The 2025-26 season is nearly upon us, and the St. Louis Blues have upgraded their roster to build on last year's success. That said, this year could be make or break for not just the team, but many of the players, too. There are nine skaters with contracts that expire at the end of this season (10 if you count Matthew Kessel's potential Group 6 UFA status); that's four RFAs and five UFAs playing for their next contract this year.
For the most part, these players have little to worry about regarding their next contracts. Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg look like locks to be re-signed next summer; Cam Fowler may be aging, but his impact on the Blues' defense corps last season was undeniable. However, there are three players who need to step up and prove they deserve another contract--not just with the Blues, but maybe even in the NHL.
Alexei Toropchenko
The 2024-25 season was a step back for Toropchenko, who regressed from a career high of 14 goals and 21 points in 2023-24 to only four goals and 18 points last season. His cap hit isn't too bad at $1.7-million AAV, but if he wants a raise and a home with the Blues after this season, he'll have to show he deserves a lineup spot over the prospects on the way.
Mathieu Joseph
It's possible that no Blue had a worse season than Mathieu Joseph. He could barely score, his average ice time was five minutes lower than the previous season, and he found himself a frequent healthy scratch--that is not what you want from a player whose contract counts for nearly $3 million against the cap. Joseph has to prove he belongs in the lineup, or it's easy to see him moving on to a new home at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Alexandre Texier
Texier will be an arbitration-eligible RFA at the end of the season, which means he'll have some leverage in contract negotiations next summer. However, 11 points in 31 games is not going to cut it for a player with a cap hit of $2.1 million. With a number of prospects pushing for NHL time, Texier has to show he deserves a roster spot over the youth movement.
This is a big season for the Blues, as they'll only be able to retain so many players next season--and several of them need to step up or step out.