With the NHL pausing for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina next month, the roster announcements have finally dropped, and for the St. Louis Blues, the news is surprisingly robust. Despite the team battling consistency issues and navigating a crowded Central Division this season, the organization will send five representatives to Italy.
It’s a respectable number—“not a bad look,” as the front office might say—but beyond the quantity, the specific selections tell us a lot about where this roster stands today and where it’s heading. We have the usual suspects, a legitimate shocker on the blue line, and a selection that doubles as a surprisingly positive injury update.
Here is a look at the five Blues headed to the Olympics and the implications for the club’s playoff push.
The Canadian Connection: Proven Pedigree
It comes as zero surprise that Jordan Binnington and Colton Parayko will be wearing the Maple Leaf. At 32, both are the elder statesmen of this Blues core, and their résumés practically demanded inclusion.
Binnington, now the franchise leader in both wins and games played, is heading to his fifth international appearance. His selection isn’t just about legacy; it’s about recent performance. He was instrumental in Canada’s victory at the 4 Nations Face-Off, proving he can handle the pressure of best-on-best hockey.
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Parayko joins him on the back end. As a career-long Blue who now sits fourth in franchise history for points by a defenseman, he offers the Canadian squad exactly what he gives St. Louis: size, range, and stability. Like Binnington, he carries the confidence of that 4 Nations Face-Off win. For the Blues, having their starting goaltender and top-pairing defenseman playing high-stakes, medal-round hockey in February is the best possible preparation for a stretch run in March.
The Nordic Surprise: Broberg’s Big Leap
If the Canadian selections were a formality, Philip Broberg’s inclusion on Team Sweden is the headline of the day. Coming into the season, the 24-year-old defenseman was viewed as a fringe candidate—a “longshot” at best.
However, Broberg has forced the issue with what can only be described as superior play this season. This wasn’t a participation trophy; Broberg earned his spot by displacing massive NHL names. He was selected over established veterans like Mattias Ekholm and Hampus Lindholm. That is a significant vote of confidence from the Swedish brass.
For St. Louis, this validates the organization’s belief in Broberg’s ceiling. He isn’t just a roster player anymore; he is now internationally recognized as one of Sweden’s elite defenders. That confidence boost should pay dividends when he returns to Enterprise Center.
The Rookie and the Recovery
The final two names on the list offer a glimpse into the Blues’ future and a status update on their present.
Dalibor Dvorsky has made the Slovakian roster, a massive achievement for the 20-year-old rookie. While his NHL stat line is modest—he has put up decent offensive numbers through his first 35 games—his history as captain of the Slovakian U-20 team likely swayed the decision. This is a chance for the 2023 10th-overall pick to solidify his status as a rising star on a global stage.
Perhaps the most intriguing selection, however, is Pius Suter for Switzerland. Suter signed with St. Louis this past July but has been sidelined on Injured Reserve since late December. His naming to the Swiss team is essentially a medical update in disguise. It suggests his recovery is ahead of schedule and that he is expected to rejoin the Blues lineup shortly to get his “reps” in before the tournament begins.
For a Blues team struggling with depth issues, Suter’s imminent return is arguably more important than the Olympic nod itself.
The Playoff Implications
So, what does this mean for the St. Louis Blues?
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Ideally, this break serves as a catalyst. The organization is banking on the “best-on-best” tournament providing a spark. We are sending a mix of veterans chasing gold and young players hungry to prove they belong with the elite.
The hope is that these five players return from Italy in mid-February playing at a higher pace and intensity, ready to drag the rest of the roster into the postseason. With the team currently fighting for positioning, they will need every bit of that Olympic momentum.
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