MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- It’s time to get a look at the big boys for the St. Louis Blues.
A number of them will make their preseason debut on Saturday when the Blues (0-1-1) play their preseason home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks (0-1-0) at 6 p.m. (stlblues.com, Blues app, ESPN 101.1-FM).
Brayden Schenn, Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich, Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler, Jake Neighbours, Oskar Sundqvist and Mathieu Joseph each among those making his preseason debut for the Blues.
“We’re going to start getting more of our veteran players in,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “So we want to start seeing structure, we want to start seeing the habits and details that give us success, building towards our team identity.”
The Blues’ two games against the Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets have seen a number of youthful players getting strong looks, including Justin Carbonneau, a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft (No. 19 overall) playing in his third game in as many days.
“(Otto) Stenberg has really caught my eye, (Hunter) Skinner's caught my eye, (Jakub) Stancl's caught my eye, (Juraj) Pekarcik just coming in has caught my eye, obviously the other two young first-rounders (Dalibor Dvorsky and Carbonneau) have caught my eye,” Montgomery said. “And then the other guy is (Adam) Jiricek. He's been really, really dynamic. He's going to be a good one for us.”
Why Jiricek, a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Dtaft (No. 16 overall)?
“He plays the game, doesn’t matter if it’s a practice or a game, he plays it like he’s having fun,” Montgomery said. “He loves being out there. That’s just that youthful energy. The poise he has, he reminds me of (Sergei) Zubov. The energy he has, I can’t pinpoint the defenseman right now, but he plays it more like a forward. He’s excited. He wants the puck. He wants to be a difference maker. And that’s fun to watch as a coach.”
Pekarcik, a 2023 third-round pick, he’s had some catching up to do this past week after missing the start of camp with a shoulder injury sustained at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase but has caught on quickly.
“I feel really good right now,” Pekarcik said. “A little injury in my shoulder, but now it’s perfect and I’m ready to go.
“I feel really good on the ice. I’m trying to do my best every single day, I’m trying to improve and get something from the older guys. I’m trying to work hard every day.”
It should be a youth line with Pekarcik, who has played in one preseason game previously past season, with the left winger on a line with Dvorsky and Carbonneau.
“I’m very excited for that game; it’s going to be with ‘Dali’ and ‘Carbo,’” Pekarcik said. “I feel like we’re going to be dynamic and really good on the puck, trying our best.
“We need to play a complete game, forecheck, details, good stick on pucks. These small details make (a) big difference.”
“Pekarcik was a little banged up there to start camp, so this is an opportunity,” Montgomery said. “He’s been good this week in practice and then Carbonneau and Dvorsky, it’s another opportunity for them to show us … throughout camp, best players get better through camp. The ones that don’t, don’t end up making the team. We’re starting to see that a little bit, not with those two in particular, but we’re starting to see the difference between the guys who played and the guys who didn’t last year.”
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Blues Projected Lineup:
Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud
Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Mathieu Joseph
Juraj Pekarcik-Dalibor Dvorsky-Justin Carbonneau
Nathan Walker-Oskar Sundqvist-Matt Luff
Cam Fowler-Colton Parayko
Corey Schueneman-Logan Mailloux
Michael Buchinger-Adam Jiricek
Jordan Binnington will start in goal and play two periods; Will Cranley will be the backup and play the third period and beyond, if necessary
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Blackhawks Projected Lineup:
Colton Dach-Ryan Greene-Oliver Moore
Nick Lardis-Jackson Cates-Lukas Reichel
Ilya Mikheyev-Jason Dickinson-Sam Lafferty
Dominic Toninato-Martin Misiak-Gavin Hayes
Kevin Korchinski-Nolan Allan
Matt Grzelyck-Louis Crevier
Ethan Del Mastro-Connor Murphy
Ashton Cumby is an extra defenseman
Spencer Knight is projected to start in goal; Stanislav Berezhnoy is projected to be the backup.