It's only the first week of December, but it already looks like the season's over for the St. Louis Blues: they've dug themselves into quite a hole in the standings, and it'll take a miracle to climb back into a wildcard spot. They're 9-12-7 on the season, and 3-4-3 in their last 10 games.
Tonight, the Blues face the Ottawa Senators, who have been up and down all season; they've got a 13-10-4 record and are 5-5-0 in their last 10 games. In a crowded Eastern Conference, the Sens sit just outside the playoff picture.
We've already got the projected lineup for tonight's game, and here are three players to keep an eye on once the Blues hit the ice.
Joel Hofer
It was a rough week for Jordan Binnington, getting pulled after allowing two goals to the Anaheim Ducks and then getting shelled against the Boston Bruins. It's opened the door for Joel Hofer to become the starter, and a mediocre Sens team might be the perfect opportunity for him to prove he deserves more playing time, even if his stats aren't all that encouraging.
Philip Broberg
While the rest of the Blues flounder, Broberg is at least a small bright spot. Dylan Holloway's taken a step back this season, but Broberg has remained a more or less steady presence on the blue line, posting a 52.70 xGF%, per Natural Stat Trick--the second highest among Blues defensemen.
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki
Most of the rookie hype is centered on Dalibor Dvorsky, and justifiably so, but Dvorsky hasn't registered a point in six games--so let's shine a little light on another player who recently made his NHL debut, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki. Kaskimaki played 15:17 in the Blues' last game, which is quite a few minutes for a kid playing on the fourth line in his first NHL game. That fourth line is expected to stay together again tonight, so maybe we can look forward to him getting his first NHL point.