The St. Louis Blues released their projected lineups for tonight's match at home against the Dallas Stars, and there are plenty of storylines to follow. First and foremost, it's the three rookies featured in the lineup; second is potentially the last chance Milan Lucic has a chance to impress enough to earn a contract; and third is the continued battle for a role in the big club's bottom six.
The Prospects
There are three prospects to keep an eye on in tonight's game: Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, and Theo Lindstein--all three of the Blues' first-round picks from the 2023 draft. Of the three, Dvorsky probably has the best shot of making the roster, but don't sleep on Stenberg or Lindstein.
Stenberg, in particular, is one to watch: he's projected to play on a line with two lineup locks in Nick Bjugstad and Jake Neighbours. That's a great chance for Stenberg to show he can play with NHL regulars, and it's easy to envision that as a third line to start the season.
Lindstein's less likely to make the Blues out of preseason, but he's playing on the second pair tonight with Matthew Kessel. Lindstein will, hopefully, get second-pair minutes and, if he shines, should keep his hopes of making the team alive a bit longer.
Lucic's Last Chance?
Missing time with an injury is about the worst thing that can happen to a player on a tryout contract, and it could've cost Lucic an NHL contract for the season.
Whether he deserves one is another matter, and at 37 years old and with plenty of other fourth-line players already in the Blues organization, signing Lucic makes little sense. If he shoots the lights out tonight, maybe he gets another game, but it doesn't feel like he's long for the team. Maybe another front office likes what they've seen from him these last few weeks, and his brief time in St. Louis earns him a contract with another club.
The Bottom Six Battle
Aside from Lucic, the Blues are playing Mathieu Joseph, Alexandre Texier, and Alexey Toropchenko tonight--all three of whom are battling for an ever-dwindling number of roles in the Blues' bottom six.
From a contract perspective, Joseph is paid the most, and one would expect him to be in the lineup. However, Joseph had a lackluster 2024-25 season, and Texier and Toropchenko could have slightly higher long-term ceilings. Whoever of the three plays the best tonight could cement themselves as a go-to option for the Blues to start the season--though Oskar Sundqvist and Nathan Walker may have something to say about it by the time training camp is done, too.