First look at Mathieu, P.O. Joseph, each acquired by St. Louis in offseason; Buchnevich, Neighbours headline first look at Blues lineup for 2024-25
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- The puck will drop for the St. Louis Blues for the first time in the 2024-25 season when they open preseason play against the Dallas Stars today at 6 p.m. at American Airlines Center (Blues App, stlouisblues.com, Victory+, ESPN 101.1-FM).
It will be the first look for newcomers Mathieu and P.O. Joseph in the Blues lineup. Each was acquired this past offseason, Mathieu in a trade from the Ottawa Senators for future considerations, and P.O. signed as an unrestricted free agent from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"You notice [Mathieu's] speed right away," Blues coach Drew Bannister said. "I think he's a player that's going to fill a role, especially on the PK. Maybe lighten the load on some of our top six guys. We have a lot of guys that can move up and down the lineup and we have a lot of guys that can kill now, and he's going to be one of them. Watching some of the games in Ottawa, he creates a lot of chaos, he creates a lot of breakaways for himself just with his speed.
"Love the way [P.O.] skates, love the size, long, defends well. We'll give him an opportunity. I've seen him play a lot in the American (Hockey) League. He's a player that gets up in the play, he's very involved in the offense, he can run a power play. Giving him an opportunity to run one of the power play units here today and I expect a guy that's going to be moving pucks, getting up in the play and get involved in the offense."
- - -
Pavel Buchnevich, who signed a six-year, $48 million extension this summer, headline's the Blues' roster tonight and will open a season at center for the first time, centering a line between Zack Bolduc and Jake Neighbours.
The Blues have said they will look at Buchnevich hard at making the transition to the center position and will not do it in-season or late in a season.
This is by design.
"Last year I kind of don't know where I'm going to be, but right now, we kind of set the tone," Buchnevich said. "We're going to try that stuff right away. I'm kind of excited. We'll see."
"I think it's important that he gets touches at center," Bannister said of Buchnevich. "If the plan is at the end of the day that he starts there at center, then it's important to get him there. It's not written in stone. He can play wing, and that's going to be pretty comfortable for him if we move him from there. But the way he finished last year, we want to get him back in at center and give him some touches there."
- - -
The Blues, who also play on Sunday in Des Moines, Iowa against the Utah Hockey Club, are taking a mixed lineup to Dallas, wanting and needing to get a live look at their younger guys.
The NHL requires each lineup to field eight NHL-experienced players, so there will be familiar players on hand, but a number of the younger guys get a first and necessary look.
"That's important for our young guys to be able to play in these games and see where they're at," Bannister said. "You get to see them in development camp, you get to see them in a rookie tournament playing against their peers, but now they get to go out and play against NHL players and play against men. It's a good opportunity for those kids to go out and get involved in it and see how it is.
"With two days of practice, I don't think our stress is going to be so much on structure. It's going to be a lot of identity things, things that don't require skill, track, reload, guys finishing their checks, guys taking hits to make plays, good line changes. Just habits, details in our game."
- - -
Blues projected lineup:
Zack Bolduc-Pavel Buchnevich-Jake Neighbours
Mathieu Joseph-Zach Dean-Kasperi Kapanen
Alexey Toropchenko-Nikita Alexandrov-MacKenzie MacEachern
Hugh McGing-Jakub Stancl-Marcus Sylvegard
P.O. Joseph-Samuel Johannessen
Matt Mayich-Tyler Tucker
Quinton Burns-Will McIsaac
Jordan Binnington is projected to start in goal and play one period; Colten Ellis is expected to be the backup and play the final two periods.
- - -
Stars roster:
Forwards -- Oskar Beck, Logan Stankoven, Jamie Benn, Colin Blackwell, Cole Lind, Mavrik Bourque, Matej Blumel, Mason Marchment, Cameron Hughes, Emilio Petterson, Emil Hemming, Justin Hryckowian, Wyatt Johnston, Evgenii Dadonov.
Defensemen -- Matt Dumba, Miro Heiskanen, Nils Lundkvist, Lian Bichsel, Kyle Capobianco, Alex Petrovic, Thomas Harley.
Goalies -- Casey DeSmith, Magnus Hellberg.
