After stealing a point they had no business getting on Tuesday against Los Angeles, the St. Louis Blues are set to face off against the Utah Mammoth for the first time this season.
Head coach Jim Montgomery has been spinning this lineup inside out and upside down, trying to find the right fit. With the optional skate held this morning, this looks like the potential lineup, and there are some definitive changes.
One player making his 2025-26 debut, that should be a must-watch but won't be discussed below, is Oskar Sundqvist. He will center the fourth line with Nick Bjugstad and Nathan Walker.
Here are three Blues players that should catch your eye in this Central Division showdown.
Pavel Buchnevich
After his worst game of the 2025-26 season, all eyes are on Pavel Buchnevich to turn things around. The first-line winger has been progressing in a downward spiral over the last couple of seasons, but this start of the year has not been great in terms of goalscoring.
Buchnevich, alongside Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou, is a line that must gel together. The offense has been stagnated at home this season, only producing a goal against Los Angeles and three goals against Dallas in three total games at the Enterprise Center. Can Buchnevich get on the board with his first goal of the year?
Joel Hofer
After his horrific performance against Chicago on October 15, allowing seven goals and ultimately losing his first game of the year, Joel Hofer gets another chance against Utah. This is going to be a tough test, as the Mammoth average just over 29 shots per game, and are averaging 3 goals per game.
With the recent success of former Blues goaltending prospect Colten Ellis in his first start of his career with Buffalo, the importance of Hofer getting back on track is as high as it has ever been. The Blues cannot afford to have made a mistake in backing the wrong goaltender to succeed Jordan Binnington. Plus, Binnington cannot start over 50 to 60 games this year, so Hofer has to win his starts in relief.
Logan Mailloux
Subbing back in on the defensive unit is Logan Mailloux. Following his two-game benching for Matthew Kessel, it is time to see if the time away changed anything for the potential star.
The key difference here is that although he is on the third pairing, Mailloux will be potentially alongside Cam Fowler. Tyler Tucker has been a fantastic defenseman so far this season, and the shuffling of lines might help all parties involved. Can Mailloux pick things back up?