Experience should make up the St. Louis Blues second pairing early in 2024-25

A pair of veterans ended up on our projected first pairing for the St. Louis Blues, and the projected second pairing shouldn’t look much different, with two older talents taking up the mantle early. Now, since the Blues are in a perennial restructuring situation, the two players discussed below likely won’t be paired together long should they struggle early and throughout the first few months of the season. 

At which point, you’ll see younger players rightfully get more ice time, but to start the year, the more experienced players need a higher priority. Or at least those who have been part of winning teams in the past, which will at least give head coach Drew Bannister and Company a chance early on. 

Justin Faulk

Even if he played in all 82 games like he did in 2022-23, Justin Faulk wasn’t the 50-point player he was from that season, but he still gave the Blues enough value, especially later on. Part of that aging defensive rotation that also includes Colton Parayko, Ryan Suter, Torey Krug (when healthy), and Nick Leddy, Faulk will enter 2024-25 knowing he’ll be playing for his job with a slew of younger players vying for more ice time behind him. 

His days in the Lou could also be numbered, as his full no-trade clause will be no more starting next season, which should give him some added motivation to try and keep playing at a high level. Should he stay healthy, Faulk could keep his top-four minutes, but he will nonetheless face some serious competition if a younger player or two separates themselves in camp, in the preseason, and even in the regular season. 

Ryan Suter

Ryan Suter was a good pickup for a team in transition, and it’s one reason I see him getting more ice time early, even if there’s a chance he may not even be in town come season’s end. For any youngster comprising the bottom pairing early before they ultimately see more ice time, Suter is the ideal player to be a mentor for at least a portion of the year, and since he’s a former Dallas Star, he also knows what it takes to make deep playoff runs. 

Suter has slowly seen his average total ice time decrease over the past two seasons, and it’s something to expect more of in 2024-25, whether he sticks around Gateway City or is moved in a trade. But early in the year, he’ll get, or should get more ice time before ceding it to someone like Philip Broberg.