3 St. Louis Blues players who seriously need to step up in November

The St. Louis Blues may have won their most recent game, but if I were to forecast this team, it’s that the retooling squad will see more hard times this season than they will good. One of the reasons is that there’s a chance two of the team’s best players, and, by extension, their best forward and blueliner, will and could miss extended time, respectively. 

But another reason is that there isn’t much consistency on this team, something they’ve shown us quite a few times already in this young season. That said, there are three youngsters who have an opportunity to step up and play the hero role, but, as noted, inconsistency has been a problem with all three of them. 

Let’s break down who those players are and why stepping up and bringing consistent play could ultimately help the Blues overachieve as November continues. 

1 - Jordan Kyrou

Jordan Kyrou finally managed to find the net again, so it’s safe to say he’s starting November off the right way. Yeah, I’ve been tougher on Kyrou lately, and the Blues most inconsistent forward deserves the criticism, but he also deserves recognition in the thought that he can be not just a great hockey player but one who could carry the team on his shoulders when the star players are missing time. 

Unfortunately, that’s the case in Gateway City as, at least as of this writing, blueliner Philip Broberg could also miss time. Couple that with the fact Robert Thomas has already been out and that won’t be changing any time soon, and the Blues need someone to help keep them afloat. We may not all agree with what I’m about to say, but Kyrou is the “next man up” in that regard. 

2 - Jake Neighbours

Okay, so the last time I critiqued Jake Neighbours, he turned around and enjoyed a remarkable stretch. Now, he’s once again fallen into obscurity, with no points in his previous three contests and just five so far in 12 games. 

As with Jordan Kyrou, a player of Neighbours’ caliber needs to recognize the situation the Blues are in. And one that may get worse, should spell an opportunity for Neighbours to embark on another hot streak. And it’s not like he can’t, as he’s currently rolling with a 16.0 shooting percentage, and he’s also been one of the team’s most physical forwards. 

At this time, Neighbours must find a way to put it all together and start garnering much-needed consistency. He will be a hero if that happens in November, especially if Broberg misses substantial time and the Blues need to lean on other high-potential contributors.

3 - Joel Hofer

Much like Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours, it’s not that Joel Hofer has been a bad player; it’s just that inconsistency has also plagued him. As of November 4th, Hofer has a so-so 0.903 save percentage, a 3.39 GAA, one shutout, and two quality starts. 

Overall, the numbers aren’t bad, but I wouldn’t call them good. Before the season started, I was hoping to see Hofer cut more into incumbent No. 1 goaltender Jordan Binnington’s time in the crease, but he’s yet to prove that he’s taken a step forward. 

Yet I’m not giving up and saying Hofer needs another year behind Binnington before he becomes a more relevant goaltender. He showed us last season he’s got the talent and ability to play consistent hockey when called upon, but that player needs to arrive this month, especially with the Blues playing average hockey.