Zach Dean has spent the better part of three years waiting for a real chance with the St. Louis Blues. On Friday, it seems like he will finally be getting his wish.
The 23-year-old forward has survived a crowded training camp and claimed one of the final two forward spots on the opening-night roster alongside Dillon Dube, with veteran forwards Oskar Sundqvist, Nathan Walker, and Jack Finley being placed on waivers.
For a player whose entire NHL resume is nine scoreless games two seasons ago, this is the real shot he has been chasing since the Blues acquired him from Vegas in the Ivan Barbashev trade.
Dean is projecting to step into a bottom-six role, most likely on the fourth line, where his job will be fairly straightforward: skate hard, retrieve pucks, add an element of speed in the lineup, win faceoffs. If he can do those things well, he will stay in the lineup. If he can manage to do them better than expected, he could even find a path to third-line minutes.
The element that caught Montgomery's eye
Blues Head Coach Jim Montgomery has been transparent about what he likes, noting how Dean's speed can change a shift and how he hunts pucks with purpose. Montgomery even gave Dean a real opportunity to show what he can provide, placing him between veteran forwards Pavel Buchnevich and Connor McMichael in the third preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks. After the game, Montgomery complimented Dean, saying, "He supported those guys really well. I thought that line was effective." Using him on that skill-based line not only showed he was capable of playing in the NHL, but that he can also play with skill.
Dean's game has always been built on pace. In the QMJHL with Gatineau, he was a dynamic center who created off the rush, scoring 188 points in 177 regular season games. However, the AHL has proven to be more difficult. His production dipped, a long-term injury limited him to just 11 games in 2024-25, and he spent a good part of the 2025-26 season in the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program.
Dean returned to the Thunderbirds in Jan. and put up a combined 17 points in 48 regular season and postseason games, while averaging about 14 and a half minutes each night. Dean won 45 percent of his faceoffs and continued to generate scoring chances at a decent clip for someone reacclimating to the pro
Fourth line deployment, with room to grow
Under Montgomery, Dean's fourth line deployment could still see the young forward averaging around eight to 12 minutes per game heavy defensive zone responsibilities.
Dean will not be asked to score 15 goals this season, but will be asked to make the other team uncomfortable and keep the puck moving north. If all goes well, he could find himself earning additional ice time and a chance to use his speed to his advantage to earn shifts with the third line. For Dean to climb to that spot, he will need to show he is defensively responsible, willing and able to create a bit more offense, and willing to go to the hard areas.
At 6-foot and 179 pounds, he is a player who will likely not overpower anyone purely on his size. If he can push toward 10 or 20 points while playing a responsible game, the coaching staff could find times early in the season to reward him with additional shifts. For Dean, the fourth line is the opportunity he needs to start his NHL career. How far he goes from there is up to him.
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