Snuggerud to have surgery Tuesday, to be reevaluated in six weeks; Toropchenko week to week with "scalding burns to his legs;" Kaskimaki to make NHL debut if forward arrives on time; Blues could otherwise go 11/7 in search of season-high third win in a row
ST. LOUIS – It’s the part of the season where for the St. Louis Blues, now is gut-check time.
That’s because the Blues haven’t dealt with many injuries, but it’s hit them in a big way.
When the team announced on Monday morning that Jimmy Snuggerud will be reevaluated in six weeks with a wrist injury, and Alexey Toropchenko will be sidelined week to week with what the team is calling “scalding burns to his legs in a home accident,” along with Pius Suter (lower-body injury)being day to day, the Blues depth will be tested.
“We woke up to a text message this morning,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. “Literally had no idea. That’s the unfortunate part of the business and guys have to come in, step up and do jobs.
“We’re in a better spot now as a team to insert guys than we were four weeks ago. That’s because we’re playing better defensively and coming away with points in games. We feel better about our game. I don’t think we’re where we need to be yet. We’re certainly building in the right direction and feel like we still have a lot more to give, but we’re in a good spot right now adding a young player coming in.”
In Snuggerud, the Blues will be missing a top nine forward that had 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 26 games; he will undergo surgery on Tuesday.
“The exact timeline of when it led to surgery, I don’t have the exact timeline,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “I know he was playing with pain Saturday night. I think that’s when it most likely occurred and then he’s going to have surgery tomorrow.
“He’s been really good. He’s been quickly maturing his game as a pro. He’s realized the time zones and travel, getting used to the grind of the NHL season. He’s adjusted well because like Saturday night, I basically went down to two lines and he’s the right winger out there with the pulled goalie situation. That’s how much his game has developed. He’s very reliable in all three zones, he’s learned to dig in physically when you don’t feel great physically; he’s learned to play the percentage game to being above being smart waiting for opportunities when you don’t have your ‘A’ legs. So there’s been a lot of late development and his future is really bright with us.”
In Toropchenko, who has a goal and an assist in 17 games, the Blues are losing a workhorse on their fourth line.
“It sucks,” Blues winger Jake Neighbours said. “There’s no other way to put it. When you lose guys in your lineup that are playing every night, it’s a hit to the team and obviously ‘Snuggy’s been one of our best offensive players this year, possesses a lot of threat when it comes to creating offense. We’ll miss him. Obviously ‘Torpo,’ a heart and soul player for us, someone that plays the right way all the time and is committed to playing the style that we like to play and brings a lot of energy for our group. Two guys that we’re going to miss. Next man up, guys got to step up and fill in the holes that are missing.”
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The Blues (9-10-7) will have to motor on and are in search of their first three-game winning streak of the season when they close out their homestand against the Anaheim Ducks (15-9-1) at 7 p.m. (FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).
They have recalled forward Aleksanteri Kaskimaki from Springfield of the American Hockey League on Monday as a roster fill in, and the 2022 third-round pick could make his NHL debut on Monday, but it will be pending on his arrival.
“That is the plan. There is a delay in the flight so we’re depending on the airlines,” Montgomery said.
In case Kaskimaki, who has seven points (four goals, three assists) in 16 games for the Thunderbirds, doesn’t arrive on time, there’s the likelihood Tyler Tucker plays in a 11/7 formation, with the defenseman getting both shifts at forward and defense.
“More than likely because Suter is day to day with a lower body,” Montgomery said. “We would go with ‘Tucks’ tonight more than likely if Kaskimaki doesn’t get here in time.”
In Kaskimaki, the Blues know who they’re getting. Someone who will be defensively responsible who can fill in immediately.
“Brains, defensive mind first, which our current roster doesn’t have a lot of players naturally that think defense first before offense, and that’s usually the case,” Montgomery said. “When you get drafted and you get selected and you get signed because of your offensive prowess in juniors and college and Europe, and then you usually learn the defensive side, but some guys just naturally … Patrice Bergeron naturally cheated the game; Kaskimaki never cheats the game. And when they’re really that responsible defensively, their sticks are always in the right place, they seem to always be in position to squash plays because of their defensive brain hockey-sense.
“He’ll be on the third or fourth line. It’ll be a game time decision. All of our third- and fourth-line players have all played with each other. For the five guys playing for sure, it’s no big deal who they play with.”
But a player making his NHL debut, the players really don’t know much aside from the time they spend with such player in training camps.
“To be honest, I don’t know much about his game, I really don’t,” Schenn said. “I know he works hard and is good defensively. They like him, but now’s a chance for us to bring him in, make him feel comfortable, keep it simple around him because I think we’re all playing a little bit more simple right now and it’s resulting in us staying in games and being there until the end.
Neighbours said, “Not a lot. I’ve had a couple camps with him obviously over the last couple years, but I think one thing I’ve noticed in camp is just the details of his game for someone who’s young and hadn’t played a lot of pro hockey; he has a lot of good details to his game and plays the structure really well that goes with it. Looking forward to getting him up here and seeing what his game’s about and seeing him in action. Heard nothing but good things.”
The Blues just feel like they can equip themselves better now having to replace guys than, say, four weeks ago.
“Over the last 10-12 games, we’ve played a lot of good hockey. You have five OT losses in those 10, but you flip a couple of those, you have a completely different record and vibe around here. But in the last two games we’ve played here or even the last five, we’ve played well and started getting some wins or finding ways to win games late or whatever, come from behind. The feeling’s better in this room. We feel better about the process of our game and the style of game we’re playing. It fits the mold a lot more than we were looking for early in the season. If we continue to play that way, we’re going to have a lot more success.”
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Blues Projected Lineup:
Jake Neighbours-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou
Brayden Schenn-Dalibor Dvorsky-Pavel Buchnevich
Dylan Holloway-Nick Bjugstad-Mathieu Joseph
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki-Oskar Sundqvist-Nathan Walker
Philip Broberg-Colton Parayko
Matthew Kessel-Justin Faulk
Cam Fowler-Logan Mailloux
Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.
The healthy scratch could be Tyler Tucker. Pius Suter (lower body) is day to day. Jimmy Snuggerud (wrist) will miss at least six weeks. Alexey Toropchenko (leg burns) is week to week.
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Ducks Projected Lineup:
Cutter Gauthier-Leo Carlsson-Troy Terry
Chris Kreider-Mason McTavish-Beckett Sennecke
Nikita Nesterenko-Ryan Poehling-Alex Killorn
Ross Johnston-Ryan Strome-Frank Vatrano
Jackson LaCombe-Radko Gudas
Olen Zellweger-Jacob Trouba
Pavel Mintyukov-Drew Helleson
Ville Husso will start in goal; Vyacheslav Buteyets will be the backup.
Healthy scratches could include Ian Moore and Jansen Harkins. Mikael Granlund (lower body) and Lukas Dostal (upper body) and Petr Mrazek (lower body) are out.
St. Louis Blues Weekly Prospect Report (Nov. 30)
Jiricek, Brantford finally lose in regulation, defenseman point streak reaches 13 before finally ending; Carbonneau picks up four-point game; Springfield starting to heat up, Blues prospects picking up pace
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