Blues fans around St. Louis are incredibly excited for the NHL season to start, and for good reason. With new faces like Connor McMichael, Mason McTavish, and Brandon Carlo looking to make a major impact for the team, along with fan favorites like Robert Thomas, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Jake Neighbours hoping to continue to improve their game, there is plenty to discuss and speculate over as the countdown to October 2nd continues to dwindle. Amid all the analysis, you likely won't find the names of some of the most important players to wear the Blue Note this year; let's shine a light on some of these overlooked and underrated Blues.
Pius Suter
Suter is one of those players that never gets the props he deserves - he isn't flashy, he doesn't make highlight reel plays, and he isn't going to get into many fights. However, what Suter does is play fundamentally sound hockey. This is something that drew the praise of coach Jim Montogomery multiple times last season, and is incredibly important for the Blues in the coming campaign. Suter is likely to play Center for the new-look fourth line in St. Louis. He will play between any two of Ross Johnston, Alexey Toropchenko, Nathan Walker, and Oskar Sundqvist. With the line likely seeing a rotation of players, having a steady 4C like Suter will help to provide some consistency and stability to an incredibly important energy and identity line for St. Louis.
For evidence of how much Suter brings to the game every time he's on the ice, look no further than his +/- from last season. Pius Suter posted a +13 on the year, good for 4th best on the team, and stands out as the only forward with a positive +/- outside of the top line. What Suter provides for the Blues cannot be overstated, and he will continue to play an incredibly important role for the organization in the coming season.
Jonatan Berggren
Berggren was quietly signed to a $2 million extension this offseason, and this could prove to be one of the most lucrative deals on the team by the end of the year. Berggren provided a huge spark to an otherwise sluggish offense following the Blues claiming him off waivers on December 16th, 2025.
In just 36 games for the Blues last season, he scored 10 goals while playing on a line plagued by injuries, with a rotating cast and a lack of offensive skill. Berggren should see a better, more consistent role in the current iteration of the Blues, and I expect his offensive output will see a significant uptick as a result. As the Blues continue to focus on secondary and tertiary scoring, Berggren will be a huge piece on the third line looking to achieve that goal.
Cam Fowler
Cam Fowler was acquired from the Ducks in December 2024 in exchange for next to nothing, and the veteran blue liner then proceeded to have one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in NHL history. In the 51 games remaining in that season, Fowler put up 36 points with a +19 and was a huge part of the improbable run that resulted in a playoff appearance for a team that early on looked to be dead in the water. Unfortunately for Cam, this dream season couldn't be replicated last year, and he saw a significant regression in the 2025-2026 campaign.
This could have been due to a multitude of factors, including being paired with a struggling Logan Mailloux, getting less PP opportunity, and, of course, some inevitable decline following an unsustainable performance in early 2025. This has led to some negativity from fans and analysts directed towards Fowler. Thankfully, Fowler could see some improvement next season as he'll be paired with a fellow reliable vet in Brandon Carlo and won't have to shoulder the high ice time required the last two years. If the Blues want to push for the playoffs, they'll need their defensemen with offensive ability to provide some significant offensive output, and that could start with No. 17.
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