The St. Louis Blues are not going to be playing another game until October 24, when they face the Utah Mammoth for the last game of their four-game homestand. Around the league, there is a familiar face making his long-awaited NHL debut, and it might be a real kick in the behind for the Blues.
Colten Ellis, the third-round selection by the Blues back in 2019, made his NHL rookie lap and debut with the Buffalo Sabres. After being waived and surprisingly picked up by Buffalo, the Blues might have lost a very key part of their future, for no return at all.
Did the Blues make a costly mistake in getting rid of Ellis?
How did the kid do?
First @NHL game ☑️
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) October 23, 2025
First NHL win ☑️
First star ☑️
What a night for Colten Ellis! 👏 pic.twitter.com/GVbxA4sPoe
After a great year in Springfield last season, an impressive training camp and preseason during this season, it was written in the stars for Ellis to shine in his debut. The Sabres were able to beat the Detroit Red Wings, 4-2, behind the rookie's 26-save performance.
The young rising star picks up the victory in his first trot out there. Couldn't have written a better story than that.
Hofer's lackluster start makes this sting even more
For the Blues, goaltending has been a bit of a question mark to start the season. Through six games, Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer have been a bit of a roller coaster ride.
Binnington has been the better of the two goaltenders, but it has not been enough to give the Blues a consistent and, more importantly, winning record. Hofer, on the other hand, had a horrific start to his 2025-26 campaign, allowing seven goals against Chicago earlier this season.
Had Ellis still been a part of the Blues organization, there is a high chance that he would have gotten a look at this point in the season. Hofer is not on his way out, and the Blues brass still believes in him being the eventual replacement for Binnington when the time comes.