The St. Louis Blues, entering their March 22, 2025, home game against the Chicago Blackhawks, have solidified their status as a Central Division powerhouse with a 38-25-5 record, reflecting a season characterized by resilience, strategic depth, and a harmonious blend of seasoned veterans and emerging talents. Under the astute leadership of head coach Craig Berube, the Blues have embraced a system that emphasizes defensive responsibility without compromising offensive creativity, a balance that has been pivotal in their quest for playoff positioning. The defensive corps, led by veterans Justin Faulk and Torey Krug, has been instrumental in shutting down opposing offenses and facilitating smooth transitions to offense. Their ability to read the game, combined with physical play, has made the Blues’ defense one of the most formidable in the league. Goaltender Jordan Binnington has been a stalwart between the pipes, providing timely saves and exuding confidence that permeates throughout the team. Offensively, the Blues have benefited from the consistent production of forwards Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas. Kyrou’s speed and scoring touch, coupled with Thomas’s playmaking abilities, have created a dynamic duo that poses significant challenges for opposing defenses. The team’s depth is further highlighted by contributions from secondary scorers like Pavel Buchnevich and Brayden Schenn, who have provided timely goals and veteran leadership. Special teams have also played a crucial role in St. Louis’s success this season, with their power play operating at an efficient clip, fueled by crisp puck movement and net-front presence from players like Schenn and Jake Neighbours, while their penalty kill remains one of the more disciplined and structurally sound units in the conference, capable of neutralizing high-end talent and flipping momentum with aggressive clears and timely shorthanded threats. At home, the Blues have found a consistent rhythm, capitalizing on matchups and feeding off the energy of the Enterprise Center crowd to maintain pressure, often controlling possession and outshooting opponents early to set the tone.

Their ability to roll four lines and trust every pairing has allowed Coach Berube to manage ice time effectively, keeping key players fresh while also developing younger depth pieces like Zack Bolduc and Scott Perunovich into regular contributors. Another strength has been the team’s physical play and willingness to win puck battles in the corners and along the boards, a trait that has proven vital in tight-checking, low-scoring games—especially during their recent stretch where they’ve gone 7-3 over the last ten games and covered the spread in seven of those contests. Against Chicago, a team the Blues have beaten in eight of their last ten meetings, the focus will be on execution, patience, and maintaining defensive structure, particularly against Blackhawks rookie phenom Connor Bedard, whose ability to change games single-handedly cannot be overlooked despite the team’s overall struggles. St. Louis will likely deploy its top shutdown line and defensive pairing against Bedard’s line, using speed and positioning to cut off space and force the Blackhawks into low-percentage shooting areas. The Blues’ transition game, which thrives on quick, tape-to-tape breakouts and controlled zone entries, will be critical in taking advantage of Chicago’s defensive inconsistencies, while continued faceoff dominance—led by Thomas and Schenn—will help tilt puck possession in their favor throughout the night. Given the playoff stakes and the disparity in current form between these two rivals, St. Louis knows the importance of banking points against struggling opponents and will look to approach this game with urgency and discipline, avoiding penalties and maintaining their high pace while dictating the physical tone from the opening puck drop. For bettors, the Blues’ recent success against the spread, especially at home, and their overwhelming head-to-head dominance over Chicago make them a strong favorite entering this matchup. With Binnington’s strong form, a healthy and productive top six, and a team playing with confidence and cohesion, the Blues are well-positioned not just to extend their winning ways, but to do so in convincing fashion, continuing their march toward a playoff berth and reinforcing their identity as a deep, playoff-ready team capable of grinding out wins and delivering when expectations are high.