23. 2019 St. Louis Blues
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We kick off our rankings with one of the most unlikely Stanley Cup champions in decades. On New Year’s, the St. Louis Blues owned the worst record in the NHL. At 15-18-4 with 34 points, the Blues were counted out by nearly every fan and expert who follows the league. However, the season turned around with the promotion of goaltender Jordan Binnington and the coaching of Craig Berube — Berube replaced Mike Yeo after 19 games. The Blues won two seven-game series in the playoffs — including the Stanley Cup Finals against Boston — and finished their run with a +13 adjusted goal differential. St. Louis’ +13 is the worst mark by a champ during the salary cap era.
