The St. Louis Blues announced today that Dylan Holloway would be activated from Injured Reserve and returning to the lineup tonight as the Blues host the Seattle Kraken. It's been a disappointing season for Holloway after last year's breakout, playing limited to only 34 games and only eight goals, nine assists, and 17 points in those games. The Blues aren't making the playoffs this year, but it'd be great news for the future of the organization if Holloway can finish strong; he's due a new contract this summer, too, so you can bet he'll want to prove his value to the front office as well.
Another disappointing player for the Blues has been Mathieu Joseph and, in order to activate Holloway from IR, the Blues had to clear a roster spot. As a result, Joseph has been placed on waivers, which means any team can claim him. Joseph, 29, is in the final year of a $2.95-million AAV contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Joseph's tenure in St. Louis has been far from easy. After signing his contract in the summer of 2024 and starting the season being coached by Drew Bannister, the Blues fired Bannister and hired Jim Montgomery. Joseph frequently found himself a healthy scratch under Montgomery in that first season, and that pattern continued this year: Joseph has only played 39 games so far. He hasn't been especially effective in those games, either, registering a meager two goals, nine assists and 11 points while averaging 12:41 of ice time each night.
If a team does claim Joseph, they'll be getting a physical depth winger, but the cap hit on his contract may make teams wary. As for Holloway, the Blues have desperately missed his skill at the top of the lineup--here's hoping he shows flashes of the great player we saw last season.