Wednesday night’s 3-2 shootout win over the Kings, Parayko logged 23:13 of ice time across 28 shifts, and he had an assist. He was injured on last shift at the end of overtime, when he fell awkwardly at the blue line with his left leg folded underneath his body.

Six weeks from Thursday’s announcement would put Parayko’s potential return at April 17, two days after the Blues’ regular-season finale at home vs. Utah.

Parayko’s injury comes at a time when the Blues are making a playoff push in the Western Conference. They are 5-1-1 since returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, and Wednesday’s win drew them within one point of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Blues (66 points in 63 games) are chasing the Flames and Canucks (both 67 points in 61 games), but Calgary owns the tiebreaker with more regulation wins. Both teams have played two fewer games than the Blues.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery said after winning in Los Angeles — giving up a lead, coming back, scoring on the power play, hanging on in overtime — adds to the feeling in the room that lessens the worry about losing Parayko.

“All those things, they’re just continuing to build the trust, respect, care and love that is building within our group," Montgomery said. "You would have asked me this a month ago, I’d say, ‘I don’t know how we can recover.’ But we’re going to push through.

"It’s going to be the next-man-up mentality that you have to have. We have a lot of confidence in our D corps about how much more each individual on that D corps can handle, to eat up and share the minutes that Parayko gave us.�

Before Parayko was injured, Montgomery called a timeout in order to put Robert Thomas on the ice for the faceoff in the offensive zone. Thomas won the draw back to Parayko, but Parayko's fall allowed Trevor Moore to speed in on a breakaway in the final seconds. Jordan Binnington made the save to send the game to a shootout.

Montgomery called it the "worst timeout of my career."

“I looked down at the bench, I saw him wincing, I saw Ray (Barile) talking to him," Montgomery said. "I did not think it was going to need to be scoped was my initial feeling on the bench. That just shows you how tough of a physical specimen Colton Parayko is.�

The news could impact the Blues’ decisions at Friday’s trade deadline, which is at 2 p.m. central time.

Without Parayko, the Blues will have to find a new defenseman to play on the top pair with Cam Fowler, to play big penalty-kill minutes and contribute offensively at even strength. Parayko entered Thursday with 12 goals at five on five, tied for the most in the league among defensemen.

During practice on Thursday in El Segundo, Fowler was paired with Nick Leddy. Philip Broberg and Justin Faulk remained a pair, while Ryan Suter and Tyler Tucker formed the third pair. Tucker was a healthy scratch the past six games.

“They’re basically two high-end skaters, both can play the off-side," Montgomery said of Fowler and Leddy. "They don’t need to worry about getting back on their sides, that’s the benefit of their skill level being able to move the puck and defend, especially, on their off-side I think is going to make them a really good pairing for us.�

Suter’s fate will be determined in the next day. A pending unrestricted free agent with a $775,000 cap hit and a $500,000 bonus due (for making the playoffs), Suter is a cheap veteran option for teams looking to add defensive depth before the postseason. But do the Blues view him as someone with more importance now that he’s one of six healthy defensemen currently with the team?

Parayko’s injury undoubtedly puts a dent in the Blues’ surging playoff hopes, but is that enough to convince general manager Doug Armstrong to sell assets before the deadline?

Armstrong has previously sold with his team on the playoff bubble — in 2018, trading Paul Stastny to Winnipeg, and in 2023, trading Ryan O’Reilly to Toronto — but none of those situations included a streaking team that put themselves on the verge of a playoff spot.

In 2018, the Blues lost six in a row before the Stastny trade. In 2023, the Blues won three in a row but were still eight points out when O’Reilly was traded.

Does the Parayko injury force the Blues to chase a defenseman on the trade market to help fill the void and push St. Louis back into the playoffs for the first time since 2022?

The Blues set their sights on the playoffs before the season, and playing NHL playoff games would benefit the team’s young core that includes Jake Neighbours and Zack Bolduc. Of course, it would also help financially and would avoid the team’s first three-year postseason drought since 2005-08. The Blues have never gone four seasons without qualifying for the postseason.

St. Louis could also opt to put Parayko on long-term injured reserve, which could free up $6.5 million on the salary cap if the Blues chose to chase another defenseman.

Until a path is revealed on Friday, the Blues could only skate on Thursday.

“The attitude of our team going out there for practice, I know we’re out there long, but everything we do has a purpose," Montgomery said. "There was purpose, energy, guys are excited to be at the rink. We can’t wait for tomorrow night’s game. I talked to the team about it, just reinforcing how good they’ve been. I didn’t even really need to address that portion of it because they’ve addressed it mentally by themselves.�

Extending Ellis

The Blues agreed to terms with goaltender Colten Ellis to a two-year two-way contract extension on Thursday morning. Ellis was set to be a restricted free agent this summer.

Ellis will earn $775,000 in the NHL and $175,000 in the AHL next season. In 2026-27, he will be paid $775,000 in the NHL and $225,000 in the AHL.

