Red-Hot Robert Thomas: The Joystick of the Blues!

The St. Louis Blues are riding into the playoffs behind the blistering performance of none other than Robert Thomas! This 23-year-old forward is on an unstoppable 12-game point streak, tallying an impressive 25 points, with four goals and 21 assists. He’s only just begun his playoff march after leading the Blues with 81 points (21 goals, 60 assists) in 70 regular season games.

Mark your calendars, Blues fans! We may be witnessing the birth of another Johnny Gaudreau-esque playoff hero in the making!

Connor Hellebuyck: The Jets’ Wall Between the Pipes!

Just when you thought the 2023 playoffs couldn’t get any more exciting, in comes the Winnipeg Jets’ red-hot netminder, Connor Hellebuyck! With a record of 47-12-3, a sparkling 2.00 goals-against average, and a .925 save percentage, it’s safe to say that the 31-year-old goalie is having a Vezina Trophy-caliber season.

Hellebuyck’s eight shutouts top the NHL leaderboard, surpassing even 2021-22’s shutout king, Jacob Markstrom. With his temporadas resume, Hellebuyck is primed to become the first Jets goalie to win the Vezina Trophy since the team relocated from Atlanta in 2011.

Blues’ Goaltending: Jordan Binnington’s Many Faces!

While Jordan Binnington’s numbers (28-22-5, 2.69 GAA, .900 save percentage) may not quite match Hellebuyck’s, you can’t underestimate the 31-year-old Blues goalie when it matters most. A Stanley Cup champion in 2019, Binnington knows a thing or two about delivering on the biggest stage.

In the 4 Nations Face-Off earlier this year, Binnington helped lead Canada to the championship, further cementing his mettle. While the Blues’ penalty kill needs work (ranked 27th league-wide at 74.2%), there’s no doubt that Binnington will be up to the task in this series.

Numbers to Know & They Said It!

Jets:

• Mark Scheifele is the Jets’ all-time postseason goal leader with 21, followed by Connor with 15 and Adam Lowry with 11.
• “I’m happy that a lot of the things that we talked about in training camp, we accomplished. Obviously, the Presidents’ Trophy wasn’t one of them that we talked about but I’m really proud to be a part of this team. We’re still going to be judged on what happens from Game 83 on. There’s still lots to happen and hopefully, there’s a long story to go with that and it gets to be a 2 1/2-month long story.” – Jets coach Scott Arniel on their season.

Blues:

• Pavel Buchnevich joined an exclusive Blues club with his fourth consecutive 20-goal season, joining the likes of Pierre Turgeon, Doug Gilmour, Jorgen Pettersson, and Brendan Shanahan.
• “I thought as soon as I coached the first game against the (New York) Rangers (a 5-2 win at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 25). I saw how much depth of talent was here. I thought, if we can get to the right places in our habits and our game management, that we’d be able to do this. But like I’ve said all along, it took longer than I expected.” – Blues coach Craig Berube on the Blues making the playoffs.

Will Win If…

Jets: They maintain their regular-season confidence and take advantage of the “Winnipeg Whiteout” in their home arena. The Jets have the weapons to do serious damage in the playoffs, but they’ll need to execute at the same high level they’ve shown all year.

Blues: They stick to their winning formula post-February, shore up their penalty kill, and continue to play physically as a collective unit. The Blues have defied expectations all season; now they’ll need to prove they can do it when it truly counts.

Did You Know?

Both Connor Hellebuyck and Jordan Binnington face off against each other this series after they were both selected 8th overall in the 2012 and 2011 NHL drafts, respectively!

NHL.com independent correspondent Darrin Bauming contributed to this report

FAQ

• Q: Who leads the Blues in points going into the playoffs?
  A: Robert Thomas, with 81 points (21 goals, 60 assists).
• Q: Which Jets player has the most postseason goals in franchise history?
  A: Mark Scheifele, with 21 goals.
• Q: Which Blues goalie won the 2019 Stanley Cup?
  A: Jordan Binnington.
• Q: Who’s the reigning Vezina Trophy winner?
  

Pro Tip: Don’t Miss Out!

Buckle up, hockey fans! This Blues-Jets playoff series is shaping up to be a thrilling, high-stakes matchup between two of the hottest teams in the league. Don’t miss out on the action!

Join the Conversation!

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