St. Louis Blues: where things stand

The St. Louis Blues have opened the 2026–27 season with a split result: a commanding 4–0 victory at Dallas followed by a difficult 6–1 loss at Colorado. The contrasting performances leave the team searching for consistency as it prepares for its next regular-season game, an October 6 road matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks.

The early setback has been compounded by a significant injury. Alexey Toropchenko will miss at least six weeks after suffering an upper-body injury during the season opener, removing a physical fourth-line presence and forcing head coach Jim Montgomery to adjust his forward combinations. Dillon Dube could receive an opportunity to return to NHL action, while Zach Dean, Ross Johnston, Nathan Walker, Dylan Peterson, Oskar Sundqvist, or Jack Finley could also factor into the lineup or roster response.

St. Louis has little time to dwell on the Colorado loss. The 4–0 opening-night shutout showed the Blues can defend effectively and capitalize when their structure holds, but the next night exposed how quickly that foundation can unravel against a stronger opponent. Montgomery’s immediate challenge is to restore defensive discipline, maintain goaltending stability, and replace Toropchenko’s edge without weakening the team’s depth. The Chicago game offers an early test of whether the Blues can turn an uneven opening into momentum rather than allowing one injury and one lopsided defeat to define their start.

The St. Louis Blues opened the regular season with an emphatic 4-0 victory over the Dallas Stars, immediately giving a revamped team confidence and momentum. Mason McTavish scored 94 seconds into his Blues debut, while Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter each contributed a goal and an assist. Joel Hofer provided the foundation, stopping all 25 shots for his ninth career shutout and making the strongest possible case for attention in a crowded goaltending picture.

The result also reflected a disciplined, balanced performance. St. Louis received scoring from multiple lines, defended effectively, and controlled the game after taking the early lead. Adam Jiricek appeared to score before video review overturned the goal for an offside infraction, but the disallowed tally did little to diminish the Blues’ overall performance.

The major concern is Alexey Toropchenko, who left after an early second-period collision and is considered “more than day-to-day” pending an MRI. His availability is uncertain as St. Louis prepares for its only upcoming game, a road matchup with the Colorado Avalanche on October 3. Colorado also enters at 1-0, creating a demanding test of whether the Blues’ opening-night sharpness can withstand a faster, more imposing opponent. For now, Jim Montgomery’s group has begun with structure, goaltending, and timely offense—an encouraging foundation, though one game cannot yet establish the team’s longer-term identity.

The St. Louis Blues begin the 2026–27 regular season facing a familiar challenge: turning an inconsistent recent stretch into sustained progress. St. Louis finished last season 37–33–12, collected 86 points, and missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. Its 230 goals ranked among the league’s lower-scoring totals, while a 3.10 goals-against average reflected defensive vulnerabilities that limited the team’s margin for error.

The organization enters a new administrative era, with Alexander Steen taking over as general manager and Doug Armstrong moving into the president of hockey operations role. That transition places added attention on the Blues’ development plan and on whether their young core can become a more reliable foundation. Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich, Jordan Binnington, Colton Parayko, and other established contributors remain central to the team’s identity, while players such as Jake Neighbours, Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Otto Stenberg represent the hope for greater speed, depth, and offensive growth.

The immediate test is demanding. St. Louis opens on the road against the Dallas Stars on October 2, with both teams entering at 0–0–0. Dallas is favored after a 50–20–12 campaign, making the opener an early measure of whether the Blues can defend more cohesively, generate more offense, and compete with a Central Division contender.

The St. Louis Blues enter the 2026–27 season with growing expectations after finishing last season strongly. Their late surge produced a.740 points percentage over the final 25 games, along with the NHL’s best goals-against average during that span and a top-10 offense. That finish has made the Blues a popular surprise-team candidate, although the regular season is only beginning and the club still must prove that its improvement can last.

Goaltending is central to the outlook. Joel Hofer’s emergence gives St. Louis a potentially important change in the crease after he went 12-2-2 in 16 starts late last season, posting a.933 save percentage. Jordan Binnington remains a major part of the team but enters the final year of his contract, adding an unresolved storyline that could influence the season’s direction. The Blues’ most promising forward combination also appears to be Dylan Holloway, Robert Thomas and Jimmy Snuggerud, whose strong five-on-five results suggest the line can drive both possession and scoring.

The organization is presenting a more accessible fan experience through its new Blue Note+ in-house broadcasts, while attendance remains strong despite limited recent playoff success. St. Louis opens its campaign October 2 on the road against the Dallas Stars, who may be without Matt Duchene after placing him on injured reserve. The opener offers an immediate test of whether the Blues’ late-season momentum can become a genuine playoff push.

