Another Off-Ice Injury Hits the NHL: Blues’ Toropchenko Sidelined, Joining Growing List of Unusual Absences
In a league where players routinely throw their bodies in front of 90 mph slap shots and crash into the boards at full speed, it’s the off-ice mishaps that are suddenly becoming the bigger threat.
The latest name added to the NHL’s growing list of freak, non-hockey injuries is St. Louis Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko.
The 24-year-old winger is now listed as week-to-week after suffering scalding burns to his legs in what the team described as a “home accident.” Details are scarce - and staying that way - as Blues head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters, “I just know it was a home accident, so we’re going to leave it at that.”
It’s an unfortunate turn for Toropchenko, who’s been a steady presence in the Blues’ bottom-six forward group. Now in his fifth season with the team after being drafted in the fourth round back in 2017, he’s appeared in 17 games so far this season, chipping in a goal and an assist. While those numbers won’t jump off the stat sheet, his role goes beyond the box score - bringing energy, physicality, and reliability to the lineup.
But now, the Blues will have to find a way to fill that gap, at least temporarily, as Toropchenko recovers.
And he’s not the only one dealing with a bizarre setback.
Just a few weeks ago, New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes was sidelined after what the team called a “fluke accident” at a team dinner in Chicago. The 24-year-old center - and former No. 1 overall pick - suffered a hand injury that required finger surgery. The incident happened on November 13 at a steakhouse, and while the team hasn’t confirmed which finger was injured, Hughes was later seen in New York sporting a bandage on his right hand.
Before the injury, Hughes was on an absolute tear. Through 17 games, he had already piled up 10 goals and 20 points, looking every bit like the elite playmaker he’s grown into over the past few seasons. The Devils expect him to miss roughly eight weeks, with a potential return in January.
These kinds of off-ice incidents are rare, but the league has seen a mini-wave of them lately - and teams are feeling the impact. With Toropchenko, it’s a depth piece that goes missing.
With Hughes, it’s a franchise cornerstone. Either way, the message is the same: in today’s NHL, the danger doesn’t always come with a puck or a hit - sometimes, it’s just bad luck at home or dinner.
For now, the Blues will monitor Toropchenko’s recovery, and the Devils will continue to count down the days until Hughes is ready to return. In a sport defined by its grind and physical toll, these off-ice injuries serve as a strange reminder: sometimes, the most unpredictable challenges don’t happen during the game - they happen far from the rink.