The St. Louis Blues are due to have two forwards returning to the lineup soon. Forward Oskar Sundqvist, who has been recovering from a torn ACL that occurred last March. In addition, Alexandre Texier is expected to return to the lineup soon after sustaining an upper-body injury. While the Blues will be glad to have the 2019 Stanley Cup champion and their newcomer back in the lineup, they will have some decisions to make regarding their roster when both return.
Sundqvist Cleared for Contact and Texier Close to Returning
Sundqvist was cleared for contact on Wednesday. His return is considered to be just days away.
“He’s going through protocol right now,” Blues head coach Drew Bannister said. “It’s definitely probably not week-to-week, more day-to-day. He’s still a little ways away… it might be a little longer, like five to six to seven days, which takes him to later on next week. We’ll see how it goes over the next few days at least.”
It is likely Sundqvist returns to the lineup this coming week. The Blues are still monitoring his progress, as Bannister said, so an exact date for his return is still unknown.
As Texier is “just” dealing with an upper-body injury, the timetable for his return is not as clear. However, it is believed to be soon. Texier was placed on the injured reserve last Monday. Per NHL rules, a player is ineligible to return for at least seven days. This means the earliest Texier can return is this coming Tuesday. However, when Sundqvist and Texier do return, the Blues will have to make a tough decision.
An Eye for an Eye (Or a Forward for a Forward)
With two forwards coming back, the Blues could remove two forwards from the current roster. However, which ones? Zachary Bolduc is a name that pops up right away. While more NHL time can help his development, the return of many veteran pieces may limit Bolduc’s time on the ice. As a result, it may be better for his long-term development to be assigned to the American Hockey League. It is a shame, because the youngster did impress in the preseason.
Nathan Walker and Kasperi Kapanen are other options to leave the roster. The likely candidate may be Walker, who has rotated between the NHL and AHL since joining the Blues. However, the correct candidate is Kapanen. Through four games, he has not registered a point. Furthermore, he was a healthy scratch this past Tuesday for the Blues home opener. In contrast, in order to send Kapanen to the AHL, he will have to go through waivers, meaning another team may claim him. However, that is worth the risk. If there is a player on the forward group who has done the least to keep his spot, it is Kapanen. The Blues brought him back for depth over the summer, and while placing him on waivers is not the ideal solution, it is the best one available should the team look to trim from the forward group.
The Blues Are Carrying Extra Defenceman
If the Blues wanted to part ways with one less forward, they could choose between Bolduc, Kapanen, and Walker and remove a defenceman from the roster. This would still leave the Blues with an extra defenceman on the roster. The team chose to start the season with eight defenceman, so they can afford to give up one.
The obvious choice is Scott Perunovich. His inclusion on the opening-night roster was a surprise. Furthermore, he has not played in a game yet this season. Other defencemen have looked strong to start the season. Perunovich simply does not have a spot on the NHL roster.
Like Kapanen, Perunovich would have to go through waivers in order to be assigned to the AHL. Like Kapanen, this is a risk worth taking for reasons just mentioned. If someone claims Perunovich, wish him luck and move on. If he makes it to the minors, then there is an extra option should the Blues need it down the road.
The Blues Should Roll the Dice Twice
The Blues are a retooling team who are fringe playoff contenders. Much of what they are doing this year is more about building for the 2025-26 season, than it is for this season’s results in the standings. As a result, Bolduc needs to stay on the roster and continue to get NHL experience. Even if his playing time is limited due to the returns of players like Sundqvist and Texier, Bolduc has more to learn by experiencing a full NHL season than by returning to the AHL.
The Blues should roll the dice and place Kapanen and Perunovich on waivers. The best case scenario is there are two additional depth options hanging around in the AHL. The worst case scenario is the Blues have a little extra money to spend in the cap.
In Army We Trust
While we can sit here and debate what the best options are, it is important to remember the final choice lies in the hands of Blues general manager, Doug Armstrong. He is the architect of the 2019 Stanley Cup-winning team and the man who made moves to keep them in the Cup window the few seasons following. Furthermore, he was not afraid to commit to a retool and make the moves needed to begin this transition period. As a result, Blues fans should trust the judgement of their general manager. It will not be an easy choice to make, but it is one he should be trusted with.
Main Photo Credit: Caean Couto – USA TODAY Sports
