Dalibor Dvorsky’s spot with the St. Louis Blues is looking less secure by the day.
Head coach Jim Montgomery shifted him to wing and put Connor McMichael back at center before the Nashville game, and the move did not pay off in any meaningful way. Dvorsky ended up with a season-low 10:14 of ice time and was largely invisible against the Predators, a performance that only added to the uncertainty around his role.
The numbers this season still leave room for hope, but not much comfort. Through 17 games, Dvorsky has four goals and one assist.
That puts him on pace for nearly 20 goals, but only five assists and 25 points overall. It would technically be an improvement on his rookie year, yet it still falls short of what the Blues want from him at this stage.
That’s why the conversation around him is starting to split in a few directions. One path keeps him in St.
Louis, where he could try to build momentum with this group and reclaim his third-line center job. Another sends him back to Springfield, where he’d get top-line minutes and more room to sharpen his all-around game.
There’s also the possibility that the Blues use him as part of a larger move. With Detroit reportedly circling and a Simon Edvinsson deal said to be in the works, Dvorsky is becoming more expendable. General manager Alexander Steen could look to address the blue line, especially with Cam Fowler’s play slipping and Logan Mailloux’s return on the horizon.
For now, the Blues are not at the point of giving up on Dvorsky. But the patience meter is clearly moving. He has flashed real ability, yet the inconsistency has been hard to ignore, and that’s what makes his future such a live issue right now.
In Other News...
Blues Prospect Surge Is Giving This Pipeline Real Momentum
A busy week across the Blues prospect ranks offered a reminder that the organizations pipeline is starting to show some real life. From Nov. 2 through Nov. 8, St. Louis got encouraging signs in the AHL, KHL, OHL and QMJHL, with several young players turning in productive stretches that gave the front office and fans alike something to track beyond the NHL roster.
Maddox Dagenais, Carter Stevens, Lars Steiner and goalie Love Hrenstam were among the names driving the conversation, each contributing in different ways as their seasons moved along. The details varied by league and role, but the common thread was momentum, and for a franchise that has been working to deepen its prospect base, that kind of week matters even before the biggest breakthrough arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Suddenly Look Ready To Make A Big Jordan Binnington Decision
Jordan Binningtons future in St. Louis is suddenly looking a lot less settled, with Elliotte Friedman saying on the 32 Thoughts podcast that the Blues may be open to exploring the trade market for the veteran goaltender. The backdrop here is hard to miss: St. Louis appears to be retooling, and Binnington has slipped into a backup role while his performance has trended down from where it once was.
The contract situation only adds to the uncertainty. Binnington is in the final year of his deal, and there have not been contract negotiations with the Blues, which makes this feel less like a routine roster discussion and more like a decision point the organization could be forced to confront sooner rather than later. Friedman also pointed to the New York Rangers as a possible fit, while noting the Edmonton Oilers are not pursuing him right now. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Blue Line Shuffle Puts One Returnee In A Huge Spot
The Blues blue line got a quick reset heading into their matchup with the Detroit Red Wings, with Logan Mailloux coming off injured reserve and Calle Rosn back up from Springfield. St. Louis also sent prospect defensemen Adam Jiricek and Theo Lindstein back to the Thunderbirds, a move that trims the depth chart and gives the club a more experienced look for the night.
Maillouxs return is the part that changes the feel of the defense the most, because the Blues are planning to lean on him in a major role right away. Rosn gives them another option on the bench as the seventh defenseman, but the bigger question is how the new alignment holds up against a divisional opponent with the lineup in flux and a returnee suddenly asked to carry heavy minutes. [Read more 🡒]