Alexey Toropchenko isn’t a scorer, and he proved it in his latest season with the St. Louis Blues. Heck, third-pairing defensemen probably had a higher shooting percentage than the 4.4 percent Toropchenko put up, but at the end of the day, it shouldn’t matter. He was a sledgehammer for a Blues team that needed one.
You can argue that Toropchenko was one of a few reasons why the Blues were one of the more physical teams, and why they snuck back into the playoffs. I mean, yeah, scoring goals left and right down the stretch helped, don’t get me wrong. But a defensive-minded effort from a lower-liner like Toropchenko made this team click down the stretch.
Grade: B - Toropchenko’s lack of efficacy offensively is still a blemish, but his defense-first effort made up for it. Plus, he stepped up his productivity in the playoffs, along with the entire WTF line. And they were another reason why the Blues nearly outlasted the Winnipeg Jets.
Alexey Toropchenko’s 2024-25 season wasn’t memorable…
No, four goals and 18 points won’t lead to the most memorable campaign out there. But in 80 games, Toropchenko’s 223 body checks added an intimidation factor alongside the likes of Radek Faksa and Nathan Walker. These are the lines opponents will fear, and if they don’t, players like Toropchenko, Faksa, and Walker will at least get them thinking.
Toropchenko’s 12:30 of average total ice time was all he needed to make a serious impact, so I couldn’t care less about his 7.8 on-ice shooting percentage at even strength. The Blues ended up having enough players more than capable of putting pucks into the net.
Plus, he ended the year with a sparkling 92.7 on-ice save percentage, which was more than good enough to further prove his overall effectiveness.
And honestly, if I were the Blues, I’d keep someone like Toropchenko around as long as possible. Do that, and he’ll give you production as a hitter that’s reminiscent of what we’ve seen in the past from players like former New York Islander Cal Clutterbuck. He won’t break the bank, and Toropchenko can always be counted on to provide reliable play.
Don’t expect anything different from Toropchenko in 2025-26
I wouldn’t count on Alexey Toropchenko doing anything different next season. Well, except now that the Blues look like they can be perennial playoff contenders again, it wouldn’t surprise me if Toropchenko gave us even more physical play. Maybe not so early in the year, but if he picked it up around midseason and landed 300 hits, then it means the Blues are playing a dominant style.
Overall, his point production may not exceed 20, with a handful of goals and the occasional assist. But, considering how well the Blues came around as scorers this past season, they have plenty of breakout names in the top six to do the heavy lifting.