Blues Lose Two Forwards to Injury, Call Up Kaskimaki Amid Lineup Shuffle
The St. Louis Blues are dealing with a double dose of bad news on the injury front. On Monday, the team announced that forwards Jimmy Snuggerud and Alexey Toropchenko will both be sidelined - and for a team trying to build momentum, the timing couldn't be more frustrating.
Let’s start with Snuggerud. The 21-year-old winger will undergo surgery on his left wrist and won’t be re-evaluated for six weeks.
That’s a tough blow for a player who’s been a fixture on the top line this season, often skating alongside Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours. He’s appeared in all 26 games so far, posting five goals and 11 points.
While his production has cooled off lately - no points in his last eight games and just three in his last 15 - Snuggerud’s impact has gone beyond the scoresheet.
Take Saturday’s 1-0 win over the Utah Mammoth. It was Dylan Holloway who got credit for the lone goal, but it was Snuggerud’s drive to the net that pulled defenders in and forced goalie Karel Vejmelka to stay honest.
Plays like that don’t show up in the box score, but they help win games. And for a Blues team that’s only strung together back-to-back wins twice this season, every detail matters.
As for Toropchenko, the 26-year-old is considered week-to-week after suffering burns to his legs in a home accident. Details are scarce, but it’s clear he’ll be out for at least the short term.
Toropchenko has played in 17 of the team’s 26 games, mostly in a fourth-line role, and has chipped in one goal and two points. He’s already missed time this season with both lower- and upper-body injuries and was a healthy scratch for two games as well.
Statistically, he hasn’t made a big dent, but Blues head coach Jim Montgomery recently praised Toropchenko’s relentless forecheck - a key reason why the fourth line has quietly been one of the team’s most consistent units. That kind of energy can tilt the ice, even if it doesn’t light up the scoreboard.
To help fill the gaps, the Blues have recalled 21-year-old forward Aleksanteri Kaskimaki from AHL Springfield. The 2022 third-round pick (No. 72 overall) has four goals and seven points this season in the AHL and is now set to make his NHL debut.
Kaskimaki’s game has always leaned toward the offensive side. Back in his draft year, he was one of the top scorers in Finland’s junior league and made a name for himself at the U18 World Championships.
His development took a few twists and turns - adjusting to the pro level in Finland and carving out a role with the national team - but he’s shown he can rise to the moment. Two years ago, he scored 10 goals in Finland’s top league (Liiga) and delivered a clutch tally in the dying minutes of a World Juniors quarterfinal to send Finland to the semis.
Since coming over to North America, Kaskimaki has continued to show flashes. He’s got slick hands, a quick release, and a nose for the net when defenders give him space. He’s not the biggest guy on the ice, but he plays with purpose and doesn’t shy away from the action.
The question now is where he fits. With Pius Suter still sidelined by a lower-body injury and not skating at Monday’s practice, there’s an open slot in the bottom six. Kaskimaki could slot in there, especially if the Blues are looking to inject some offensive spark into the lineup.
The good news? The Blues have depth.
Veterans like Nathan Walker, Mathieu Joseph, and Nick Bjugstad have all shown they can step into bigger roles when called upon. Add Kaskimaki to that mix, and the team should be able to weather this stretch - at least in the short term.
But make no mistake: losing Snuggerud and Toropchenko at the same time is a test. For a team trying to claw its way into consistency, this is where depth, development, and coaching all converge. The Blues will need all three in the coming weeks.