The St. Louis Blues continue their road trip on Wednesday night. After an impressive win on Sunday evening, the team heads west to battle the Seattle Kraken for the second time in less than a week.
Let’s jump into the preview and storylines to set the stage!
Blues’ Gameday Preview: Blues vs. Kraken
The Blues and Kraken are meeting for the third and final time this season. The Blues won the last matchup last week, 5-1. The Kraken won the first matchup in early November, setting up Wednesday’s game as the rubber match.
The Blues lead the all-time season series, 10-3-1, and are hoping to win it for the third-straight season.
Last Game
The Blues opened their road trip by beating the Minnesota Wild, 3-1, on Sunday. Pavel Buchnevich scored the game-winning goal late in the third period. Robert Thomas scored a goal and recorded an assist in his return to the lineup. The road win was the team’s first since Dec. 20, snapping a 10-game road losing streak.
Projected Lineup (Subject to Change)
- Brayden Schenn – Robert Thomas – Jimmy Snuggerud
- Jake Neighbours – Pavel Buchnevich – Jordan Kyrou
- Pius Suter – Dalibor Dvorsky – Dylan Holloway
- Alexey Toropchenko – Jack Finley – Oskar Sundqvist
- Philip Broberg – Justin Faulk
- Cam Fowler – Logan Mailloux
- Tyler Tucker – Matthew Kessel
- Joel Hofer/Jordan Binnington
Defenseman Colton Parayko missed both games over the weekend due to back spasms. He will travel with the team but will remain out of the lineup on Wednesday.
Team Leaders
Buchnevich leads the team in points with 38. He also shares the lead in goals with Kyrou, both with 14. The leader in assists is, wait for it, Buchnevich, with 24 helpers. Tucker leads in penalty minutes with 60, while Otto Stenberg (currently with the American Hockey League’s Springfield Thunderbirds) leads with a plus-4 rating.
In goal, Hofer leads the Blues in all three major categories. He has 14 wins, a 2.81 goals-against average (GAA), and a .899 save percentage (SV%).
Storyline #1 – Last Game Before the Deadline
Wednesday is the last game the Blues will play before the trade deadline on Friday afternoon. As a result, it could be the last game in a Blue Note for a few players. Faulk, Schenn, Binnington, Kyrou, and Thomas are involved in trade rumors. Thomas has been making frequent appearances in rumors, with the latest buzz being that the Buffalo Sabres are interested in the All-Star.
Related: Blues’ Ideal Return in Robert Thomas Trade With the Mammoth
This could be the end of an era in Blues’ history. Schenn, Binnington, and Thomas all played key roles on the 2019 Stanley Cup team. Just seeing their names in trade rumors is a reminder of how far we are from that magical run. Yet, that is the reality the Blues are in. To build a team that can contend for the Stanley Cup again, some difficult decisions may be needed.
The team that leaves the ice after Wednesday’s game may be a lot different than the one that takes the ice on Friday. There are multiple scenarios that could play out. It is possible that some trades may happen before Wednesday’s game even begins. We will just have to wait and see, but it is certainly worth keeping an eye on.
Storyline #2 – Mailloux’s Role
Mailloux saw an increased role over the weekend due to Parayko’s absence. The young defenseman averaged around 20 minutes of ice time, well above his normal season average. He played well in his increased role, scoring a goal in Sunday’s win.
If Mailloux gets an extended role on Wednesday, it will be interesting to see if he can continue to play well. He has an opportunity to be part of the Blues’ future defensive core, so showcasing his abilities now would be a great step forward.
How to Watch
The game starts at 9:00 P.M. Central Time. It can be seen on FanDuel Sports Midwest and heard on 101 ESPN.
