The St. Louis Blues are getting a boost to their forward group just in time for a tough matchup, activating winger Mathieu Joseph from injured reserve ahead of tonight’s game against the Dallas Stars. Joseph slots into a third-line role alongside rookies Dalibor Dvorsky and Otto Stenberg, stepping in for Nathan Walker, who’s cooled off after a promising return from injury.
Joseph’s return comes after a relatively short stint on IR, though his absence from the lineup dates back to early January. He last played on January 3, and while he was initially a healthy scratch, an elbow infection sidelined him further and led to his IR designation on January 13.
That move opened up a roster spot for Nick Bjugstad, keeping the Blues at the 23-man limit. Now, with Joseph back in the fold, Oskar Sundqvist heads to IR in a corresponding move.
This season, Joseph has continued in a familiar role - a depth forward who brings energy, defensive responsibility, and penalty-killing value, but struggles to find the back of the net. Through 35 games, he’s tallied just two goals, though his 10 total points put him on pace for 24 over a full season - an uptick from last year. His ice time has climbed slightly, and while he’s still searching for a scoring touch that’s eluded him throughout his four-year, $11.8 million contract, he remains a useful piece in the bottom six.
Joseph’s contract, originally signed with Ottawa in 2022, came to St. Louis in 2024 as part of a cap-clearing move by the Senators.
Since then, he’s been more of a role player than a difference-maker, but with 455 NHL games under his belt, he brings experience to a Blues lineup currently stretched thin by injuries. The team is missing key forwards Dylan Holloway, Pius Suter, and Robert Thomas - a full third of their top nine - making Joseph’s return all the more important.
Meanwhile, Sundqvist’s injury is a tough blow for a team already dealing with depth issues. The 31-year-old suffered an ankle laceration from a skate blade in last weekend’s game against the Oilers and is now out indefinitely.
He’s already missed one game and will be sidelined for at least two more due to the IR placement. Depending on the extent of the damage - particularly whether tendons or muscles were affected - his return could be delayed until after the Olympic break.
Sundqvist has been a steady presence for the Blues in his second stint with the team, especially this season as injuries have forced him into a bigger role. He’s chipped in 13 points in 39 games, right in line with his career scoring pace, but his value goes beyond the scoresheet.
He’s been the Blues’ most trusted forward in defensive-zone situations and logs over a minute per game on the penalty kill. Losing him leaves a noticeable gap in the team’s shorthanded structure.
That’s where Joseph’s return could prove timely. While he may not bring the same level of defensive zone reliability as Sundqvist, he’s an active forechecker and a capable penalty killer in his own right.
He’ll be asked to help stabilize a bottom six that’s been forced to lean heavily on youth and next-man-up mentality. With his veteran presence and defensive instincts, Joseph has a chance to carve out a more consistent role as the Blues try to weather this stretch of injuries.
Tonight’s game against the Stars will be a good test - not just for Joseph as he gets back into game shape, but for a Blues team trying to hold the line with several key players out.