3 players we would love to see return to the St. Louis Blues

Dakota Joshua has proven he can play in Vancouver

If there is a younger breakout candidate on this list, it’s Dakota Joshua, a player who has proven he can be an effective middle-six forward in this league. Joshua’s points production heading into Vancouver’s April 8th matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights isn’t overtly impressive, but it’s also not bad, with 16 goals and 29 points in 58 games, good for a half-point per contest. 

Joshua wouldn’t just add some much-needed scoring prowess to the Blues; he would also provide a physical presence they have lacked all year. Joshua has hit opponents 224 times so far, and that number could point toward the 240 mark before the regular season ends. 

By contrast, the Blues have landed just 1,569 hits in 78 contests, or 20.11 per game, so the edginess a player like Joshua would bring should be welcoming if the Canucks don’t re-sign him first. 

Further, St. Louis’ penalty kill has been one of the weaker units in the league, and Joshua would help remedy that. He has a 90.9 on-ice save percentage while short-handed across 106.4 minutes, and he’s seen just nine goals allowed at 4-on-5. 

That said, he would help by giving the Blues a hand with their scoring, but he also carries a few more dimensions to his game.