Yahoo Sports (11-19-24) Minnesota Wild-St. Louis Blues Gameday Lineup
ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues (8-10-1) open an abbreviated two-game homestand on Tuesday when they entertain the Minnesota Wild (11-3-3) at 7 p.m. (HULU, ESPN+, ESPN 101.1-FM) and get a welcomed addition back.
Robert Thomas returns to the lineup after missing the past 12 games with a fractured right ankle and the Blues will get creative with their No. 1 center by using him on the point of the team's top power-play unit.
"It's something I haven't done in a little while," Thomas said. "I liked the way we moved out there. I thought we created a lot of chances. I'm excited to try it in the game tonight."
Thomas was on the unit with Justin Faulk, Pavel Buchnevich, Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours.
"It's just a little bit of an adjustment that we're going to make," Blues coach Drew Bannister said. "I think you're going to see a lot more movement up top. He probably won't end up there all the time, but there's going to be a little bit more movement, but he'll start there."
Thomas, who was averaging 20:33 of ice time when he left the lineup, won't take the cautious approach upon his return.
"Being the guy you know you can be. That's pretty much it," he said. "You can't get too complicated, too fancy early. You've got to get back into the rhythm of the game. It's tough being out for so long. Today was my first real practice with the guys. It's going to take a little bit but keeping it simple early will be important."
Bannister said it will be addressed, however.
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With Thomas returning, the Blues placed Kasperi Kapanen on waivers Monday and he was claimed by the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, so the Blues rid themselves of $1 million in cap space.
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Defenseman P.O. Joseph, who suffered a lower-body injury last Thursday in Buffalo, was on the ice Tuesday but will miss a third straight game.
"He's kind of day to day. He's real close too," Bannister said of Joseph. "It's probably less than we thought it was when the initial injury (occurred), so that's a good sign. But I think he's going to be very close."
That means Corey Schueneman will remain in for at least one more game.
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A couple of surprises include both Oskar Sundqvist and Mathieu Joseph being healthy scratches for the game tonight.
Sundqvist, who is coming off right ACL surgery and still getting acclimated again, took a couple untimely penalties on the road trip, one a goalie interference in Buffalo in the final minute of regulation of a 3-3 game the Blues ultimately lost 4-3 in overtime and another at the end of the first period Sunday that led to the tying goal of a 4-1 loss at Carolina.
Zack Bolduc, a healthy scratch three of the past four games, re-enters the lineup.
"It's a coaching decision," Bannister said regarding Sundqvist and Mathieu Joseph. "My conversations with them, I'll just keep it to us."
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The Blues are hosting 2019 Stanley Cup superfan Laila Anderson and kids from St. Louis Children's Hospital today for Laila’s Make-A-Wish during the morning skate and game against the Wild.
Anderson's wish is to give back to the community by providing patients at St. Louis Children’s Hospital a memorable experience with the Blues.
Blues defenseman Colton Parayko will serve as the host for this wish.
Anderson is hosting two groups of patients:
Morning Skate: A group of five patients from St. Louis Children’s Hospital that included photos with Louie, watching the Blues morning skate, a meet-and-greet with Parayko and Sundqvist, lunch with Blues Hall of Famer Bernie Federko, Chris Kerber and Joey Vitale and a group photo.
Blues Game: Two patients and their families in suite 264 at the Blues game that includes fist bumps for players as they come onto the ice for the pregame warmup, a visit from Louie and the Blue Crew, a first-intermission interview and postgame meet-and-greet with Parayko and Binningon (tentatively).
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Blues Projected Lineup:
Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jordan Kyrou
Brandon Saad-Brayden Schenn-Jake Neighbours
Zack Bolduc-Dylan Holloway-Alexandre Texier
Alexey Toropchenko-Radek Faksa-Nathan Walker
Ryan Suter-Colton Parayko
Corey Schueneman-Justin Faulk
Scott Perunovich-Matthew Kessel
Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.
Healhy scratches include Oskar Sundqvist and Mathieu Joseph. Robert Thomas (ankle), Nick Leddy (lower body), Philip Broberg (knee) and Pierre-Olivier Joseph (lower body) are out.
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Wild Projected Lineup:
Kirill Kaprizov-Joel Eriksson Ek-Matt Boldy
Marcus Johansson-Marco Rossi-Ryan Hartman
Marcus Foligno-Frederick Gaudreau-Yakov Trenin
Jakub Lauko-Marat Khusnutdinov-Ben Jones
Jake Middleton-Brock Faber
Jonas Brodin-Jared Spurgeon
Declan Chisholm-Zach Bogosian
Filip Gustavsson will start in goal; Marc-Andre Fleury will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Jon Merrill and Devin Shore. Mats Zuccarello (lower body) is out.