Ellis has taken over the top spot with AHL affiliate Springfield (Massachusetts) and owns a .926 save percentage and 2.41 goals against average in 31 games. Ellis, 24, was originally a third-round pick in 2019.

Updated at 4:45 p.m. Thursday with more information on Parayko's injury.

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LOS ANGELES — At this point in the Blues season, coming off a 3-2 shootout win over the Kings on Wednesday night, how do you measure the energy in the room?

In goal lights, in shootouts, in late nights, in checks into boards, in inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. Seasons of Shove, if you will.

How about love?

“I think we’ve sent the message that we love each other and we want to find a way in this locker room and build for right now and the future,� Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington said. “I think the message is there. All we can do it focus on what we can control and do our best every single day.�

With another win Wednesday night, the Blues made their latest argument to general manager Doug Armstrong and the rest of the management team to keep their group together before Friday’s trade deadline. The Blues closed back in on a playoff spot by beating the Kings, as St. Louis (30-27-6) is one point behind Calgary and Vancouver, though it has played two more games than the Flames and Canucks.

Robert Thomas scored the game-deciding goal in the third round of the shootout Wednesday, lifting the Blues to their fifth win in the seven games since returning from the 4 Nations break. Thomas also scored during regulation on the power play to back up Jake Neighbours’ first-period goal.

Binnington stopped all four shots he faced in overtime and made saves on two of the three Kings shootout attempts. He has won each of his last five starts.

Since the break, the Blues are 5-1-1, and no team in the NHL has collected more points than St. Louis.

“Our energy coming to the rink every day, whether it’s a practice or a morning skate or a game, the way we’re competing, it’s so fun to be a part of,� Neighbours said. “The swagger we’re playing with, and the energy we bring to the rink is just something we didn’t have early on in the year. Man, it’s fun to be a part of right now.�

Montgomery: “The smiles, the energy, there’s a belief in that room right now about we can achieve. Now, it’s up to us to keep doing it, night in, night out. Stay consistent with our habits.�

When the Blues were eight points out of a playoff spot during the break, the postseason outlook appeared bleak. They needed to string wins together, and they were the only team in the NHL without a three-game win streak. All they’ve done is pick up points in seven of their last eight games.

“I would say the word is fun, and love,� Binnington said. “Love is building in the locker room and playing for each other. I think that’s such a special part of being on a team. You can feel it building. Just got to keep playing the right way every single day. Every shift bring the right energy and that’s it.�

Binnington helped the Blues get to that point Wednesday night. In the third period, he made a sneaky save on a cutting Adrian Kempe. In overtime, he challenged Phillip Danault’s breakaway attempt. He sprawled to glove Quinton Byfield’s shot in tight. His biggest save came as the seconds ticked down in overtime.

Montgomery called timeout with 19 seconds left in order to put Thomas on the ice for an offensive zone draw. Thomas won it, as planned. But Colton Parayko fell down at the blue line, giving Trevor Moore a breakaway with a chance to win the game. Binnington made the save yet again.

“It was fun for us to have him anytime we can have him,� Montgomery said. “Just because you look at all the big saves he made in the third and in overtime and in the shootout, that’s just his ability to rise in big moments is always what describes him best as why he’s special.�

Thomas: “He’s always been that guy, always makes the big saves when you need it most. This is a really important game for us, and he came up big for us. That’s what we expect of him, and he doesn’t get enough credit for all the things he does.�

The trade deadline is Friday, and the Blues have been a team that many people around hockey have been eyeing following Armstrong’s comments in January that “you have to start chipping further and further up� into the team’s core group. Many prominent players have found themselves in rumors or on trade boards: captain Brayden Schenn, Binnington, Parayko, Pavel Buchnevich.

Regardless of those players’ importance to the Blues, their trade protection and the term remaining on their deals, it’s been noisy heading into Friday’s deadline.

“Our job as players is just to compete,� Neighbours said. “The position we’re in right now, every game is a playoff game. We’re looking at it like we can get in. Just continue to play the way we have been, and continue to collect points as much as we can, put ourselves in a good spot. At the end of the day, that’s out of our territory what happens at the deadline, but we’re going to continue to play hard and do our thing.�

What gives the Blues hope for continued success is that they’ve already had it to a degree.

They’ve gone eight straight games controlling more expected goals at 5 on 5 than their opponent, according to Natural Stat Trick. They haven’t allowed 30 shots on goal in the last eight games. They’ve only lost one game in regulation since the break, and the Stars needed four power-play goals to do it.

The Blues simply bounced back from that loss on Sunday.

“We’re finding working hard is fun,� Neighbours said. “Being in these high-intensity, high-compete games, they feel like playoff games for us. We’re coming with the mindset every day like ‘We need to win.’ They’re playoff games for us, the emotions on the bench when guys score, when guys block shots, when guys are hitting, it’s so fun to be a part of right now. We’re having a blast.�

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