The Blues added muscle this offseason, but the early returns haven’t exactly matched the plan.
St. Louis brought in Ross Johnston and Brandon Carlo, and even gave Dylan Peterson a call-up from Springfield for a stint, all with the idea of adding more bite to the lineup.
Through 15 games, though, the numbers don’t show a team that’s overwhelming anybody physically. The Blues have 274 hits, which puts them tied with Dallas for 25th in the NHL.
That’s not the kind of mark Jim Montgomery probably had in mind when those heavier bodies were brought in over the summer.
Some of that can be traced to absences. Alexey Toropchenko and Johnston both missed a short stretch, and defenseman Tyler Tucker has been out since the start of the season.
Those are three of the more physical pieces on the roster, and losing them has clearly taken some of the edge off St. Louis’ game.
The two most impactful hitters in the organization right now are down in Springfield: Oskar Sundqvist and Nathan Walker. Walker, especially, has been closing in on the 300-hit club over the last couple of years.
If the Blues decide they need more of that style back in the lineup, those are the first names that stand out. The tradeoff, of course, is that bringing them up would cut into the playing time of prospects like Otto Stenberg and Aleksanteri Kaskimaki.
The bigger question is whether this is even a problem that needs a major fix. The Blues haven’t looked like a team getting pushed around. They just haven’t been throwing enough hits to leave a real mark on games.
And there are other areas demanding attention, too. The power play has still been uneven, and the defense remains in flux, something that figures to keep shifting once Logan Mailloux returns.
So while the hit total is worth watching, it may not be the first thing that decides St. Louis’ season. Still, if the Blues do turn to Walker and Sundqvist for help down the stretch, especially against Central Division opponents, that physical edge could wind up mattering when wins and losses start getting tight.
In Other News...
Blues May Have A Quiet Roster Answer Developing In Springfield
One of the quieter developments in the Blues system is unfolding in Springfield, where Jakub Stancl is getting a look in the middle after arriving as a 2024 fourth-round pick. The Thunderbirds have used him as a center as he continues to round out his game, and the shift gives St. Louis a better sense of how his skill set might translate if he keeps moving up the organizational ladder.
For the Blues, the appeal is obvious: a young forward who is learning the defensive side of the position while also getting real work on faceoffs. The results are still a work in progress, but Stancl is showing enough growth to keep the conversation going about whether he can eventually settle into a dependable bottom-six role in St. Louis. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Need A Road Trip Response Before This Slide Gets Worse
The Blues head into their Metropolitan Division road trip looking for a cleaner response after a 3-1 loss to the Rangers, a game that left them needing more finish and more push from their top players. Robert Thomas, Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter are all expected to matter in the next one, and the matchup with New Jersey brings a different kind of test, especially with the Devils carrying a power play that has clicked at 19.1 percent this season.
Jordan Binnington is also part of the conversation as St. Louis sorts out its plan for net, though the Blues have not yet confirmed who will get the start against New Jersey. However they line up, this feels like the kind of early road-game pivot that can either steady a team or let a slide linger, and the Blues could use a sharper answer before the trip starts to define them. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Are Suddenly Feeling Pressure On Two Costly Offseason Bets
The Blues entered the season expecting Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael to be two of the defining pieces of their offseason overhaul, and for a while both looked the part. McTavish arrived at a steep price, including two 2026 first-round picks, while McMichael came over in the Jordan Kyrou trade, giving St. Louis a pair of young forwards the front office clearly believed could help reshape the lineup right away.
Lately, though, the scoring has cooled for both players, even as the underlying numbers still point to solid play. That leaves the Blues in an awkward spot: they have reasons to trust the process, but they also need production to match the investment, and the lineup is already being adjusted as the coaching staff searches for the right mix. [Read more 🡒]