Mason McTavish has wasted little time making his presence felt for the St. Louis Blues, and that’s forcing a real conversation about where he belongs in the lineup.
Before the 2026-27 season, adding a center who could give the Blues something close to a second-line answer was a clear priority. Current and former general managers Alexander Steen and Doug Armstrong went out and brought in McTavish from Anaheim, and so far he has given them exactly the kind of return they had in mind.
That production is also putting pressure on a top line that hasn’t fully clicked yet. The current first unit of Jimmy Snuggerud, Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway has gotten off to a false start, and one possible solution would be to move a winger down so McTavish can climb.
Thomas isn’t the candidate for that shuffle. That leaves Holloway as the most obvious player to slide, at least if the Blues want McTavish in the middle of the top line.
Snuggerud, though, has already shown he can contribute offensively, and keeping him in that spot matters. A first line of 21-18-83 could be the spark this team needs.
The question then becomes what to do at second center if McTavish moves up. Holloway has played center before, but the better fit would still be keeping him on the wing. McMichael is another option for the 2C role, but the source of the move should come from elsewhere in the lineup, not by simply shifting the same pieces around.
One Blues player making a strong case of his own is Dalibor Dvorsky. He has been one of the better performers on the third line, scoring and creating offense. Through the early part of the season, he has two goals and is tied with Colton Parayko for the team’s second-most shots on goal with six.
If McTavish deserves a promotion, Dvorsky may deserve one too.
Of course, the Blues could also choose to leave everything alone for now. Tonight’s matchup with San Jose is only the fourth game of 84, and there’s still a long season ahead.
McTavish can keep doing his part on the second line while the first line sorts itself out. That remains a very real possibility as head coach Jim Montgomery keeps pushing this group.
Still, No. 83 has already become a lightning rod, and this game against a strong, rising Sharks team will be another test. If McTavish turns in another solid outing, the pressure to make a change will only grow. If he doesn’t, then the Blues will need someone else - maybe another winger or captain Thomas - to help cover the gap.
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