Ready or not, it's here.
The 2023-24 St. Louis Blues season kicks off at 7 p.m. today (BSMW, ESPN 101.1-FM) against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center after spending a few extra days in Frisco, Texas for the pre-regular season team bonding trip.
After missing out on the playoffs last season, going 37-38-7, for the first time since 2017-18, the Blues (4-2-2 in the preseason) have put an emphasis into A) tightening their game from a defensive standpoint after being near the bottom in a number of league categories from a goals-against and penalty kill standpoint; B) tweaking up some systems with new assistant coach Mike Weber manning the guys on the blue line, and C) getting everyone on the same page, and the theme has been buy-in.
"We put the work in in camp and guys worked really hard, worked on some new things in camp and things like that and we had a good buy-in," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "You need it, you need a buy-in from everyone to be successful in this league. They've done a good job of it so far in training camp and we've got to keep on it and working them in practice and getting that buy-in. That's a big part of it, making sure we're working on it in practice every day and pushing them."
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Kevin Hayes will make his official Blues debut tonight (in a meaningful game).
The veteran center was acquired by the Blues from the Philadelphia Flyers in a pre-draft trade that yielded the Blues a 2024 sixth-round pick, and the Flyers are picking up 50 percent of Hayes' remaining salary, a contract that has three years remaining on it.
Hayes put up career-highs in assists (36) and points (54) last season with the Flyers in a season that he ultimately knew would result in the way things transpired after having differences with Flyers coach John Tortorella and is ready for a fresh, new challenge beginning his 10th season in the NHL.
"I try to fit in with every coach I have," Hayes said. "Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I see myself as a centerman that can make plays and tries to be responsible defensively. ... It's been great so far."
Hayes was added for center depth and will begin the season between Jakub Vrana and Sammy Blais.
"I think all three of our games complement each other," Hayes said. "Jake's a very fast player who likes to shoot. Sammy's a heavy body who's in on the forecheck and creates space. I think I try to make plays and try my hardest, so I think all three of our games complement one another. So far it's been good.
"... When I got traded here, they told me to be myself. I think the hardest thing when you get traded to a team is fitting in in the locker room and fitting in with the coach. I've been trying my hardest to accomplish those things. I was here a month early, so I feel like I've been here a long time. Getting close with some of the guys, I try and make everyone happy. I'm a believer if you're feeling good about yourself, you're going to play your best game. That's what I try to do."
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Forward Oskar Sundqvist marks his return to the Blues after nearly a year and a half from being traded by the Blues to the Detroit Red Wings March 21, 2022.
Sundqvist, who was traded at the deadline this past season by the Red Wings to the Minnesota Wild, inked a one-year, $775,000 contract to return to the team he's had the most success in his NHL career and will open the season centering the fourth line with Alexey Toropchenko and Jake Neighbours.
"Smart, very good defensively," Toropchenko said of Sundqvist. "First of all, you need to have a hockey brain, and of course he has it. More guys need to be like this, just so you can bring everything you have."
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The Blues' projected lineup:
Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou
Brandon Saad-Brayden Schenn-Kasperi Kapanen
Jakub Vrana-Kevin Hayes-Sammy Blais
Alexey Toropchenko-Oskar Sundqvist-Jake Neighbours
Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko
Torey Krug-Justin Faulk
Marco Scandella-Tyler Tucker
Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Nikita Alexandrov, Robert Bortuzzo and Scott Perunovich. The Blues report no injuries.
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The Stars' projected lineup:
Jason Robertson-Tyler Seguin-Joe Pavelski
Mason Marchment-Matt Duchene-Evgenii Dadonov
Jamie Benn-Wyatt Johnston-Ty Dellandrea
Sam Steel-Radek Faksa-Craig Smith
Ryan Suter-Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley-Jani Hakanpaa
Esa Lindell-Nils Lundqvist
Jake Oettinger will start in goal; Scott Wedgewood will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Joel Hanley. Roope Hintz (upper body) is out.
