Joel Hofer’s rise has changed the conversation in St. Louis.
The Blues no longer have to wonder who their starting goalie is. That part feels settled now.
Hofer has taken the job and run with it, and Tuesday night against the Winnipeg Jets was the latest reminder of why the club is leaning his way. The 26-year-old stopped 32 shots and helped St.
Louis hang around long enough for a Philip Broberg power play goal to finish off a 2-1 win.
His season line backs up the eye test. Hofer is 3-2-1 with one shutout, a 2.19 GAA and a .919 SV%.
Those are exactly the kind of numbers St. Louis wants from the man in net.
The catch is obvious: that production is going to cost more soon.
Hofer is in the last year of a two-year contract with a $3.4 million cap hit, a bargain number for a goalie who looks like a true starter. He is set to become an RFA this summer, and that turns the focus from what he’s done on the ice to what it will take to keep him there.
There are really two ways this can play out for the Blues. One option is a short bridge deal, the sort of move that buys time while the cap keeps climbing and contracts keep rising around it. A two-year pact in the neighborhood of Jordan Binnington’s current $6 million cap hit would fit that lane.
The other path is the bigger commitment: a six- or seven-year deal that would likely push past $6 million per season. That comes with a different kind of bet, because St. Louis would need to be fully convinced that Hofer is the guy for the long haul.
Either way, there is pressure to get this handled before it drags out. Hofer could draw an offer sheet, and that’s the kind of risk the Blues can’t ignore. If they want to keep control of the situation, they’ll need to move before someone else makes the decision for them.
And after what’s happened this summer, offer sheets are no longer some distant possibility. They’re here, and vulnerable teams know it.
In Other News...
Jim Montgomery Just Put The Pressure On Dalibor Dvorsky
Dalibor Dvorskys strong start to the season has hit a quieter stretch, and the Blues are clearly not rushing to force the issue. The young center has seen his ice time trimmed over his last three games, a sign that St. Louis is keeping a close eye on how he handles the NHL game beyond the early flashes that got him noticed in the first place. With the Blues carrying enough depth down the middle, they can afford to let his development unfold at a measured pace.
Jim Montgomery has seen progress in Dvorskys defensive work, but the next step is about becoming more involved when St. Louis has the puck. The coach wants more consistency, more threat in the middle of the ice and more activity on the forecheck, rather than a safer perimeter game. For Dvorsky, the message is straightforward: the path back to bigger minutes runs through a more assertive presence on both sides of the puck. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Are Sending A Clear Early Message With Adam Jiricek
Adam Jiricek has gotten a real look early in the season, which says plenty about how the Blues view the rookies long-term value. But after being used heavily out of the gate, his role has been trimmed in the last two games, a sign that St. Louis is trying to balance opportunity with development as he adjusts to the NHLs speed and physicality.
The encouraging part is that the underlying game has not vanished, even if the production has been slow to follow. For a young defenseman trying to settle in, the Blues may be signaling that fewer minutes right now can mean a steadier path later, especially if the staff believes the best way to help him is to ease the burden while he finds his footing. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Are Taking A Real Risk With One Young Forward
The Blues made a notable move with a young forward this week, putting Zach Dean on waivers after giving him a brief look in the NHL this season. Dean had been scratched recently and had spent most of his development time in the AHL, so the decision underscores how little runway he has been given so far at the top level.
A first-round pick originally selected by Vegas and acquired by St. Louis in 2023, Dean was brought in as part of the franchises longer-term forward pipeline. Waiving him now reflects both the pressure of fitting young talent into a crowded roster picture and the reality that his next step could depend on whether another club is willing to take a chance on his upside. [Read more 🡒]