St. Louis Blues team (via Getty Images)

The season is slipping away for the St. Louis Blues, and the next few weeks may set the tone for not only the rest of the season but the entire decade. With little consistency and no momentum, the focus has shifted from winning games to retooling the roster before the NHL Trade Deadline and into the future.General manager Doug Armstrong is at a crossroads: do what it takes to make a late-season push or start a new rebuilding strategy. If the latter is the case, radical changes in the form of trades, prospect recalls, and future planning may shape the final months leading up to the season finale in April.

Draft lottery hopes and top prospects may speed up St. Louis Blues team rebuild

A rebuild situation would see the immediate focus be on the draft lottery. The Blues are currently one of the better chances at picking first overall, second only to the struggling Vancouver Canucks. This has led to whispers of a full rebuild to pick up a potential superstar in the draft.The two names that have been most prominent in early draft talk are Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg. Both are forwards who have electrified their respective leagues this year and are seen as potential franchise players. McKenna’s skill and skating ability have made him the consensus top prospect, while Stenberg’s international experience and connection to the Blues’ system make for an interesting story if the Blues were to win the draft lottery.The importance of a first overall pick has been proven on the international stage. However, for the Blues, this potential may end up being worth more than the current public perception of the team losing games in the short term. A step backward may end up being the quickest way back to relevance, especially if the front office decides to pair the high draft pick with a youth-led roster overhaul.Whether the Blues decide to fully rebuild or find a way to speed up the process, the next month may end up being the deciding factor. If St. Louis decides to fully invest in the draft plan and acquire a generational player, this tough year may end up being looked back on not as a failure, but as the start of a new era for the franchise.