Like 17 of the previous 18 Stanley Cup winners, the Blues failed to repeat as champions.
So they move on to their next challenge: reaffirming their winning culture so they can bid for another Cup while enough key core players remain.
History tells us that is difficult, especially in the NHL's salary cap era. The economic damage wrought by the pandemic will make it even harder, as will the mitigating circumstance that is Vladimir Tarasenko's shoulder.
But it can be done.
The Blues will return a strong core group of championship-caliber players _ however their challenging offseason plays out _ and there will be much room for individual improvement.
Yes, they took too long to regain their urgency after the COVID-19 shutdown. They failed to fire up during round-robin play. They waited too long to elevate their play against Vancouver. They had too many passengers and not enough play-drivers.
Then they collapsed when the Canucks threw their Game 5 counterpunch.
It was all unfortunate, but this failure occurred in weird, never-seen-before bubble hockey conditions. We shouldn't draw sweeping conclusions about team character (or lack thereof) from this made-for-TV studio tournament.
The Blues will bounce back. Coach Craig Berube can wield their disappointment as a motivational cudgel. And other champions have proved it's possible to regroup and enjoy further success.
The Pittsburgh Penguins won the 2009 Cup, then returned after a competitive lull to win the 2016 and '17 titles with the same cornerstone players.
The Chicago Blackhawks won their long-overdue Cup in 2010, then suffered first-round exits the next two seasons. They stayed the course with coach Joel Quenneville and won the Cup in 2013, reached the Final Four in 2014, and earned still another parade in '15.
The Los Angeles Kings offer another example. They won the Cup in 2014, reached the Final Four in 2015 and won their second title in 2016. Taskmaster coach Darryl Sutter held things together through the awesome power of his withering sarcasm.
But nothing lasts forever. The Kings have not won a playoff series since their last Cup triumph. Neither have the Blackhawks, unless you count their recent qualifying-round win over the Edmonton Oilers.
The Penguins still have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but they have slipped. They exited the 2018 playoffs in the second round. They lost in the first round last season and they went nowhere this time around.
These former champions remind us that competitive windows close. The NHL is a cyclical business. Teams build up, take as many shots as possible, then start rebuilding for the next run.
So teams that are built-up _ like the Blues _ must make the most of their opportunity while they have it. The Washington Capitals flubbed their chance by refusing coach Barry Trotz's demand for a five-year contract after winning the 2018 Cup.
Trotz has moved on to notable success with the New York Islanders while the Capitals hailed quick cabs from the last two postseasons.
Blues general manager Doug Armstrong values continuity. He has rewarded veterans with an extension. He stuck with Ken Hitchcock longer than he should have. He gave Mike Yeo the chance to right his ship.
Expect him to have a firm but reasoned response to the bubble hockey failure. Tarasenko's uncertain future and captain Alex Pietrangelo's expiring contract will make the navigation more difficult, but Armstrong has surprised us before.
He built a championship nucleus with magical trades that landed Brayden Schenn and Ryan O'Reilly while making Jori Lehtera, Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka disappear. That's akin to David Copperfield pulling an elephant out of his ear in Vegas.
If the Blues must rely on internal improvement, so be it. Goaltender Jordan Binnington imploded during this postseason, but he will be hungry to prove himself again. That chip on his shoulder will only get bigger.
Robert Thomas is one of the top young forwards in the league and he seems driven to be great. Defensemen Colton Parayko and Vince Dunn have much more to give, which is critical given the potential loss of Pietrangelo.
Dynamic forward Jordan Kyrou hasn't scratched the surface of his potential; at best he smudged it in limited action this season. Rangy defenseman Niko Mikkola is overdue for his NHL opportunity.
Defensive prospect Scott Perunovich offers unique offensive instincts that fit the new NHL. At worst, forward Klim Kostin can become a fourth-line bulldozer.
"You can see the growth coming from different guys," Blues center Ryan O'Reilly said Tuesday. "It's not a huge change for us. There's some tweaks, definitely some improvements and we have to get focus back. ... We're very close. I think we can contend again next year."
Staying in the Cup chase will be hard, but history says it's possible. The Blues can learn from past champions during this offseason while preparing for the challenge ahead.
"It's frustrating, but we know that it's there," O'Reilly said. "We know we can have success. It's time to get back to work."
