(10-2-26) Blues-Stars Gameday Lineup

Well, buckle up.

Literally.

As much as the St. Louis Blues, who open their 2026-27 season on Friday against the Dallas Stars (8 p.m.; TNT, ESPN 101.1-FM) to begin a three-game, Central Division road trip, it’s not going to be easy out of the chute.

Not only do the Blues open against one divisional favorite but then pack up and head to Denver where they’ll take on the Colorado Avalanche, who just dusted the Los Angeles Kings 8-4 on Wednesday, on Saturday before returning home, then jetting off for a quick one-game trip up to face the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.

Daunting start to a season? Yes. But imagine taking four of six points or five or all six, or even taking three of six. Taking anything away from a challenging start would exude good vibes for a team that will come into this season with 11 new faces on its opening night roster from last season, including Mason McTavish, Connor McMichael, Brandon Carlo and Ross Johnston as the three acquisitions.

“I look at that as an opportunity,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “Opportunity to go into Dallas, show them what we have, how hard we’re going to play against and then fly to Colorado and show the Avalanche. It’s an opportunity to make your mark right away.”

So easy to say, so difficult to accomplish, but the Blues feel with the abbreviated camp – despite going just 1-3-0 in four preseason games – they were able to get the maximum effort and competitiveness out of it to head into the season with a focused mind and clear objective.

With camp battles for job at a premium, tough decisions were made and those that stuck around earned their keep. As a result, guys like Oskar Sundqvist, Nathan Walker and Jack Finley are in Springfield of the American Hockey League as a result.

“The depth that we’ve had in this organization and in this camp is really good, probably amongst some of the best in the league,” Blues forward Jake Neighbours said. “I think it’s hard to say. All those guys have fought their fights and given coaches and management a tough decision on who’s going to be sticking around. Unfortunately for us as players, it’s the hard part of the business. I think if we can take all five of those guys fighting for those last couple spots, we would, but that’s obviously not the rules. That’s the hard part of the business. There’s going to be some guys that won’t be around. That’s a credit to the guys that stick around, they played well.”

Guys like Dillon Dube, who earned a one-year, one-way contract as a result of his strong play with the Thunderbirds last season and winning out a job, and Zach Dean, who has had his share of trials and tribulations with personal challenges and injuries to make his first NHL opening night roster.

“He's missed some hockey over the past couple of years and even watching him last year, it felt like he grew and he grew,” Blues general manager Alex Steen said of Dean. “We've always known the things that stick out in his game, that make you excited about the player ... I think going into the playoffs (in Springfield), he played a big role for them down there last year and he came into camp ready, there's no question. His skating ability, he's on the inside, he doesn't shy away from inside ice. He's a centerman.

“I thought an impressive thing is when you're moved around between different linemates and some are veterans and some are younger players, but he seemed to just bring his own game and contribute what his strengths are. I'm excited that he's got the opportunity now to keep building off that.”

As for Dube?

“Very similar to ‘Deaner,’” Steen said. “I thought he came in and he was very prepared, very ready to go, skating ability, inside ice. He's a tenacious, dog-on-a-bone type player. What he did last year, the second half going into the playoffs, the contributions he was making for that team, he was one of the guys I thought in practice, with how short the camp is, we feel that the process is the biggest part of what we're doing right now and his intensity and urgency in everyday work was getting infectious. He's had a very good camp.”

Neither is projected to be in the lineup on Friday, but Montgomery said he expects to see them at some point on the trip.

“I expect to see every forward play a game on this road trip, but that again, it’s good to say in your mind, but then we win Friday night and everybody plays well, how do you make a change, right,” Montgomery said. “Welcome to my world.”

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Defenseman Adam Jiricek will make his debut Friday after initially being sent down, then recalled from Springfield due to injuries and subsequent surgeries to Tyler Tucker (knee) and Logan Mailloux (hand) that will keep those defensemen out a minimum of six and eight weeks, respectively.

Jiricek had such an impressive training camp that it was a hard call to send him down despite his waivers-exempt status but with the need for blue liners after two went down, it makes sense to put the 2024 first-round pick (No. 16) into the fire and let him go.

But Montgomery said he won’t make the mistake of putting two young defensemen together like he did last season with Tucker and Mailloux, which means don’t expect to see Jiricek and Theo Lindstein on the ice together.

“We switched it going into game three in Vancouver (last season),” Montgomery said. “Unfortunately, it was part, the whole thing. Switching, the starting, the pairs contributed to our poor start last year.”

Look for Jiricek to play lots with Philip Broberg and if need be, Carlo too, someone with veteran experience.

“He’s a very good player, very good with the puck, good shot, good mobility with his skates out there,” Broberg said of Jiricek. “He makes plays. He’s a good player. If I play with him, I think I will try and help him out and we’ll try to help each other out too.”

But Broberg is prepared to play with whoever since his partner to end last season (Mailloux) will miss some extended time.

“Yeah, obviously you have to,” Broberg said. “You just try to help the team any way you can.”

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Blues Projected Lineup:

Dylan Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud

Pavel Buchnevich-Mason McTavish-Connor McMichael

Jake Neighbours-Dalibor Dvorsky-Jonatan Berggren

Alexey Toropchenko-Pius Suter-Ross Johnston

Philip Broberg-Adam Jiricek

Theo Lindstein-Colton Parayko

Cam Fowler-Brandon Carlo

Joel Hofer will start in goal; Jordan Binnington will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Dillon Dube, Zach Dean and Justin Barron. Tyler Tucker (knee) will be re-evaluated in six weeks, and Logan Mailloux (hand) will be re-evaluated in eight weeks; each is on injured-reserve.

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Stars Projected Lineup:

Justin Hryckowian-Wyatt Johnston-Mikko Rantanen

Jason Robertson-Roope Hintz-Tyler Seguin

Sam Steel-Artu Hyry-Jamie Benn

Oskar Back-Radek Faksa-Joel Kiviranta

Thomas Harley-Miro Heiskanen

Esa Lindell-Nils Lundkvist

Lian Bichsel-Tyler Myers

Jake Oettinger will start in goal; Casey DeSmith will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Colin Blackwell and Kyle Capobianco. Matt Duchene (lower body) is out on long-term injured reserve.

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