St. Louis Blues: Top Five Hit Leaders of the 2023-24 Season

It has been called a useless or irrelevant stat. Hits don’t win games, nor do they provide All-Star appearances.

However, hits are part of hockey, much like tackle highlight reels in the NFL.

Over the last few years, St. Louis Blues fans enjoyed watching their favorite players, such as David Perron and Vince Dunn, create memorable highlight reels.

The 2023-24 leaders in hits may surprise you.

Hit Leaders for St. Louis Blues

Sammy Blais–53 games, 194 hits.
Brayden Schenn–82 games, 169 hits.
Alexey Toropchenko–82 games, 165 hits.
Jake Neighbours–77 games, 138 hits.
Colton Parayko–82 games, 113 hits.

It’s interesting to note that the five players with the most hits all had hit counts in the 100s, while Nathan Walker, who ranked sixth, recorded 95 hits.

In the top five list, Colton Parayko was the only defenseman, revealing a weakness the St. Louis Blues must address.

Toropchenko and Neighbours, both young players, showed their worth and ability, making an impact on the ice. Fans are eager to see Toropchenko replicate, or even surpass, his performance in the future with his imposing 6’6” and 222lb build.

Neighbours aggressive play highlights his passion, drive, and physicality, emphasizing his competitive nature.

Sammy Blais, who is set to be a free agent, recorded the most hits with only 53 games of play. The statistics were outstanding and showcased a trait that most fans crave in Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou.

Hits may not contribute to the win column, but they do play a crucial role in setting the tone throughout the game, as any hockey fan will tell you.

Blais may be exiting St. Louis due to his limited offensive productivity, despite his reputation for being aggressive and exciting on the ice. Toropchenko and Neighbours will probably be the ones to establish the tone if things stay the same.

Ask the opponents of the Florida Panthers what it’s like playing against their four-hit leaders:

Niko Mikkola–198 hits.
Ryan Lomberg–179 hits.
Sam Bennett–173 hits.
Matthew Tkachuk–152 hits.

Hits are a favorite stat among hockey fans, and while a terrible team can also produce memorable moments, the unmatched intensity of some teams can be truly terrifying for opponents, similar to what hockey fans are seeing from the Eastern Conference Champions, Florida Panthers.