The St. Louis Blues are heading into Thursday night’s matchup against the Florida Panthers with more than just two points on the line - they’re juggling a handful of injury concerns that could significantly shape the lineup when the puck drops at Enterprise Center.
Jordan Kyrou, Jake Neighbours, and Oskar Sundqvist are all game-time decisions. That’s three key forwards whose availability remains up in the air. Head coach Jim Montgomery kept things open-ended after Thursday’s optional morning skate, saying simply, “We’ll see how they feel.”
Kyrou (upper-body) and Neighbours (lower-body) both exited the Blues’ last game against Dallas and didn’t return. Montgomery labeled both players “day-to-day” on Wednesday, which is never the most comforting phrase for a team already dealing with a growing list of absences up front. Sundqvist, along with Dylan Holloway, Pius Suter, and Robert Thomas, remains on that list as well.
To Montgomery’s point, there’s no shortage of competitive fire in the locker room. “I’m not surprised that Neighbours and Kyrou want to try and play.
I’m not surprised Sundqvist wants to try and play,” he said. “When you're a hockey player, you don't like watching - whether it’s due to injury or a coach’s decision.
You just want to get back in.”
That mentality is exactly what you want to hear from a group trying to stay afloat in the playoff race, but it also puts the coaching staff in a tricky spot. Pushing too hard, too soon, could risk longer-term setbacks. That’s why the team is keeping things close to the vest until closer to puck drop.
In the meantime, the Blues have called in reinforcements. Forwards Matt Luff and Hugh McGing were recalled from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds under emergency conditions Thursday morning.
Both have seen NHL action this season - Luff has one goal in five appearances, while McGing has chipped in a goal and an assist over three games. They’re not strangers to the system, and if called upon, they’ll be expected to slide in and contribute right away.
As for how the lines and defensive pairings will shake out, that remains a fluid situation. Updates are expected closer to game time, but one thing’s clear: the Blues are in next-man-up mode. Whether that means seeing some familiar faces back in the lineup or giving the call-ups a chance to make an impact, the team will need all hands on deck to handle a tough Florida squad.
Keep an eye on the pregame updates - this one’s shaping up to be a game of chess before the puck even hits the ice.