Historically, U.S. Thanksgiving serves as one of the NHL’s most reliable checkpoints.
With roughly a quarter of the season in the rearview mirror, the standings usually offer a pretty accurate snapshot of who will still be skating come spring. Since the 2005-06 season, nearly three-fourths of the teams in playoff position when Americans carve the turkey end up punching a postseason ticket.
This year, though, has the potential to flip that trend on its head.
Through Wednesday night, almost every team had played between 19 and 21 games, and all but five of the league’s 32 clubs sat bunched in the 20-28 point range, a level of parity that Marco D’Amico of RG Media notes is “rarely ever seen in the Salary Cap era.”
Blues 'Dismal Start' Puts Them Below Crowd in NHL Standings
Unfortunately for the St. Louis Blues, they’re not part of that crowded middle. They’re one of just four teams sitting below the 20-point mark.
So what does that mean? Well, depending on how Blues president of hockey operations and general manager Doug Armstrong chooses to approach the situation, it could mean an opportunity to take advantage of what D’Amico said is “a true seller’s market.”
“Teams are waiting for someone to make a mistake and overpay for their players,” an anonymous NHL source told D’Amico. “There are so few identifiable sellers at the moment.”
At the same time, there are several teams that entered the season with high aspirations but have stumbled a bit out of the gates, which Chris Johnston, a senior writer covering the NHL for The Athletic, said on Monday’s episode of “The Chris Johnston Show” has created a level of desperation around the league that he has not seen in his two decades as a league analyst.
“This is a weird season, man,” Johnston said. “It's funny because, like, the years feel the same for the most part, and then you get a year like this one, and it's like, nothing feels the same to me.
“There's a lot more teams that are supposed to be good that aren't good. It's just, it's crazy. I mean, I think up is down a little bit, which is great for the league.”
And it could be great for teams in not-so-great spots, like the Blues.
Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, Jordan Kyrou Among League's Top Trade Targets
In his updated “NHL trade board 2025-26” for The Athletic, Johnston has three St. Louis players listed among the top 20 potential targets: Brayden Schenn (No. 6), Justin Faulk (No. 8) and Jordan Kyrou (No. 20). Citing the Blues’ “dismal start,” Johnston opined that if team management decides to pull the plug on the current season, the 34-year-old Schenn could be “the first player to go.”
“His name was prominent in trade discussions last season, and he’s since seen a full no-trade clause get converted to a 15-team no-trade list, giving him less control in the process,” Johnston wrote. “Schenn’s offensive output is well off its usual levels, but he should still carry value as a reliable center capable of impacting the game at both ends of the ice.”
Calling Faulk “a prototypical professional,” Johnston suggested that the 33-year-old defenseman’s high work rate of 23-plus minutes per game, as well as a favorable factor in his contract, could make him an attractive add for several teams.
“He is a stout five-on-five defender who chips in a bit offensively and generally keeps things steady,” Johnston wrote. “He is also a right shot capable of playing both sides of the ice. As an added bonus, his contract was front-loaded, which means he’s owed less in actual cash than his actual cap hit now that he’s down to the final two seasons on it.”
Noting the frequent cycling of Kyrou’s name in the rumor mill, Johnston cited the challenges presented by the full no-trade clause that kicked in on July 1, but wondered if the disappointment of the current season might override Kyrou’s desire to stay with the Blues.
“While his production is a shade off its usual level, Kyrou remains a highly skilled winger who possesses an enviable toolkit — blinding speed, high-end vision and creativity to spare,” Johnston wrote. “As much as he doesn’t seem to want a change of scenery, this could be a sea-change season in St. Louis if the fortunes of the team don’t change quickly.”