When looking at the St. Louis Blues’ defense corp this season, the name that stands out the most is the player who was least expected to contribute coming into the season. While Colton Parayko has taken a step forward this season to solidify himself as a legitimate top-pairing defenseman and Nick Leddy has surprisingly been consistent throughout the season, it is a 2020 fifth-round pick getting his first taste of full-time NHL action who has surprisingly taken hold of a top-four spot.
Matthew Kessel was recalled from the American Hockey League (AHL) earlier in the season and impressed during his 24-game stint in the NHL; he earned himself a two-year one-way contract with the team that will most certainly keep him as part of this team’s core, at least for the short term.
Kessel’s Background
Starting his junior career in the United States Hockey League (USHL), Kessel bounced around with three different teams with very little ice time or production before getting his chance to play meaningful minutes with the Sioux Falls Stampede in 2018. He played top-four minutes for the organization and put up 19 points in 62 games before taking off to college at the University of Massachusetts, where he spent one season before his draft-eligible year arrived in 2020.
Kessel was not an overly-touted prospect when he entered his draft year. Selected in the fifth round, he was seen as a player responsible on the defensive end with a high level of hockey sense. However, he lacked high-level skating ability and had limited offensive upside. He spent three seasons in college for the Minutemen, including as an alternate captain in the season after the Blues selected him. During his final season, he produced at just under a half-point-per-game clip with 17 points in 37 games before jumping to the Blues organization.
The Blues sent him down to their AHL affiliate after he finished his second year at Massachusetts, and he showed promise, producing 43 points in 120 games over two seasons in Springfield with the Thunderbirds. He showed incredible responsibility with the puck and high IQ within the defensive zone, which allowed the Blues to give him a chance at the NHL level when the team needed stability on the back end.
Kessel Gets His Chance
When Justin Faulk was sidelined with a lower-body injury, the team opted to call up Kessel and allow him to showcase his potential. When he arrived, he was immediately inserted into a top-four spot with Torey Krug and was seen as the ideal counterpart for the power-play specialist. With Krug’s game tailored more towards the offensive side of the puck, pairing a responsible defensive-driven player alongside him was seen as a solid choice to balance out the three starting defense pairings.
When looking into the underlying numbers, Kessel does not jump off the page, but when watching how he approaches the game and plays it, it is tough not to be pleased with his NHL performance so far. Where the 23-year-old thrives is his ability to make intelligent decisions. The Blues have struggled mightily all season with getting pucks in deep and forcing passes that cause turnovers. Kessel brought a sense of patience to the back end the team has not seen all season long. He is patient and intelligent with the puck in transition and will not force a play to happen when it is unavailable. In addition to his patient offensive play, his high-level hockey sense has made the Blues stronger in the neutral zone and at defending their zone. He is strong on the back check, and although he is not a fast skater, he is a smooth one who is savvy with where he positions his body; as a result, he’s able to slow the opponents’ offense in transition and make play on the puck carrier.
Since his call-up, Blues fans and analysts have become enamored with Kessel’s play, and it is hard not to see why. Even though the offensive production is low — three assists — his game does not revolve around racking up points or scoring goals. When looking at the Blues’ defense core, they lacked a player that could play a proper shutdown defender role, and frequently, when watching players like Krug or Faulk forcing passes that lead to turnovers, Kessel’s puck responsibility and patience is a breath of fresh air.
All season long, the Blues have been plagued with poor puck management and have made turnovers in critical areas of the ice that have allowed the opposing team to gain odd-man rushes and breakaways in transition. With Kessel’s play, turnovers have not been an issue and the team is able to get pucks in deep and gain offensive zone time.
Like any young player entering the league, Kessel will have growing pains and learning opportunities, especially as a defenseman. His skating and speed are still limiting traits, especially in the NHL, and the lack of offensive production can be concerning. However, the smart play and bright spots he has shown so far should give the Blues hope he can develop into an everyday starter in the future.
Kessel’s Future With the Blues
This past week, the Blues gave the Kessel a two-year, one-way contract extension worth a total value of $1.6 million (an $800,000 average annual value), which is well deserved as the dollar amount is above the veteran minimum.
With the uncertainties surrounding the team’s defense core and general manager Doug Armstrong being very vocal about wanting to change up his blue line, Kessel has presumably solidified a starting spot on the team next season. What the Blues do with the other starting spots is going to be something that won’t be known until the offseason unfolds. Parayko will presumably be back next season as the leader of the group. With his improved anchor play, continued elevation of his skating ability, and increased use of his body, he can be a top pairing player on a competitive team. Kessel will likely slot in on one of the other two lines, but the remaining four spots are up in the air. With Armstrong’s eagerness to shake up his core, moving one or more of Faulk, Krug, or Leddy seems to be the logical direction.
Kessel has thrived next to Krug in a defensive role that allows him to play a smart defensive game while feeling very little pressure and using his hockey IQ and patience to build momentum going through the neutral zone into the offensive zone. With Krug already invoking his no-trade clause once this past offseason, there is reason to believe he could do it again if the team tried to move him this summer. If Armstrong can move Faulk or Leddy and bring a more well-rounded top-four defenseman into the fold via trade or free agency, pairing the two defensemen back up next season could be wise.
With the lack of consistent play and expected turnover with the Blues roster, the team’s excitement level is low. However, if Kessel can become a young depth piece who plays the game correctly and minimizes mistakes, he’ll in turn become a part of the foundation for building the roster into a playoff contender.
