When it comes to pro sports around St Louis, the NHL is one of the most passionately followed around. People all over the city love catching the latest hockey action, hearing any breaking NHL news, and seeing which teams come out on top each season. The appeal of the NHL in St Louis is also boosted by the presence of the city’s very own pro hockey side: the St Louis Blues.
However, fervent Blues fans might be feeling a little out of sorts currently, due to the NHL being in the off-season. The 2022/23 regular season is not due to crank into action until October 7th and this means it is still a while until the team will be on the ice once more.
Preseason does offer relief from this and gives the chance to run the rule over how the Blues are looking. Their upcoming clash against the Arizona Coyotes on 25th September 2022 is a prime example: but what are the picks and predictions for this match? Finding out more about this is not only plain good fun but can also be very handy if you plan to bet on this match.
Picking the Right Sportsbook is the First Thing to Look At!
Although we will look at picks and predictions for this game in more detail below, the first thing for sports bettors to do is to pick where to place their bets carefully. This will help them to not only find the best odds for the Coyotes vs. Blues game but also to stay safe from scam sportsbooks online. It will also help them to find the best sportsbook to enjoy and bet somewhere that offers great customer support.
But how can you find the most reputable and fun to use sportsbooks? The best thing to do is take time to look at online reviews and spend time checking out any sportsbook that you think you might sign-up with. Many people will also advise you to simply stick with well-known, long-established brands when choosing where to bet online.
Coyotes vs Blues: Game Picks and Predictions
The simple facts are that making predictions and picks for preseason NHL games is always a tricky affair. These, after all, are games with nothing riding on them and therefore, players might not put their usual effort into them.
In addition, pre-season games can see players rusty from the off-season and not playing to their full potential. When you also add in that pre-season games can see coaches trying out various tactics and giving younger players a runout, predicting what will happen is not always easy.
When it comes to this game between the Coyotes and the Blues, it will, therefore, pay to look at how each team got on last season and how this could impact their performance moving ahead. For the Blues, this is promising because they had a decent year in 2021/22.
The end of their campaign, in particular, saw them impress with a 16-game point scoring streak in April, a 3rd place finish in the Central Division, and a first-round playoff series win against Minnesota. If they can carry this form on into their pre-season game against the Coyotes, they could well win it.
Which Blues players could make a difference?
When making predictions for this match, it also pays to look at which players might turn out for the Blues and if any new signings could help them to victory.
In terms of players already at St Louis, the goals of Vladimir Tarasenko and Pavel Buchnevich could be key. They scored 64 goals between them in 2021/22 and could be too much to handle for the Coyotes in this match. If the Blues’ defense holds out, then they could be all set to win.
With this in mind, we may see the newly signed goaltender, Thomas Greiss, getting some minutes under his belt. Although not one for the future at 36, his experience could help shut Arizona out. Josh Leivo is another new Blues signing who could be seen in this match and may well make the difference, with his status as AHL MVP from last season. If the Blues’ new coach, Craig MacTavish, settles in well under Craig Berube, too, the signs are promising in this match for St Louis.
Arizona Coyotes: Picks and Predictions
Of course, it also makes sense to take a closer look at the Coyotes when making predictions for this NHL pre-season clash. As with the Blues, a lack of recent games prior to this one makes it impossible to say what form they are in right now and how well they might play as a result.
Looking back to 2021/22, the Coyotes had a much poorer season than the Blues. This left them rock bottom in the Central Division and stuck on only 57 points. You have to imagine that this will leave them short on confidence heading into this match and vulnerable to a Blues’ win.
Interestingly though, the side did storm back in from 4-0 down against the Predators in the final series at Gila River Arena in 21/22 to win 5-4. If they take on the Blues in this form, anything could happen.
As with most other NHL teams, the Coyotes have been busy signing players in the off-season. New goaltender Jon Gillies is a familiar face for Blues fans and enjoyed a decent season last year. He could prove key to keeping the St Louis offense at bay, should he play.
Laurent Dauphin also enjoyed a good campaign last year and has returned to Arizona. If he can bring his shooting and playmaking skills to the Coyotes in this match, it could be pivotal. With Troy Stecher and Patrick Nemeth arriving in Arizona to shore up their backline, the Coyotes could be due to give St Louis a more competitive game than they’ll be hoping for.
Arizona Coyotes vs. St Louis Blues: What Might Happen?
As we have already noted, pre-season games are always tough to call and can go either way. On the face of it though, you would have to favor the Blues due to their better squad and the better form they showed last season. With the Blues also coming out on top in the last couple of NHL series played between the teams, they might just have enough of an edge to pinch it.
