The St. Louis Blues had a solid offensive performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs, losing 3-2 in overtime. The first 30 or so minutes of the game were not ideal, but this team rallied to put together a solid second half of the game to steal a point in the first game of their five-game road trip.
There was a lowlight in this one, and it has been a lowlight for the entire first quarter of the 2025-26 season. Pavel Buchnevich, who was moved down from the top-six to the third line, had another lackluster performance.
What can be done to fix Buchnevich, after another terrible showing?
What is happening with No. 89?
The last time Buchnevich was able to help out in any kind of offensive contribution was back when the Blues played Seattle back on November 8, in which he had an assist. That was the only point he has had over the past 12 games of play. He didn't even register a shot on goal against Toronto, amassing a -3 on the board.
That is a horrific stat for someone who plays in the top six, and grabs nearly 19 minutes of ice time per game. You want to talk about how badly the goaltending and defense has been, but Buchnevich seems to be forgotten in the mix here in the sea of disappointment.
Over the past couple of seasons, a downward spiral has been shown in Buchnevich's offensive numbers, and he was rewarded with a brand-new contract with an AAV of $8 Million over the next six years, starting with this season. Not a great way to show that he is worth every penny.
What can be done?
Much like the situation with Jordan Kyrou, there has to be a decision made by head coach Jim Montgomery. Buchnevich has to be benched, and it should not only be for one game. At this point, he is not adding any good for the Blues, and his absence might spark another player to play better with added playing time.
Namely, Dalibor Dvorsky, who could slide up the lineup to a first-line appearance with Jimmy Snuggerud and Robert Thomas. Obviously, Thomas would remain a center, but Dvorsky could slide to the wing to get some time with his future 1-2 punch partner in Snuggerud.
Buchnevich has not done enough in the past dozen games to warrant another appearance with the Blues. In fact, I would argue that he should be sent back to St. Louis for the duration of this road trip. Slide Jake Neighbours back in and the roster is set with Buchnevich in the press box. He might need the break to re-adjust, and so do the Blues.