The Blues enter their Sept. 26 preseason finale in Chicago with most of camp’s major questions already narrowing toward resolution. Jim Montgomery has spent the past few days sorting out the final forward spots, and the competition appears to have tilted toward Dillon Dube and Zach Dean, while Oskar Sundqvist, Nathan Walker, and Jack Finley have been pushed to the waiver wire or the margins of the roster picture. Young forwards such as Dalibor Dvorsky, Jonatan Berggren, and Connor McMichael have been getting extended looks in different combinations, and the camp story has centered on how Montgomery balances skill, pace, and matchup responsibility.

The defense has also taken shape in a way that reflects both development and practicality. Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler, Philip Broberg, and Brandon Carlo are firming up the blue line, while Calle Rosen has emerged as a likely depth option after Adam Jiricek was sent down for more minutes and seasoning. That leaves the Blues still evaluating how much upside they can carry in a preseason lineup that is increasingly NHL-heavy for the final tune-up.

In goal, Joel Hofer is positioned to start the season in the lead role for the opener, with Jordan Binnington still the established veteran presence. With the regular season approaching, the Blues’ camp has become less about broad auditions and more about final trims, role definition, and how the pieces fit against the Blackhawks tonight.

The Blues enter their preseason finale buildup with a camp that still feels open in several spots, even after a 1-0 exhibition win over Chicago on Sept. 24. Jordan Binnington has been sharp, and his second preseason start reinforced that the goaltending picture is still a genuine competition rather than a settled depth chart.

St. Louis has been using these exhibition games to sort out roles more than results: the lineup against Chicago included a mix of established names and younger players trying to force their way into the conversation, with Dalibor Dvorsky, Dylan Peterson, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Adam Jiricek, Theo Lindstein and other prospects getting looks alongside veterans such as Pavel Buchnevich, Robert Thomas, Jake Neighbours, Colton Parayko and Cam Fowler. That blend points to a camp focused on evaluation, not polish.

There are also health and availability questions shaping the roster picture. Dillon Dube was listed out, and Tyler Tucker was unavailable, which opens more opportunity for defensemen and fringe forwards trying to climb the ladder. The Blues’ coaching staff is still testing combinations and special teams looks, while players like Calle Rosen and Connor McMichael have been used in ways that suggest the staff wants to see who can drive play and who fits best in a bottom-six or depth role. With the next preseason game coming Sept. 26 on the road against Chicago, the main storyline remains who seizes the final roster spots before opening night.

The Blues enter tonight’s preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks with their camp roster narrowed and the shape of the team starting to come into focus. Two rounds of cuts have already trimmed the group to 32 players, and the latest wave sent several prospects and depth pieces to Springfield while leaving the staff to sort out the final battles at forward, on the blue line, and in goal.

The most telling part of camp has been how many established names are now mixing into exhibition lineups after limited early action. Jim Montgomery is using these games to test combinations and judge how quickly new additions fit alongside core pieces such as Jordan Binnington, Joel Hofer, Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler, Brandon Carlo, Pavel Buchnevich, Robert Thomas, Jake Neighbours, and Dylan Holloway. Recent reporting also points to competition among the lower lines and defense depth, where younger players are still trying to force their way into the picture before the roster deadline.

There is also a clear development angle to camp, with prospects like Theo Lindstein and Adam Jiricek getting important looks, while injuries and rehabilitation have affected the mix. Felix Trudeau has been sent to Springfield to continue rehab, and Tyler Tucker’s knee issue remains a concern. With one more preseason game after tonight, the Blues are still shaping the group that will open the year, and this matchup is another audition rather than a statement about the standings.

The Blues are in the thick of training-camp evaluation, with Jim Montgomery sorting out new pieces and young players trying to force their way onto the opening roster. The biggest current storyline is the integration of recent additions Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael, who are expected to bring offense and versatility as the staff experiments with combinations before the season begins.

There is also a real battle for bottom-six and depth roles, with players such as Dylan Peterson drawing attention through a physical preseason showing, while established depth forwards like Alexey Toropchenko and Pius Suter remain part of the mix. On defense, the team is taking a close look at younger options such as Adam Jiricek, Logan Mailloux, Theo Lindstein, and Philip Broberg alongside veterans Cam Fowler, Brandon Carlo, and Colton Parayko, trying to find the right blend of stability and upside.

