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St Louis Blues News

Joel Hofer will make his first start of the season Thursday vs. Arizona.

Hofer will make his season debut for the Blues tonight against the Arizona Coyotes. Heading into the season, many believed that Hofer might give Jordan Binnington a run for the starting position, but Binnington has been lights out, posting a 0.92 GAA and .969 SV% in two games (1-0-1). There is still plenty of time for Hofer to outperform Binnington throughout the season, forfronted with a good opportunity to record his first victory tonight as the Blues are -109 home favourites. Last season, Hofer posted a 3.22 GAA and .905 SV% in six games with the Blues (3-1-1).

Joel Hofer
Joel Hofer was the first goalie off the ice at morning skate Thursday.

Hofer will likely make his season debut for the Blues tonight against the Arizona Coyotes. Heading into the season, many believed that Hofer might give Jordan Binnington a run for the starting position, but Binnington has been lights out, posting a 0.92 GAA and .969 SV% in two games (1-0-1). There is still plenty of time for Hofer to outperform Binnington throughout the season, forfronted with a good opportunity to record his first victory tonight as the Blues are -109 home favourites. Last season, Hofer posted a 3.22 GAA and .905 SV% in six games with the Blues (3-1-1).

Joel Hofer
Pavel Buchnevich (upper body) will be out Thursday vs. Arizona.

Buchnevich has been officially ruled out for the Blues' Thursday night matchup against the Arizona Coyotes. Despite being held without a point or shot in his two games played this season, the talented Russian winger will unquestionably return to the top line and top powerplay unit for the Blues when he is ready to play.

Pavel Buchnevich
Pavel Buchnevich (upper-body) is day-to-day and doubtful for Thursday vs. Nashville.

Buchnevich's status for Thursday night remains unlikely but he seems to be progressing towards a return as he recovers from an upper-body injury. In his two games played this season, Buchnevich has been ineffective, being held without a point or shot on goal. He should slot back onto the top line and top powerplay unit when he returns to the lineup.

Pavel Buchnevich
Binnington will start Saturday vs. the Kraken.

Binnington allowed one goal on 34 shots in the Blues' overtime loss in Dallas on Thursday. It was an outstanding start to the season for Binnington, who had the worst season of his career in 2022-23. Tonight he'll face the Kraken, who he was 1-1-0 with a 3.49 GAA and .883 SV% against last season.

Jordan Binnington
Binnington will likely start Saturday vs. the Kraken.

Binnington allowed one goal on 34 shots in the Blues' overtime loss in Dallas on Thursday. It was an outstanding start to the season for Binnington, who had the worst season of his career in 2022-23. Tonight he'll face the Kraken, who he was 1-1-0 with a 3.49 GAA and .883 SV% against last season.

Jordan Binnington
Robby Fabbri is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury and is expected to miss Saturday's game vs. Tampa Bay.

Fabbri is not expected to be out long-term but will be unavailable on Saturday after suffering an undisclosed injury in the Red Wings' first game of the season. In 14:44 time-on-ice, Fabbri scored a powerplay goal and recorded two shots on goal. Fabbri suited up on the second line alongside JT Compher and Lucas Raymond and could be replaced by Michael Rasmussen in his absence.

Robby Fabbri
Binnington will start in Dallas on Thursday.

Binnington is the likely starting goalie in the Blues' season opener against the Dallas Stars. His stats have declined each year since leading the Blues to the Stanley Cup and reached career-worsts in 2022-23, where he posted a 3.31 GAA and .894 SV% in 61 games (27-27-6). Binnington, who has an annual cap hit of $6 million, will presumably receive the lionshare of time in the crease but any mistep could prompt rookie Joel Hofer to get a more thorough look between the pipes. Binnington lost both contests against the Stars last season (0-2-0) despite a strong 2.04 GAA and .930 SV%. That said, the Blues are +186 road underdogs against the Stars.

Jordan Binnington
Jordan Binnington was the first goalie off the ice at the Blues' morning skate.

