The St. Louis Blues opened the 2025-26 NHL Preseason with an unfortunate 2-1 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars. Despite the defeat, it was a good game overall, and the Blues held up really well. There are a lot of things to unpack from this game, from the Blues’ line combos to rookie performances. Let’s review some things to take away from this loss to the Stars.
Theo Lindstein Was Lost Defensively But Comfortable on Offense
There is no expectation that the top prospects will automatically be at their peak level at the beginning of the preseason. But Theo Lindstein clearly felt that pressure amount in the game’s opening minutes, as he looked off defensively.
Related: Steel the Shootout Hero For Stars in Preseason Opener Against Blues
One play in particular that was a big red flag from Lindstein was his backhand pass in his own zone, which was intercepted by Stars forward Antonio Stranges with a wide-open shooting slot, and could’ve ended up being a goal; luckily, Jordan Binnington was the opening game netminder. This turnover was surprising because Lindstein is known for his two-way style, and all that was really present was the offensive side whenever the Blues were on the attack.
A pro from Lindstein’s performance in this game was his ability to adapt and react quickly in the offensive zone. He had one chance where the puck had been passed toward the blue line, and he was quick to shoot for an opportunity, which was stopped. Rather than holding the puck to move it around, he saw the clear path for the shot and took it, which is something you need from a top prospect like him.
He also deserves the benefit of the doubt for his lackluster defensive performance in this matchup, as he was transferred straight from the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Hopefully, this preseason will give him more time to settle into the North American hockey environment, as he will also need it to thrive with the Springfield Thunderbirds if he is sent there.
Blues’ Goaltending Was Holding Down the Fort
The two goaltenders on the Blues’ side were Binnington and Colton Ellis, and they both showed that they have something to prove. Binnington made a great back-door pad save in the first period, which could’ve turned the tide of this game. On top of that, he stopped 19 of 20 shots against after two intense periods. It exemplifies why the Blues need him crucially to prevent being blown out.
In the third period, Ellis relieved Binnington and had a shot at showing off his stellar goaltending. Ellis stopped 14 of 14 shots against, and it looks like he will give the current Blues goaltending tandem of Binnington and Joel Hofer a run for their money.
Ellis finished his first full American Hockey League (AHL) season with a record of 22-14-2, a .922 save percentage (SV%), a 2.63 goals-against average (GAA), and three shutouts. We’ve also seen this with younger goaltenders in the Blues’ past, with a hot younger goaltender tailing their core tandems, such as the Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak era, where a young Jake Allen was on the come up and soon after became the dominant starter over Elliott. A young Binnington got his breakout season in 2018-19, overshadowing Allen as the reliable starter and winning the Blues the Stanley Cup.
After seeing several of these situations in their goaltending history, Ellis may be the one to continue to repeat the history of the great goaltender chain in the Blues’ franchise.
Forward Youth Was Crucial to the Blues’ Offensive Chances
Justin Carbonneau, Logan Mailloux, and Dylan Holloway stood out among the rookies and young core on the Blues roster. These three players were very present in this game, making it challenging for the Stars to keep up with them.
We saw a goal from Blues 2025 first-round pick Carbonneau on the power play, which Mailloux and Holloway also assisted. Carbonneau’s goal, in particular, was amazing to see on special teams. If he can click with top forwards like Holloway on it, this is a good sign if he does get the call-up in the future to play at the NHL level for good.
Mailloux also displayed many positive traits that contributed to the offensive attack. His effort to win puck battles and guard the blue line to keep the puck moving was critical to the Blues, as they needed a defenseman for their third pair who could be gritty and wasn’t afraid to make the passes on the right chances.
The Next Steps for the Blues
The Blues’ next game is against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday (Sept. 21) at 4 p.m. CST. The Blues and Stars were the only teams opening the preseason on Sept. 20. The Blues should be warmed up enough to have a dominant presence in this game and hopefully grab their first win of the preseason. Expect a lineup different from the one we saw for the game against the Stars, as lineups are changed every other game in the preseason.
