(These numbers will continually be updated as we progress through the season)

The Blues have played enough games now since the coaching change to have a good enough sample size to compare the two side by side to see where they have improved or where they still need to improve. Here are the primary offensive & defensive metrics and how they rank within the entire NHL over that span (except for the special teams).

First 22 Games / Last 14 Games (all strengths unless otherwise noted):

Goals For: 2.4 (30th in NHL) / 2.7 (27th in NHL)
Goals Against: 3.4 (25th in NHL) / 2.4 (5th in NHL)

Power Play %: 8 for 50 (16%) / 4 for 31 (13%)
Penalty Kill %: 42 for 56 (75%) / 26 for 33 (79%)

% of Scoring Chances: 45.8% (28th in NHL) / 49.7% (17th in NHL)
% of High Danger Chances: 45.8% (27th in NHL) / 52.9% (10th in NHL)

5v5 Goals For: 1.7 (21st in NHL) / 1.7 (27th in NHL)
5v5 Goals Against: 2.4 (28th in NHL) / 1.4 (2nd in NHL)
5v5 % of Shots on Goal: 48.5% (22nd in NHL) / 47% (27th in NHL)

Right off the bat the numbers that stick out the most are in goal prevention. From 25th in the NHL in goals against (3.4) to 5th (2.4). Allowing an entire goal less per game on average, which is a huge deal for a team that doesn't score much.

Offensively they are about the same, scoring just a tick more goals per game at 2.7 in the last 14 compared to 2.4 in the first 22 games. However, the numbers that are the most encouraging here are the improvements in the % of scoring chances and % of high danger chances.

The Blues went from controlling 45.8% of the scoring chances to almost 50%, and went from controlling 45.8% of the high danger chances to almost 53% which is top 10 in the NHL over that span. in terms of goal production it has shown up more on the defensive side, by controlling more of those high danger areas and limiting scoring chances they've given up less goals; but common sense says if they continue to improve in these areas it should start to produce more offensive goals as well.

I guess time will tell.

Overall this is an improved team under Jim Montgomery, but clearly they still need some more talent on offense to start driving more puck possession and putting the puck in the back of the net. Perhaps by season's end some of these younger players will take another step forward in their development and the need for offensive firepower won't be so glaring.