Officially deep into "slow news" season for the NHL, it got me thinking about my expectations for the St. Louis Blues offseason.

After another disappointing first-round postseason exit, there were many talks regarding major changes with the Blues roster. Doug Armstrong claimed the organization would still be pushing for Stanley Cup contention, hinting even more at some big alterations. Then, we received the news that Vladimir Tarasenko officially requested a trade. All signs pointed to an action-packed summer for the Blues.

The crazy thing is it really has not been to this point.

Aside from the acquisitions of Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich, there are no other new faces. Besides some expected losses, there have been no earth-shattering departures. In some ways, this Blues team will look quite similar to last season's.

Personally, I believe the reason for that has almost everything to do with the inability to trade Tarasenko. Obviously, there is a big price tag there, and the return would assist Armstrong in understanding what he has to work with moving forward. The fact that he never got a deal done put him at a bit of a standstill.

Now, I don't think the current construction of this roster means the Blues are in a tough spot this season. The forward group looks to be pretty strong, while I question the physicality element. The defense looks solid on paper, with some uncertainty surrounding the bottom pair, and St. Louis should be in a good spot regarding goaltending.

The question is whether the two unconventional seasons played a major role in St. Louis's past misfortunes. It is very possible. With the roster unlikely going through any more major changes, we will find out soon enough.

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