Binnington is the likely starting goalie in the Blues' season opener against the Dallas Stars. His stats have declined each year since leading the Blues to the Stanley Cup and reached career-worsts in 2022-23, where he posted a 3.31 GAA and .894 SV% in 61 games (27-27-6). Binnington, who has an annual cap hit of $6 million, will presumably receive the lionshare of time in the crease but any mistep could prompt rookie Joel Hofer to get a more thorough look between the pipes. Binnington lost both contests against the Stars last season (0-2-0) despite a strong 2.04 GAA and .930 SV%. That said, the Blues are +186 road underdogs against the Stars.

Jordan Binnington
The Red Wings assigned Jonatan Berggren to Grand Rapids (AHL).

After an impressive first year in North America, scoring 64 points (21G / 43A) in 70 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL, Berggren became a regular in the lineup for the Red Wings last season where he recorded 28 points (15G / 13A) in 67 games. The talented winger will begin his campaign in the AHL but will likely make his way into the Red Wings roster at some point this season.

Jonatan Berggren
Vancouver has signed Pius Suter to a two-year, $3.2 million contract ($1,600,000 AAV).

Suter had 14 goals, 10 assists, six PIMs, 106 SOG, and a -3 plus/minus in 79 games played with Detroit in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $3.2 million contract ($1,600,000 AAV). The 27-year-old undrafted Swiss center came over to the NHL in 2020-21 and has 43 goals, 87 points, and 384 SOG in 216 career games across three seasons. He should provide much needed depth up the middle for the Canucks.

Pius Suter
St.Louis has signed Alexei Toropchenko to a two-year, 2.5 million contract extension ($1,250,000 AAV).

Toropchenko had 10 goals, nine assists, 86 SOG, 12 PIMs and a +6 plus/minus through 69 games with St. Louis in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, 2.5 million contract extension ($1,250,000 AAV). The 24-year-old towering right-winger was a fourth-round pick in 2017 (113th overall) by St.Louis and has 12 goals, 21 points and 129 SOG through 97 career NHL games.

Alexey Toropchenko
St. Louis has signed Dalibor Dvorsky to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Dvorsky was St.Louis' 2023 first-round pick (10th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blues. The 18-year-old Slovakian forward had six goals, eight assists, 16 PIMs and a -19 plus/minus through 38 games with AIK of the HockeyAllsvenskan League. He is currently expected to play for IK Oskarshamn of the SHL in 2023-24.

Dalibor Dvorsky
Los Angeles has signed Akil Thomas to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV.

Thomas had five goals, three assists, and a eight PIMs through 13 injury filled games with Ontario (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV to stay in Los Angeles. The 23-year-old forward was Los Angeles 2018 second-round pick (51st overall) and has yet to make his NHL debut.

Akil Thomas
Hugh McGing has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension ($775,000/$140,000) with St. Louis.

McGing had 17 goals, 22 assists, 66 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 71 games with Springfield (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension ($775,000/$140,000) with St. Louis. The 24-year-old centre was St.Louis 2018 fifth-round pick (138th overall) and has appeared in one NHL games in his career.

Hugh McGing
The Coyotes have signed Nick Bjugstad to a two-year contract worth $4.2 million ($2.1M AAV).

Bjugstad had 23 points (13G / 10A) in 59 games with Arizona last season before being traded to the Oilers at the deadline, where he added another six points (4G / 2A) in 19 games. The 6-6, 209 lbs. centre provides some stability and a veteran presence in the Coyotes middle-6, but has not had more than 29 points in a season since 2018.

Nick Bjugstad
The Red Wings signed Matt Luff to a one-year, two-way contract.

Luff spent most of the 2023 season in the AHL, but had four points (2G / 2A) and 22 hits in 19 games with the Red Wings. Luff will be a bubble player heading into the 2024 and could start the season back in Grand Rapids, where he had 25 points (8G / 17A) in 28 games last season.

Matt Luff
The Blues signed Tyler Tucker to a two-year deal worth $1.6 million ($800K AAV).

Tucker was a seventh-round pick in 2018 and made his NHL debut in 2023, appearing in 26 games for the Blues. He picked up one goal and three assists (four points). During his time in Springfield (AHL), the 23-year-old defenseman had 21 points (3G / 18A) in 41 games.

Tyler Tucker