Much like his teammate Radek Faksa, Nathan Walker wasn’t putting up many points. Instead, his value came on the lower lines as a defensive forward. And wow, was he looking to rack up the body checks, or what?
In 73 contests, Walker finished the year with 281 hits, nearly four per game across an average total ice time of 12:06. They were clear fourth-line minutes, but he was a glue piece who was never afraid to stand up and go to bat for his teammates. For that, he was one of the most respected players on the team.
Shifting gears to the playoffs, Walker was one of the more complete players and a member of that high-scoring WTF line in the postseason that showed us all they were more than just a trio of defense-first forwards who could land body checks.
Grade: A - Walker did everything the Blues asked of him. And while he didn’t put up a massive number of points on the board, playing excellent defense and standing up for teammates made him the epitome of what the Blues needed down the stretch. He also excelled in the playoffs.
Nate Walker’s 2024-25 season never needed to be flashy, and it wasn’t
No frills, no flash, and a lot of hits. As mentioned earlier, Walker landed 281 body checks, and wow, did he make opponents think twice before they skated with the puck in his direction. He also blocked 61 shots on goal, proving he wasn’t afraid to sacrifice his body to disrupt a potentially finishing sequence.
Points-wise, he finished with just 16 for eight goals across 73 contests, with a minus-5 rating, and an 11.1 shooting percentage. Still, those aren’t bad numbers for a player with primarily fourth-line minutes. That said, Walker shined in the playoffs, landing 40 body checks in seven games, with three goals and four points, a plus-5, and a 27.3 shooting percentage.
That’s what a player like Walker can do when opponents see him as someone whose game consists of primarily defense. He caught the Jets off guard and helped the Blues come as close as they could to booting the Presidents’ Trophy winners from the postseason.
Nathan Walker will return in 2025-26 and should play the same role
Expect Nathan Walker’s role to remain roughly the same next season of what it was this past year. He’s carrying a generous, six-figure cap hit of $775,000 in 2025-26, and that’s good news for a Blues team that should look to make a few adjustments that will unseat their top three rivals in the Central.
The Blues should play with even more of an edge as the 2025-26 season progresses, and that’s good news for someone like Walker, who probably wouldn’t mind crossing the 300 body check mark. No, it won’t make him an All-Star, but don’t think for a single second the Blues won’t value his contributions.
Look for Walker to return to a line that will include Alexey Toropchenko, and hopefully, Radek Faksa. The trio proved their worth as one of the better lower-line trios in the game this season. With a year of experience playing as a unit, expect even more output next season should Faksa return.