(3-12-26) Blues-Hurricanes Gameday Lineup

ST. LOUIS – It’s no secret that the St. Louis Blues are looking hard and heavy at many of their younger players, not just for the now but also for the future.

With their record (25-29-10) what it is, and being seven points out of a Western Conference wild card spot and having to jump at least five teams with 18 games remaining, the Blues would have to be near spotless to be in the conversation of the playoffs moving forward.

So looking at a number of their younger players is imperative, and none could be more imperative than seeing how two of their young, budding players can handle playing with their top-line center.

And it’s been all systems go when it comes to the line of Dylan Holloway, Robert Thomas and Jimmy Snuggerud.

Let’s just say since the return of the Olympic break, the trio has been on a tear. And it could be quite the appetizer for what’s to come if the numbers and metrics continue.

In the seven games played, Holloway leads the way with 10 points (five goals, five assists) and a plus-11 rating, which is second only to Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin (plus-15); Thomas has played in just five games after returning from his right leg procedure but has nine points (four goals, five assists) and a plus-10 rating, right behind Holloway; and Snuggerud has eight points (three goals, five assists) in seven games and a plus-5 rating.

Snuggerud has three straight multi-point games heading into a quick road game on Thursday against the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes (41-17-6) at 6 p.m.

“It’s been developing,” Snuggerud said. “(Thomas is) such a skilled player. ‘Holly’ works so hard to get the puck, too. Two really skilled players. The chemistry’s really developing.

“‘Holly’s got speed, he can rip the puck. Thomas is such a good playmaker and I try to find areas for those guys, but those guys are so skilled, it makes it easier to play with them. Not just skill alone, they work hard in the corners to get the puck back and that’s an important trait.”

There are elements of everything when it comes to the line. Each provides something that boosts the other two, and the chemistry, although just getting started, continues to ascend.

“Playing with ‘Tommer’ and ‘Snuggy’ has been a lot of fun honestly,” Holloway said. “Both players are super special players. ‘Tommer’ just see’s the ice so well, his vision’s incredible, he’s always trying to find a good play. He always makes a good play. ‘Snuggy’ the same, and ‘Snuggy’ can rip the puck too. It’s been a lot of fun playing with those guys and just trying to keep this momentum going.”

Thomas seems to be the glue guy, obviously, the one who has the puck on his stick more so and can find the other two in quiet areas. But don’t underestimate the others, and their underrated playmaking skills and ability to hunt pucks. But Thomas seems to make the line go.

“What he does is he gets them more looks, he gets them more energy,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “All three of them are feeding off each other right now. It’s quite obvious every time out there, they’re looking to create something, and they are.”

The goal Snuggerud scored in a 4-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks last Sunday is a perfect example of a right-handed player finding a right-handed player in a quiet area, someone who’s in the right spot and looking for the puck, but someone who has the ability of a Snuggerud to get a shot off quick. He scored on Sunday, and there was a similar play in the third period of Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders, but on that occasion, Snuggerud ripped his shot off the post.

“Righty-righty can find each other for some reason really well,” Montgomery said. “You would think a righty and a lefty would find each other a lot more, but they kind of open up to one-timers to each other and you have a true passer and a true shooter, one who really wants to shoot the puck and one who really wants to pass it. It’s just good chemistry there. They both have high level IQ’s, which allows them to find space. Thomas knows where he wants to put the puck and Snuggerud knows where he wants to go to get it.”

Snuggerud said, “Practice helps a lot, just kind of being in the same areas that have worked. Just keep finding the spots where the puck’s going in the net. Just keep that ball rolling as much as possible.”

With Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk gone and off the roster now, the younger generation is being thrust into roles as being those next-step players. But Thomas, who is nursing an upper-body injury stemming from the first period on Tuesday where it appeared he was hit on the hand with the puck, looks so much more fluent now that his lingering lower-body injury from last season appears to be behind him.

“He’s the guy here. He’s the heart of this franchise now, so obviously you need to impact the game as much as you possibly can when you’re playing with him and you know that he’s going to make the plays that he is,” Snuggerud said. “I’d say just be ready any time your number’s called with him. It’s been fun to learn to make plays with him.”

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The Blues will be making two lineup changes for Thursday's game, with Nathan Walker coming into the lineup on the fourth line and will replace Jonathan Drouin, who was allowed to go back to New York to grab some more of his belongings and will meet the team back in St. Louis for their game Friday when they host the Edmonton Oilers.

Also, Jordan Binnington gets the start in goal, and Joel Hofer is in line to start against the Oilers.

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The Blues had some business to take care of in Springfield of the American Hockey League on Thursday when they announced the signing of defenseman Calle Rosen to a two-year, two-way contract extension starting with the 2026-27 season($850,000 NHL/$500,000 AHL) and for 2027-28 ($900,000 NHL/$500,000 AHL).

The 32-year-old is in his second stint with the organization after he was acquired from the Washington Capitals on Nov. 3, 2025.

This season, Rosen has 26 points (seven goals, 19 assists) in 46 games with Springfield and seven points (one goal, six assists) in nine games with the AHL Hershey prior to joining the Blues’ organization.

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Dmitry Buchelnikov, a second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft acquired as part of the package for Faulk from the Detroit Red Wings, has signed a one-year extension to remain with CSKA Moskva of the KHL for the 2026-27 season:

The 22-year-old forward, who has 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) in 41 games this season.

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Blues Projected Lineup:

Dylan Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud

Otto Stenberg-Pius Suter-Pavel Buchnevich

Jake Neighbours-Dalibor Dvorsky-Jordan Kyrou

Alexey Toropchenko-Jack Finley-Nathan Walker

Philip Broberg-Logan Mailloux

Theo Lindstein-Colton Parayko

Cam Fowler-Tyler Tucker

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

Healthy scratches include Jonatan Berggren, Jonathan Drouin, Oskar Sundqvist, Justin Holl and Matthew Kessel. The Blues report no injuries.

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Hurricanes Projected Lineup:

Andrei Svechnikov-Sebastian Aho-Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall-Logan Stankoven-Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers-Jordan Staal-Jordan Martinook

William Carrier-Mark Jankowski-Eric Robinson

Jaccob Slavin-Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller-Sean Walker

Mike Reilly-Alexander Nikishin

Brandon Bussi will start in goal; Frederik Andersen will be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Nicolas Deslauriers and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Shayne Gostisbehere (lower body) and Pyotr Kochetkov (lower body) are out.

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