Blues Listed as Co-Favorites to Win Stanley Cup After Knocking Out Jets

• The St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals are co-favorites to win the Stanley Cup
• The Blues eliminated the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday
• St. Louis was last overall in the NHL standings in January

Can the St. Louis go from worst to first in half a season? They certainly are poised to accomplish such a feat.

In November, the Blues fired coach Mike Yeo and replaced him with Craig Berube. In January, St. Louis sat 31st overall in the NHL.

From Nov. 21 through the end of the season, the Blues posted a 38-19-6 record, good for 82 points. Their 38 wins and 82 points each shared second overall in the NHL from Nov. 21 through the end of the regular season. That performance was also no. 1 in the Western Conference.

The @StLouisBlues have advanced past the opening round in three of the last four seasons and will face either NSH or DAL in the Second Round.

More #NHLStats: #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/2zhlKPF8fe

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 21, 2019

The Blues carried that momentum into the playoffs, upsetting the Winnipeg Jets in six games in the first round, winning three times on the road during the series.

Sportsbooks took notice. They now list the Blues and the defending Stanley Cup-champion Washington Capitals as co-favorites to win in the Stanley Cup odds.

2018-19 Stanley Cup Championship Odds

Odds taken on 04/21/19.

The Blues haven’t played in a Stanley Cup final since 1970.

A Defense That Never Rests

One of the key differences in the Blues this season under Berube compared to St. Louis under Yeo is their play without the puck.

This team is something special. #WeAllBleedBlue pic.twitter.com/62RGDTzlMx

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 21, 2019

During Yeo’s tenure, the team allowed 3.11 goals per game. Berube sought to improve his club’s pace and play with more tempo and the result is a team that transitions well from defense to offense. St. Louis has allowed 2.56 goals per game under Berube’s tutelage.

Jordan Binnington is the second rookie goaltender in @StLouisBlues history to earn a win in each of his first 2+ career postseason starts (also Curtis Joseph in Game 1-3 of 1990 DSF). #NHLStats #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/q7bHYW7HZz

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 13, 2019

A big part of the turnaround was rookie goalie Jordan Binnington. He went 24-5-1 in the regular season with a .927 save percentage and a 1.89 goals-against average.

That’s the lowest GAA posted by a rookie netminder in the NHL since Al Rollins (1.77) of the 1950-51 Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs.

Blues Are A Well-Traveled Bunch

Not only did the underdog Blues knock off the favored Jets by winning all three games in Winnipeg, St. Louis turned the notorious Winnipeg whiteout into a wipeout.

Most postseason game-winning goals in @StLouisBlues franchise history:

15 – Brett Hull
6 – Jaden Schwartz
6 – Larry Keenan #NHLStats #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/f9WElPe04j

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 21, 2019

They also overcame deficits in each of their four victories over the Jets.

The Blues? Why Not?

We haven’t seen a playoff year go this off of the form charts since 2011-12, when the Los Angeles Kings, the eight-seed in the West, won the Stanley Cup.

SERIES. OVER. #WEALLBLEEDBLUE pic.twitter.com/ZBRjA6oVnf

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 21, 2019

It just has a feel of being a year where a team no one expects will be holding Lord Stanley’s mug aloft in June. The Blues have never won the Cup. In fact, St. Louis is 0-12 in three Stanley Cup final appearances.

Imagine the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals, except in hockey form.

Your 2019 St. Louis Blues.

— Joey Palazzola (@Palazzola_RTN) April 19, 2019

The Blues were a great price at +1400 to win the Cup at the start of the playoffs. Grab them at +550 before they go any lower.