The St. Louis Blues have played two preseason games so far, and already several players have been cut from the roster. By the season's start, the Blues cannot have more than 23 players on their roster (save injury accommodations), and this first round of cuts is the beginning of a long process.
The good news is that there are no real surprises among the five players that've been cut: four have been loaned back to their juniors teams, and goaltender Matthew Koprowski was released from his amateur tryout contract and returned to Owen Sound of the OHL.
A quick recap of the players returned to their juniors teams: forward Antoine Dorion, a 2024 seventh round-selection, was loaned back to the Quebec Ramparts in the QMJHL. Defenseman Lukas Fischer, a 2024 second-round selection, was returned to the Sarnia Sting in the OHL--though he played three games with the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds last season and could do so again at the end of next season. Another defenseman, William McIsaac, a 2024 fifth-round selection, was returned to the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL. Finally, forward Adam Jecho, a 2024 third-round pick, was returned to the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL.
None of these players were likely to make the Blues out of camp, so returning them to their junior clubs is right in line with expectations. It would've been quite a shock to see them on the roster opening night!
We're not far from the start of the NHL's regular season now, so expect to see more and more cuts as the days go by--that's when some decisions could surprise.