Don't look now, but the St. Louis Blues might be a legitimate threat out of the Western Conference.
A month and a half into the 2018-19 NHL season, the Central Division contenders were severely under-performing before coach Mike Yeo was dismissed on Nov. 19. At that time, St. Louis was a subpar 7-9-3 and looking like maybe the fifth-best team in its division -- well behind anticipated playoff teams such as the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets. It didn't get markedly better as the new year approached, with the Blues still under .500 through January.
But then Craig Berube's bunch found rejuvenation behind rookie goalie Jordan Binnington. They unleashed a 12-1-1 run in February that put them back into the postseason picture. Now, with the Stanley Cup Playoffs right around the corner, St. Louis is squarely in third in the Central, with only four teams ahead of them in the entire West.
It's why the Blues have cracked the top 10 in our latest edition of NHL Power Rankings, and it's why, aside from maybe the Presidents' Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning and defensively stacked Vegas Golden Knights, we'd call them one of the hottest teams in hockey. (The Detroit Red Wings, who are quickly fleeing the NHL's cellar, might also deserve a nod there.)
The Washington Capitals are also on the rise in this week's pecking order, overtaking the Boston Bruins by one spot as they look to defend the Cup:
