The St. Louis Blues’ early-season injury pileup got a little uglier Thursday, with forward Dillon Dube landing on injured reserve after suffering a neck injury against the San Jose Sharks.
Dube will be re-evaluated in eight weeks after taking a headfirst dive into the boards early in the first period of the Blues’ 3-2 loss. He stayed in the game, scored a short-handed goal on the penalty kill in the home opener, and added another goal early in the third period Thursday before the team held him out of practice while waiting on an MRI to clarify the severity.
It’s the latest hit to a roster that has barely had time to settle. Before the season even started, the Blues were already without defensemen Tyler Tucker and Logan Mailloux, both sidelined for six to eight weeks. Now Dube becomes the second forward lost in the first four regular-season games.
Alexey Toropchenko was already out with an upper-body injury after going down in the season opener against the Dallas Stars, and Dube had stepped into his place on the fourth line with Pius Suter and Ross Johnston. That trio hasn’t found much rhythm yet, but Dube did bring value on the penalty kill, capped by his short-handed goal Thursday night.
With Dube out and Toropchenko still weeks away, St. Louis will need to make a roster move and bring up another forward.
The Blues are down to 12 healthy forwards, so a call-up looks likely before the road trip starts Tuesday. Zach Dean is set to fill Dube’s spot on the fourth line Saturday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the team still needs another body to give head coach Jim Montgomery some roster flexibility until the group gets healthier.
The most obvious veteran options are Nathan Walker and Oskar Sundqvist. Both have spent time in fourth-line roles for the Blues over the past several seasons and know the kind of game Montgomery wants from that unit. But neither turned in a strong enough training camp to make this feel settled, which leaves the door open for younger players.
That’s where Dylan Peterson and Aleksanteri Kaskimaki come in. Both stood out in camp and were among the final cuts when preseason wrapped up.
Both are waiver-exempt, so the Blues can move them up and down without risking losing them to another team. They also fit the younger, faster direction the roster has been built around, and either could provide the energy the fourth line has lacked since Toropchenko went down.
Dean, meanwhile, may have the clearest opening of all. He made the roster outright after preseason and has played in one game this season, but now he’s in line for meaningful minutes after a strong camp. He has the offensive upside the Blues want on that fourth line, and he’s already been given a taste of the job.
His lone appearance came in the Blues’ 6-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, when he took two penalties, logged just over 12 minutes, and then disappeared from the lineup. Now he gets another chance alongside Suter and Johnston.
If he plays with more discipline and settles in as a dependable piece, he could stick. If not, the leash may not be long.
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There is at least some reason for patience beneath the rough start. The numbers at five-on-five have been more encouraging than the goals column, suggesting the chances are there even if the results have not shown up yet. Joel Hofer has given the Blues a steady presence in net, which buys a little time for the offense to sort itself out, but until the top line starts converting and the man-advantage looks sharper, this will remain one of the first places fans look for answers. [Read more 🡒]
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Blues Hit With Another Injury Setback As Depth Gets Tested
The Blues are dealing with another hit to their depth after forward Dillon Dube was sidelined with a neck injury, leaving the club to shuffle its lineup again as it tries to navigate a stretch already shaped by multiple absences. St. Louis has been leaning on its lower end of the roster more heavily, and the next wave of adjustments now includes giving Zach Dean a look on the fourth line while Justin Barron remains in the mix on defense for a second straight game.
It comes as the Blues are also working through a new defensive zone coverage system under assistant coach Greg Cronin, which makes the timing of the injuries even more demanding. With the lineup in flux and responsibilities spreading to younger or less established players, the next few weeks will give St. Louis a clearer read on who can absorb tougher minutes while the staff keeps sorting out the back end. [Read more 🡒]