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He spoke frankly and even jovially at times on a range of topics, including a shot across the bow in regard to potential offer sheets for backup goalie Joel Hofer, draft philosophy, free agency, Blues pending free agents and the possibility of extending players currently under contract.

The overwhelming feeling coming away Armstrong’s session was that the club’s finish this past season — when the Blues went 19-4-3 to finish the regular season and nearly knocked off the President’s Trophy winner Winnipeg Jets on the road in Game 7 — afforded him a level of patience this summer.

“So we’re further ahead, but we’re still consistent to that path,� Armstrong continued. “Meaning, we’d still like to add to that group. But that group showed last year that it could compete for a playoff spot. We had to play fantastic hockey at the end to get in, and we did. I congratulate the guys.

“Quite honestly, we really feel that we — not feel — I know that we let something slip through in the Winnipeg series. That was ours. That should have been ours. So we could have maybe made it to the second round, and you never know.�

The Blues enter the final year with Armstrong playing a hands-on role in the day-to-day hockey operations with on Friday and Saturday followed quickly by the start of free agency Tuesday.

For several front offices, this weekend marks the start of a frenzied period that combines overhauling their clubs for the immediate future as well as collecting youngsters they hope will positively impact their long-term outlook.

That could have been the Blues.

Armstrong could have headed into this weekend fixated on reshaping an underperforming core, searching for players to slot alongside Jake Neighbours, Zack Bolduc and Jimmy Snuggerud in terms of age range and second-guessing the decisions they’d made to build their roster around the long-term contracts of Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich.

Instead, the Blues’ playoff push and culture shift reinforced Armstrong’s confidence that they’re on the prudent path.

Now, they’re in position to let things play out with their “growing� team.

“We’re going to allow them the ability to grow with the caveat that if something falls into our lap, we’re going to take a look at it,� Armstrong said.

Translation: We don’t feel we have to do anything, but we’re got our eyes open for the things we want to do.

“I don’t know if we’re out of it,� Armstrong said of the rebuilding phase. “We’re further along in it. I think the (Dylan) Holloway and (Philip) Broberg additions last year probably expedited our thought process by three years because we added two more guys into that age group.�

That doesn’t mean Armstrong suffers from delusions of grandeur.

Quite the opposite. He’s maintaining a realistic perspective on the Blues’ place in the Western Conference. He’s aware that even with the excitement of their playoff push and their battle with Winnipeg, they’re “fighting� for positions six through 10 in the conference.

However, Armstrong feel like they’re on an upward trajectory. That means they’re not going to get cornered into taking big, risky swings.

Might they entertain trading the 19th overall pick? Perhaps, but only on their terms.

“It’s definitely in consideration, but it’s always in consideration,� Armstrong said. “What I don’t think we’re going to do is deviate from our course of trying to build within a group of players that are 20 or 21 now in ’25. That’s sort of that window that we’re trying to input players into.�

And what about that 200-foot offensive player, likely a center, Armstrong said he’d be looking to add at his end of season news conference?

Head coach Jim Montgomery seemed to hint at that sort of need when he talked about a desire for his team to be harder offensively to play against. Specifically, Montgomery talked about speed at the blue line, attacking middle ice, having a middle-lane drive, attacking the hard areas with bodies more so than the puck.

Sounds like they both were talking about the same things. A second-line center sure could fit that bill.

So is that guy still on the radar?

Armstrong said quite plainly that he believes that player is out there, but Armstrong also seemed wary that the juice might not be worth the squeeze and that securing that player when the free-agent market opened might necessitate an overpay.

“I do believe that July First is going to be a fireworks day, and there could potentially be some really good value players July 15th,� Armstrong said. “Now, I’m not saying we’re not going to be active on July First, talking, finding out who’s there, what it is.�

Again an admission that they feel no pressure to act immediately.

Even when it comes to locking up current Blues who have free agency on the horizon like Cam Fowler, Holloway and Broberg, Armstrong spoke with the pragmatic nature of a man who believes the calendar is on his side — particularly with Holloway and Broberg only set to be restricted free agents after next season.

“Worst-case scenario is they go to arbitration a year from now,� Armstrong said of Holloway and Broberg. “If we cap space now, we’re going to have millions more next year.�

In other words, Armstrong believes the Blues are in a bit of a catbird seat, positioned where they can survey the landscape, see what’s coming and react in a calculated manner.