Could Blues Recall Top Prospect?

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- In light of Doug Armstrong’s disclosure of placing veteran forward Brandon Saad on waivers Tuesday, St. Louis Blues fans immediately turned their attentions to Dalibor Dvorsky, or any other young player as a potential move to start the funnel of prospects on the way to St. Louis.

Well, the Blues’ general manager said don’t hold your breath.

At least for now.

“What we don’t want to do, and we talk about this and it’s a true belief, we don’t want to put players in positions to fail,” Armstrong said on a potential recall of Dvorsky, the No. 10 pick of the 2023 NHL Draft. “… I’m not sure bringing any of those young players up here right now would benefit them long term, but that could change in a week.”

Blues coach Jim Montgomery, who put his team through a hard practice on Tuesday that has a history of working with younger players in both previous stints with the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins, agreed.

“I do. Doug and his staff know those players a lot better than us coaches do,” Montgomery said. “We work with the players that we work with daily. I do know, and I always believe this, it doesn’t matter what level, no matter (if it’s) junior hockey, college hockey, you look at the American [Hockey] League and you go to the NHL, no one has ever arrived too late to a league, but a lot of people have arrived too early, and it can affect your confidence. And then it’s a battle to get that back. I think Army’s been through this so many times and so many great prospects and first-round picks, I think he knows the right path.”

After having a terrific showing at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dvorsky has 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 36 games for Springfield of the AHL.

"That's a streaky bunch down there," Armstrong said of the Thunderbirds, who are 19-17-2-2 but 6-3-0-1 their past 10 games. "They've dealt with a lot of injuries, they're playing pretty good right now."

Meanwhile, the focus will be more internally.

“For right now, I’d like to see what [Alexandre] Texier can do,” Armstrong said. “As our season has gone, we’ve taken insertive note and taken out that level of player, that part of our lineup really to no change above it. So right now, let’s just settle in with a group of guys and play and see what they can do. Our pro scouts saw something in Texier and now I’d like to see what they saw and give him an opportunity.”

Texier, 25, a healthy scratch the past five games who has been in and out of the lineup that’s played in just 24 games this season (eight points; three goals, five assists), was acquired by the Blues from the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 29. There just hasn’t been much traction there, and once he has gained some, either injury or in the last case, sickness, set the forward back.

“I think there’s a lot there in Texier,” Montgomery said. “Right before Christmas, he had those three games in a row where he was really good, and unfortunately, got sick and the rhythm has never come back. He had a real good game in the Winter Classic and it’s the inconsistency from game to game and what we can expect from individuals has translated into the team. I don’t know if that’s individuals affecting the team more or the team affecting individuals, and that’s where we, especially myself as a coach, need to figure that out.”

Also, that means Zack Bolduc and Mathieu Joseph will remain mainstays in the lineup. Each has been healthy-scratched throughout the season as well.