The St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets are set to face off in a winner-take-all battle in game seven on Sunday night. This series has featured home victories throughout, with the Jets having the final home game.
Throughout this series, both forward groups have shone brightly. For the Jets, Kyle Connor and Mason Appleton have led the way. And for the Blues, Pavel Buchnevich and Robert Thomas have been electric thus far.
But, it leaves to the imagination how one Blues star would have impacted this series. If he could have been dressed, would the Blues have been able to end this series before the inevitable game seven?
That star player is Dylan Holloway.
Would he have made a difference?
Holloway has been out for the entirety of this first-round series, and there is no indication that he will be back at any point in this postseason. The 23-year-old center was fantastic this season, having a career year in his first campaign with the Blues. He and defenseman Philip Broberg were both offer-sheeted before the 2024-25 season, and were well worth it.
Prior to injury, he appeared in 77 games and scored 26 goals and 37 assists, for 63 points. That was the third-most points on the team, behind Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou.
Undoubtedly, the Blues could have used him in multiple facets of the game. But his replacement has not been too shabby himself.
His replacement has stepped up
Rookie sensation Jimmy Snuggerud, who found some playing time at the end of the season due to Holloway’s unfortunate injury, has stepped up in his stead.
With two goals and two assists for four points, he has made an impact on this series. To say if it was more or less what Holloway would have done, we will never know, but the numbers and logic say that Holloway still would have been the better choice.