Times are tense around the St. Louis Blues, especially with the news of the day Wednesday being reported my multiple people that the team has the framework of a trade with the Buffalo Sabres that includes long-time defenseman Colton Parayko.
But the schedule doesn’t stop, and the Blues put up another ‘W’ in the win column.
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As first reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Blues and Sabres are in agreement of a trade, that reportedly includes Buffalo’s first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, defenseman Radim Mrtka, along with a first-round pick plus other pieces, the deal hinges on Parayko waiving his full no-trade clause, which he hasn’t done so yet, and I’ve been told that initially, the 11-year veteran is reluctant to do so (that could change by Thursday or Friday):
In the meantime, the Blues continue to motor on, winning their second straight road game after 10 straight losses away from Enterprise Center, and third win in four games after the Olympic break, downing the Seattle Kraken, 3-2, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Robert Thomas had his second one-goal, one-assist game in as many games since returning from a right leg injury/personal reasons; Brayden Schenn with a three-assist game; Logan Mailloux scored in his second straight game and played a career-high 22:52; Dylan Holloway scored his fifth goal in three games this season against Seattle (29-23-9), and Joel Hofer came up large again with 34 saves for the Blues (23-29-9), who have scored three or more goals in nine of the past 10 games.
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Let’s go into Wednesday’s game observations:
* Thomas looks motivated – You think Thomas doesn’t hear all this trade talk surrounding, not only him but several other Blues key cogs? You bet he does. And just how much do you think it’s motivating him right now? Plenty.
For the second straight game since having a right leg procedure done, Thomas put up two points and has two goals and two assists since returning. He looks healthy, smooth and fluent in his game, and it was his goal that turned out to be the game-winner when he took a smooth pass from Schenn in the slot and whipped a one-timer past Philipp Grubauer to make it 3-1 at 1:33 of the third period:
Thomas played 16:53 and had four shot attempts (two on goal) and won 10 of 16 face-offs (63 percent) and was on the ice late taking draws when the Blues were killing a 6-on-4 late in the game trying to preserve a one-goal lead.
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* Look out for Mailloux – Keep the temperament to a minimum. Let’s allow the 22-year-old to continue to cook, but that’s what’s been happening for the defenseman.
Not only did he score for the second straight game on this wraparound that tied the game 1-1 at 6:50 of the first period, but he logged an NHL career-high 22:52 and played 20-plus minutes for the third straight game:
I’ll have more on a separate story on Mailloux on Thursday, but it’s evident that this kid is becoming more assertive and confident in what he’s doing on the ice, and what he told me was it’s stemming from killing plays in the D-zone and doing things defensively that’s leading to other aspects of his game.
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Mailloux was a plus-1, the fourth straight game in which he’s a plus (plus-5 total) and was second to only Holloway (six) in shots on goal with four (on seven attempts); his ice time in the game was second to only Philip Broberg’s 26:19.
Is he finally starting to turn a corner here? Let’s see if it continues moving forward, but as a fan, you have to be encouraged that this has been a stretch of games going back to prior to the Olympic break that Mailloux’s game has started to change for the better.
* Holloway loves him some ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ – Holloway is up to 12 goals on the season now, and his redirection of a Cam Fowler thread-the-needle pass to the crease at 7:40 of the second period that gave the Blues a 2-1 lead was his fourth against the Kraken in less than a week – he had a hat trick in a 5-1 Blues win over Seattle at home on Feb. 26 – and fifth of the season after scoring on them in November:
So nearly 50 percent of his goals this season have come against one team, but it was another game in which ‘Hollywood’ Holloway was noticeable on the ice with his speed and aggressive play around the puck at both ends of the ice, playing 16:12 in the game (plus-1). And as evidenced by the video, his determination to drive to the net after giving up the puck at the O-zone blue line is another example of a player playing injury free and doing things that was lacking by this group when it was struggling.
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* The captain bringing it again – His name is one that has been floated around in the rumor mill going back to last season, and it’s one of the names running rampant again as this year’s NHL Trade Deadline is nearing on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. (CT) but no matter the circumstances, he’s bringing it again.
The alpha in the room and on the ice had a hand in all three goals and had his second three-point game of the season. As he indicated prior to departing on this current three-game trip, players just need to put their heads down and go to work and let things fall into place with Friday’s deadline looming.
Schenn played 14:24 and has four assists his past two games and was a plus-2 Wednesday with three shots on goal.
* Hot Hofer – Honestly, I didn’t like the goal scored by former Blue Jaden Schwartz just 31 seconds into the game that made it 1-0 Seattle. It came off a wrister from the right point by Adam Larsson that I thought Hofer could have done better with his rebound control and put it right into the path of Schwartz instead of off to the side or into the corner, but boy did he hold the fort down after that, especially in the third period.
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There’s nothing he could do on another goal by a former Blue, Vince Dunn, in the third period on a slot shot that cut it to 3-2 with 6:26 to play, but Hofer was in control of his crease throughout and made 15 saves in the third period. He had to be especially sharp when Justin Faulk airmailed a backhand over the glass for delay of game with 2:06 to play and Seattle playing with a 6-on-4 situation in a one-goal game.
Hofer, who has won all three starts coming out of the break allowing just four goals, gloved Brandon Montour’s dart from the point with five seconds left in regulation to preserve the lead and ultimately, win the game.
Hofer has a 1.33 goals-against average and .952 save percentage in the three starts coming out of the break.
Are we seeing the changing of the guard with him and Jordan Binnington? Sort of seems that way, doesn’t it? Or at least they’re giving the 1B coming into the season more runway, at least.
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