O'Reilly believes Blues can grab Stanley Cup Playoff spot

SAN JOSE -- Ryan O'Reilly has not had an easy first season with the St. Louis Blues, who have struggled heading into the
2019 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend
. But the center is assured about the Blues' short-term future and is focused on qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"We haven't been perfect, but we are starting to get back into this fight and I am confident that we are going to play in the playoffs because of the way we work," O'Reilly said during his session at the NHL All-Star Game Media Day presented by adidas on Thursday.
The Blues (22-22-5) are three points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference but will have to pass four teams once the season resumes.
St. Louis begins its NHL-mandated break of at least five days on Sunday; its next game is at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 2.
O'Reilly sees improvement in the way the Blues are playing and believes the tactical and mental changes they have made will be the catalyst for a late-season charge up the standings.
"We're starting to get a lot more consistent and we have a lot more confidence in our game, said O'Reilly, who leads the Blues in goals (18), assists (32) and points (50). "When bad things happen, we don't deviate from our game plan and we get back into it and understand that bad bounces happen and there are going to be breakdowns. But when that happens we have to come together and work out of it, and that has been the trend for us lately."
The Blues began the season 9-13-3; it was not the start expected by St. Louis, which heavily invested in its roster, including the July 1 trade to acquire O'Reilly from the Buffalo Sabres for centers Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka, forward Tage Thompson, a first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2020 draft.

Coach Mike Yeo was fired on Nov. 20, replaced by Craig Berube. St. Louis has gone 12-8-1 in its past 21 games to get back in the Central Division and Western Conference races.
There are three points separating seven teams in the Western wild-card race: the Dallas Stars, Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks each have 52 points, the Anaheim Ducks have 51, the Arizona Coyotes 50 and the Blues and Edmonton Oilers each have 49.
"It's a tough league to win in and there is so much parity," O'Reilly said. "From the first-place team to the last-place team, there is not a lot of difference. Each night, anyone can beat anyone and I think from a fan's perspective, that is a great thing to see. When you get to the playoffs, you have a chance to win.
"Seeing teams go through skids or rough runs, it just shows that it is a momentum league and a competitive league."
The Blues look to have the momentum that eluded them well into December, and are becoming the dangerous team many predicted they would be at the beginning of the season.
O'Reilly is a convert.
"When we play together, when we are playing for each other, you can see we are a good team." O'Reilly said. "When the forwards invest in the D and the D invest in the forwards and we play quick and we work together, we are confident out there. It is one of those things that is going to get us in the playoffs and I am confident that we will."