The St. Louis Blues added to their forward core in the offseason, which leaves returning players the opportunity to compete for ice time on the fourth line.
The St. Louis Blues had their offensive depth tested toward the end of the 2017-2018 season and this led to many different players finding time on the fourth line. However, with the new additions brought in over the summer, many of the returning players may be competing for three spots.
Head coach Mike Yeo will have to balance a handful of players who will not crack one of the top three lines out of training camp. The surplus of players on the bench could be used to Yeo’s benefit as he could play a lot of different matchups depending on the opponent.
The biggest question regarding the fourth line going into training camp is whether or not Robert Thomas will make the opening day roster. Thomas, who was named OHL playoff MVP a year ago, is expected to make the team.
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Yeo may be more inclined to move Thomas from his natural position of center and put him on the wing in order to give him more critical minutes on one of the top lines.
We’ll imagine, for a moment, that Thomas will start the season on the fourth line. If Thomas is as good as scouts and the Blues say he will be, then the St. Louis could be one of the deepest teams up the middle in the entire NHL.
Thomas would slot below Brayden Schenn, Ryan O’Reilly, and Tyler Bozak on the depth chart and could prove to be a big part of the Blues success.
The wingers on the fourth line present the Blues with the most flexibility. Names like Nikita Soshnikov, Chris Thorburn, Dmitrij Jaskin, and Jordan Kyrou could all see time on the fourth line.
Jaskin seems the most likely to receive the majority of the starts on the fourth line, he is earning $1.1 million this year and also provides some physical protection for Robert Thomas.
If Yeo and the Blues wanted to stay with a physical approach on the fourth line, Chris Thorburn would be one of the top candidates for some playing time on the right side. Thorburn appeared in just 50 games for St. Louis a year ago but his ability to intimidate his opponents should not go unnoticed.
Soshnikov was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a mid-season trade and appeared in only 12 games for the Blues before being sidelined with an injury. The 5-11 forward spent a lot of time on the penalty kill when he was inserted into the lineup and could find himself useful in that same capacity in 2018.
If Thomas is deemed not ready to begin the season in the NHL, Ivan Barbashev may be the best option to handle the center position. The Blues have seen glimpses of what player Barbashev could be and could contribute to the fourth line.
Barbashev can also use his versatility to occupy one of the wings as well. A year ago, Barbashev appeared in 53 games while registering only seven goals and six assists on his way to a 13 point season.
Aside from Thomas, Jordan Kyrou may be the most intriguing young player in training camp. Kyrou was named the league MVP in the OHL a year ago and seems to have all the tools to be a superstar in the NHL.
The Blues could place him alongside Jaskin and Thomas to create four scoring lines. Kyrou is not necessarily a lock to make the roster out of camp however, it should be noted that he could make the Blues one of the top scoring teams in the division if he was given regular ice time.
Because the Blues were able to add to their forward core during the offseason, Mike Yeo now has options for a fourth line that could be as productive as any other line.