The St. Louis Blues cannot quite pick a lane. Between fringe playoff competitor and true rebuilder, general manager Doug Armstrong cannot decide exactly what he wants from his team. Fans can only speculate what is going on behind the scenes, but on the ice, it’s clear that the time is now for younger players to take center stage. With former centerpieces like Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, and Colton Parayko aging into their mid-30s, and the team not performing at a consistent playoff level, the Blues have to take advantage of every opportunity to let younger players earn more significant opportunities. But these three players in particular deserve an extra look based on what they did in the NHL during the 2023-24 season.
Jake Neighbours
Forward Jake Neighbours was one of the brightest revelations of the 2023-24 season, with his breakout 27-goal performance shocking almost everyone. Despite that success, he played just 15:42 on average throughout the season. Some will point to subpar defensive metrics as a reason to limit his ice time, but that is normal for young forwards, and he needs time to figure it out at the NHL level if he is going to become a well-rounded star.
Neighbours has earned respect from head coach Drew Bannister, who told NHL.com last season that the 22-year-old “has great leadership qualities for a young player, does everything the right way, and brings a lot of energy to the room.” In many ways, his physical, net-front playstyle and leadership qualities call to mind former Blues captain David Backes. But if he is going to mature to that level of player, he needs bigger, higher-profile opportunities. Next season, he should see 17-plus minutes of ice time and consistently be featured on the top power play unit. Though it is only reasonable to assume that his 18.6% shooting percentage will drop next season, the increased playing time should balance things out and could have him pushing toward his first 30-goal season.
Matthew Kessel
Soon-to-be 24-year-old Matthew Kessel played 39 games last season and entrenched himself as a regular on the team’s lackluster blueline. An unheralded prospect, Kessel played well at the University of Massachusetts and with the American Hockey League (AHL) Springfield Thunderbirds, earning his shot with the Blues. He became one of the Blues’ only consistent defenders, finishing alongside Parayko as the only blueliner with positive expected goals against (xGA) metrics. He even scored his first NHL goal on April 7 against the Anaheim Ducks and earned a shot with Team USA at the World Championships this summer.
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Despite all the success, he finished the season averaging 16:48 per game, fifth amongst defensemen behind several underperforming, aging veterans. Bannister, who shed the “interim” tag this summer, needs to make the gutsy call and start to play Kessel more than some of his veteran teammates. He has a brighter future, and even inked a two-year contract extension in March. If Kessel is going to mature into a centerpiece of the team’s defense, where they are short on future prospects as it is, he needs the opportunity to do it. He ought to play more than 20 minutes a night and, if the disparity in quality continues, play more than veterans like Justin Faulk and Torey Krug.
Joel Hofer
Plenty was made of Jordan Binnington’s resurgent 2023-24 season, and rightfully so. He played like one of the best goalies in the league, and high-profile sources like InGoal Magazine and ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski even argued he should have been a Vezina Trophy finalist. But Binnington’s bounce back may have overshadowed an excellent rookie season from his crease-mate Joel Hofer. The 23-year-old Winnipeg native was arguably a top-20 goalie himself, despite starting just 30 games and playing behind St. Louis’s lackluster defense.
Hofer certainly deserves to start more games next season, and for his development, he should probably get 5-10 more games. But where are they going to come from? If Binnington plays at all as he did in 2023-24, it will be hard to take starts away from him. One option might be for the Blues to capitalize on a great season and a desperate goalie market and trade Binnington, replacing him with a veteran on a shorter-term, cheaper deal. But that would require Armstrong to really commit to a rebuild, which he still seems reticent to do. Whatever the case, Hofer needs to start at least 35 games next season on the low end. The Blues could have something special in the young, towering Manitoban.
The Youth Movement Is On
The Blues must move towards giving more playing time to young players. These three have already proved themselves at the NHL level, and others like Zach Dean, Zachary Bolduc, and Dalibor Dvorský will be on their way soon. Even if Armstrong hopes to be playoff competitive this season, he has to find as much playing time as possible for these young potential future stars. The long-term health of the franchise depends on it.
