A new week is upon us, and for the St. Louis Blues, thank goodness for that. It was a rough week for the team, as they lost all three games on their road trip. Furthermore, they were outscored 15-7 during the week. Despite the rough stretch, we are going to identify the standout players of the week once again.
Standout #3 – Alexey Toropchenko
Alexey Toropchenko‘s spot on this list comes from one moment, yet it is an admirable one. In Friday’s game against the Utah Mammoth, Toropchenko dropped the gloves with Jack McBain just two seconds into the game. It is not uncommon for fights to happen that quickly. However, this was a result of Toropchenko’s knee injury, which he sustained the last time the Blues and Mammoth met. Toropchenko was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for kneeing Mammoth forward Logan Cooley.
The fight was clearly Utah’s attempt at retaliation for the kneeing. To Toropchenko’s credit, he answered the call and engaged McBain in fisticuffs. Now that the fight has happened, that should be the end of the feud. Hockey is an “eye for an eye” sport, but once retaliation occurs, it usually ends the situation, with some exceptions.
Toropchenko was given a two-year extension earlier in the week. The 26-year-old has shown in the past that he can score. Friday night, he showed his physical toughness and willingness to answer the call when needed.
Standout #2 – Philip Broberg
Philip Broberg is headed to the Olympics next month for Team Sweden. He earned it based on his play this season. However, it is not the only thing he has gained recently. On Saturday, he agreed to a six-year extension. The offensive-minded defenseman has certainly earned it, given his play since joining the Blues in August 2024. Locking up Broberg is a reminder of the Blues’ bright future, with multiple young players lined up to be part of the team’s core.
Related: 3 Blues Youngsters Who Are Worth the Excitement
Unfortunately, it was not a perfect week for the defenseman. Broberg was injured in the first period of Saturday’s game and did not return. At the time of writing this, Broberg’s status for the Blues’ next match on Tuesday is unknown.
Standout #1 – Jordan Binnington
Jordan Binnington may be the most interesting player on the Blues during the second half of the season. He will be playing for Team Canada during the Olympics next month, although whether he starts remains to be seen. Once the Olympics end, the next question is whether or not an Olympian is traded ahead of the trade deadline. His name continues to emerge in trade rumors. Contending teams would certainly be interested in a former champion like Binnington. For the Blues, they could receive future assets while also handing over the starting reins to Joel Hofer.
As far as last week goes, Binnington played in two games, neither of which went well. His first game was the worst of the two. Playing against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, Binnington gave up seven goals on 35 shots, including four in the second period that essentially put the game away. In Saturday’s game, he played a lot better, but he still gave up four goals as the Blues lost.
With trade season underway and the Olympics potentially driving earlier trades, every Binnington start carries a lot of weight. He is the Blue with the most trade value, given his resume on the big stage.
The Week Ahead
The Blues will return home this week and will look to get back on track. It will be a relatively quiet week for the team, as they will only play two games. Have no fear, however, we will identify standout players all the same!
