The St. Louis Blues are off to a rough start at 1-2-1 after a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks, and the early-season offense is already looking uneven.
The first line has not found its footing, while the second line has carried the load. In the middle of that mess, though, there’s a bright spot starting to separate itself.
Dalibor Dvorsky is making that case on the third line, and the signs of a breakout are getting harder to ignore.
What stands out most is how different his game looks this season. NHL EDGE data shows Dvorsky has cut down on his average skating load from 3.14 miles per game last season to 2.32 miles per game in 2026-27.
He’s not roaming as much, and he’s not burning energy just to burn it. Instead, he’s getting to the right areas with purpose and putting himself in position to make plays without all the extra movement.
That change has shown up in the goals he’s scored, too. Both of his goals this season have come in a similar way, with the newly printed No. 15 arriving exactly where he needed to be.
He didn’t have to force anything. It’s the hockey version of a spot-up shooter waiting for the clean look and cashing in when it comes.
That’s why the early production feels meaningful. Dvorsky already has two goals, and after his first full NHL season last year, when he posted nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points, he looks set to push well past those totals in 2026-27 if he stays healthy.
And with the Blues still searching for offense, his role matters. The bottom nine forwards have been doing their part, including Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael, while Dillon Dube has emerged on the fourth line. On Dvorsky’s unit, the pieces are still shifting, with Pavel Buchnevich now on his right and Jake Neighbours struggling alongside him.
Even with that instability, Dvorsky is giving the Blues something they badly need. As the goals have been hard to find, his third-line surge has become one of the few things in St. Louis that already looks real.
In Other News...
Blues Already Have Two Offensive Problems Fans Can't Ignore
The Blues have barely had time to settle into the season, but the early offensive picture is already hard to miss. Their top line of Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud and Robert Thomas has been asked to drive play and set the tone, yet the group has not given the club much on the scoreboard through four games. St. Louis is still trying to find rhythm at even strength, and the lack of finishing touch has fed into a broader problem that has carried over to the power play.
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 🡒]
Blues Enter Stretch That Will Show What This Team Really Is
The early part of the season has already told the Blues a little bit about themselves. They opened with a 4-0 win, then settled into the kind of mixed results that tend to follow a fast start, with losses to Colorado, Chicago and San Jose leaving more questions than answers about how steady this group really is. For a team trying to sort out its identity, the margin for error is getting thinner by the night.
Columbus is the first test in a stretch that feels like a separator, the kind of run that can turn an encouraging start into something more meaningful if St. Louis handles it well. The Blues also have to keep navigating a growing injury situation, with several regulars unavailable, and that only adds to the challenge of a schedule that is about to get much less forgiving. If this team is going to look like a playoff contender, it will have to start showing it right here. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]