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.
