Blues, Stars playing top-heavy lineups in what is more than likely final tune-up for regular season for most; Bannister on Bolduc; Kapanen elevated; Holloway, Texier to get top-six play; Broberg to run second power play
ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues will play the majority, if not all, their regulars on Thursday in what will be the final dress rehearsal for the preseason when they host the Dallas Stars at 7 p.m. (stlouisblues.com, Blues App, Victory+, ESPN 101.1-FM). at Enterprise Center.
The lineup will consist of what was seen at practice on Wednesday with some changes to it:
The one notable omission that wasn't touched on Wednesday was Zack Bolduc being dropped out of the top 12 and not in the lineup tonight.
The No. 17 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft seemed like he was well on his way to not only making the opening night roster but playing in the top six, especially with Brandon Saad (expecting third child) likely out for the opening three-game trip. But that seems to be on the brakes at present time.
Blues coach Drew Bannister was asked if Bolduc's play recently has dipped or if the coaching staff and management team have seen enough of him to know what they're getting heading into the season.
"That's a fair question. I wouldn't say his play has dipped," Bannister said. "I think right now, it's kind of leveled off. We've tried to put him in positions to have success and play up the lineup in games. In practices he's been playing with top linemates, put him on the power play. There's a lot of good things with 'Boldy' that he's doing and I think I spoke about it before the things that maybe the deficiencies in his game we'd like to see more. I haven't seen a drastic improvement from game to game, but I see a lot of growth in his game at the same time. I think he's a player that's extremely close to being an every day NHL player. He's just got to find that next level in his game and his consistency in his game."
The bottom line for Bolduc, who was a standout at the 2024 Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase and has shown flashes during the preseason of who he can be, he will dictate when he's NHL-ready with his play, something Bannister echoed the sentiments when asked about Dalibor Dvorsky, the No. 10 pick in the 2023 draft who was assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey League.
"I think the player dictates that," Bannister said. "At the same time, when you have a player that's 21 and his play isn't consistent at this level, then it's hard to get him into the lineup. We have to be able to trust him and the way he plays to see a more consistent game. His assets that he can bring to the team are very valuable to us, but you still want to see a more rounded player. We ask that of all our players on both sides of the puck. There's certain areas of the game where it has gotten better, but it still needs to improve on his end."
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On the slip side, Kasperi Kapanen, who was on the outside looking in when training camp started, has elevated himself into the top 12, playing on the third line tonight with Brayden Schenn and Mathieu Joseph.
"Going back to last game, I thought 'Kapi' was engaged a lot more than he was in the previous two games that he played in," Bannister said. "I saw somebody that was trying to make a difference. He was physical. Although he didn't get on the scoresheet and a lot of offense didn't happen, but I saw a player that was trying to make his mark in the game by different ways and his ability to use his speed and a physical aspect. We're just looking for players to make impacts and it's not always going to be offensively on the scoresheet. There's other ways that you can impact the game in a positive way and I thought he made an impression on me that he tried to impact that game."
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Dylan Holloway and Alexandre Texier are getting shots to play in the top six tonight, and with the way each respective camp has been going, could very well find themselves in those roles when the regular season begins Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken.
"Obviously camp's not over, so I can't take it for granted," Holloway said. "Got to have a big one tonight, so I'm just focusing on tonight.
"I've been feeling feeling good. I've only played two games, so timing's still a little off and hoping to get it going tonight, but I think the practices in camp have felt good. I just want to keep it going and keep that momentum going."
Holloway will get reps tonight with Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours.
"His fundamentals in terms of skating, shooting, handling the puck are pretty elite," Neighbours said of Holloway. "I think it's just about getting the reps and top nine minutes for him, whatever it may be. He was playing behind some pretty good players over there in Edmonton. He's going to get an opportunity to play here and play a little bit more in some different situations and I think with that experience, he's only going to grow. His fundamentals and just watching him in practice, he's got that talent, so it's just all about putting the pieces together now."
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With Brandon Saad (expecting third child) and Oskar Sundqvist (torn ACL) not likely to start the season, these roster spots and where guys play will make a strong impact on how guys skate in the game against a strong Dallas side tonight.
"Certainly it could, but I still think there's room for people to really step up and earn a position or earn a job on certain lines with Brandon being out, we won't have him, so he's another player that fits into our lineup and where he fits into our lineup could adjust certain players. Tonight's a good game for our team, not only to really show where we want to be at the start of the season, but to start to build our team game, really bond as a group. I think we've seen that at times. I've been really impressed with our practice habits and how we've approached our practices. Now we've got to start translating that into the game."
It hasn't been decided completely whether Saad will miss the entire trip that goes to San Jose and Vegas.
"There's still the possibility that he could join us if the baby was to come earlier, but at the same time, we'll plan that he wouldn't be there and he would be available to us when we come back off the road," Bannister said.
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Defenseman Philip Broberg was quarterbacking the second power play unit and will get the shot in tonight's game.
He will be distributing to Schenn, Texier, Kapanen and Holloway.
"I've talked to people externally about his play and he did run the power play at the American League level and ran the top unit with success," Bannister said. "This is a great opportunity for him, a great opportunity for us to see him in that situation and how he does."
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The Blues (1-4-0) will conclude their preseason schedule Saturday in Milwaukee against the Chicago Blackhawks and face Dallas, which is a perfect 5-0-0 tonight, but having only scored eight goals in five games and winning only once, Holloway said not to get too alarmed.
"You'd like to win every game you play, but preseason's so different," Holloway said. "There's so many different lineups. Guys playing with different guys. At the same time, first couple games of the year, guys are just trying to get their timing back and that's a big thing. I wouldn't read too much into it. I think we've got a good squad in here and I think come regular season, we'll be ready to go.
"We all want to have a big game tonight, all want to play well. We're definitely very focused and we're trying to get the win tonight."
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Blues Projected Lineup:
Dylan Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jake Neighbours
Alexandre Texier-Pavel Buchnevich-Jordan Kyrou
Mathieu Joseph-Brayden Schenn-Kasperi Kapanen
Alexey Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker
Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko
Philip Broberg-Justin Faulk
Ryan Suter-Matthew Kessel
Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Vadim Zherenko will be the backup.
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Stars Roster:
Forwards: Oskar Back, Logan Stankoven, Arttu Hyry, Jamie Benn, Colin Blackwell, Kole Lind, Sam Steel, Mavrik Bourque, Roope Hintz, Mason Marchment, Evgenii Dadonov, Matt Duchene.
Defensemen: Brendan Smith, Matt Dumba, Nils Lundkvist, Lian Bichsel, Ilya Lyubushkin, Thomas Harley.
Goalies: Jake Oettinger, Casey DeSmith.