In goal, Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer still anchor the position, but the camp focus is on readiness and rhythm rather than results. The immediate concern is Tyler Tucker, who tweaked his knee in practice and may miss time, adding another wrinkle to the defense picture. With a preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sept. 24, the Blues are still in evaluation mode, building line combinations and deciding who sticks.

The Blues are in the thick of training camp with the focus on sorting out their opening-night picture rather than any standings race, and the group headed to Dallas for today’s preseason game includes core NHL pieces such as Robert Thomas, Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud, Philip Broberg, Logan Mailloux and Joel Hofer. The most recent camp move trimmed the roster to 39 players after Marc-Andre Gaudet was assigned to Springfield, continuing a steady wave of cuts that already sent several young defensemen and forwards to the minors or back to junior, which has sharpened the competition for the remaining jobs.

That camp has the feel of a true evaluation period, with coaches using exhibition lineups to test chemistry, give prospects one more look and sort out depth decisions at forward and on defense. The Blues still have enough established talent to set a competitive tone, but the camp roster now leans toward players who are fighting to prove they belong, whether that means making the club outright or earning a longer look in Springfield. With the road preseason game in Dallas on deck, the emphasis is on execution, conditioning and showing who can fit into the lineup mix once the games start to count for the roster decisions that matter.

The Blues are in the thick of preseason camp, using the early exhibition slate to sort out the bottom of the lineup, test chemistry, and trim the roster before opening night. Their attention is on competition rather than results: younger players and fringe forwards are getting real looks, while veterans are being mixed and matched to see which combinations fit best for the new season.

One clear camp storyline is the battle for forward jobs. The club appears to have most of its core in place, but a small group is still fighting for the last available spots, with Nathan Walker, Jack Finley, Dillon Dube, Otto Stenberg, and Oskar Sundqvist among the names being evaluated. Justin Carbonneau has also drawn attention as an energetic camp presence, though he has been deployed in a more limited role than some observers expected. On the back end, the Blues have begun making roster moves, including placing Marc-Andre Gaudet on waivers, a sign that the first round of cuts is underway.

The next checkpoint comes Monday night on the road against the Dallas Stars, another preseason test that should give the coaching staff more evidence on who is ready, who needs more time, and which prospects deserve continued NHL consideration.

The Blues enter preseason with a compressed camp and an unusually fast evaluation cycle, using their first days to sort out roster battles, chemistry, and who belongs in the opening-night mix. Jim Montgomery has kept the focus on getting projected regulars together early, and the top group has featured combinations built around Robert Thomas, Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud, Mason McTavish, Pavel Buchnevich, Dylan Dvorsky, and Jonatan Berggren, while the blue line has been arranged to test pairings such as Philip Broberg with Logan Mailloux and Theo Lindstein with Colton Parayko.

The camp picture also shows how much of the roster remains unsettled behind the core. Younger players and bubble skaters are getting a hard look in a short preseason slate, while the goaltending depth behind Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer is part of the assessment, too. The team is trying to balance immediate NHL readiness with a pipeline that includes prospects such as Dalibor Dvorsky, Jimmy Snuggerud, Adam Jiricek, Lukas Fischer, and Theo Lindstein, all of whom have reason to push for bigger roles.

There is also a clear sense that the Blues are trying to establish an identity quickly, with the preseason opener against the Dallas Stars serving as the first real test of camp ideas. The tone around the group is competitive rather than celebratory: every practice rep matters, every line look matters, and the roster is still being shaped in real time.

The Blues enter preseason with a compressed runway and a clear focus on sorting out roles rather than chasing results, because the exhibition opener against Dallas is only the second day of camp and the roster must be pared down quickly. Jim Montgomery’s staff has split camp into distinct groups to speed evaluation, with the likely NHL group working on chemistry and the bubble group trying to force its way into the picture.

The early line looks aggressive and new, built around Dylan Holloway, Robert Thomas and Jimmy Snuggerud, while Connor McMichael, Mason McTavish and Pavel Buchnevich form another skill-heavy trio. Jake Neighbours has also been given a prominent test next to Dalibor Dvorsky and Jonatan Berggren, a sign that the Blues want to see which combinations can create pace and finishing touch. On the blue line, the camp structure suggests similar competition, with veterans and younger defensemen being mixed in ways that could shape the opening-night group.

There is also a clear developmental edge to camp this year. Justin Carbonneau is among the prospects drawing attention, and the shortened preseason means every practice and scrimmage matters. With fewer exhibition games than usual and no time to waste, the Blues are treating September like an extended job interview, trying to balance immediate NHL readiness with the need to keep pushing younger talent forward.