Through their season-long struggle with injuries and COVID-19, the Blues have demonstrated individual toughness and a collective drive to succeed.
Credit coach Craig Berube for keeping things together during this chaotic campaign. Credit the team leaders for spurring the club forward while it blended in one fill-in player after another.
The Blues have remained in the playoff chase while playing a man short for several games and leaning heavily on call-ups from Springfield of the American Hockey League.
Somehow, they earned points in eight of nine games (5-1-3) heading into Tuesday night’s game in Dallas.
Maybe, just maybe, this ongoing ordeal will help the Blues strengthen team bonds that began fraying back in the 2020 Bubble Hockey playoffs. Berube’s overarching mandate for his charges is to play for each other.
And they have done that this season.
Center Robert Thomas battled through a nagging injury during his breakout season until he could go no more.
Winger Jordan Kyrou played hurt until another big hit compounded the problem and knocked him out of the lineup.
Forward Brayden Schenn played his usual rugged game while recovering from one injury ... before he got knocked out of action because of a different one.
Captain Ryan O’Reilly jumped right back into the lineup after coming out of COVID protocols. He rushed back onto the ice to help his depleted team.
Winger David Perron, sidelined apparently because of a concussion, tested himself while trying to accelerate his comeback.
Players pushed themselves because the team needed them. Injuries and salary-cap constraints left the Blues with limited options to dress a lineup. They dressed an emergency goaltender in one game, then signed free agent Jon Gillies on the fly.
General manager Doug Armstrong had to spin the personnel wheel again Monday with several roster moves.
Perron landed on long-term injured reserve, something he hoped to avoid. Thomas and Schenn went on injured reserve. Defenseman Justin Faulk and Tyler Bozak came out of COVID-19 protocol and rejoined the lineup against the Stars.
Rookie winger Alexei Toropchenko arrived from the AHL to join all his Springfield colleagues capably filling in for the Blues during their challenging stretch.
The Blues expected big things from elite defensive prospect Scott Perunovich, who needed to scrape off rust and adapt to the pro game after recovering from a shoulder injury.
They knew forward Dakota Joshua fit their style after seeing his sturdy work last season. Berube long has been a fan of veteran AHL winger Nathan Walker, too.
“He works extremely hard,” Berube said. “He plays the same way every shift. You know what you are going to get out of him. He’s a hard-working guy, a competitive guy.”
The injuries gave forward Logan Brown a chance to gain some NHL footing after his frustrating time in Ottawa. Brown, Walker and Joshua combined for seven goals and seven assists before Tuesday's game.
“It’s not just getting the big goals, too, it’s just all the little details, the energy that they are providing, the physicality, coming up there and paying attention to little detail,” O’Reilly said. “It’s impressive to see. It’s a huge reason why we’ve been able to squeak out points and win hockey games.”
When the Blues were closer to full strength, they played a fancier game with skill up and down their lineup. The fill-ins, especially Joshua, Walker and Matthew Peca, gladly have played a simple and direct game to give the team a more familiar look.
“They’re straightforward, they get pucks in deep and they go to work,” Berube said. “That’s really what it boils down to. They’re physical; they have good sticks. A couple of them are good-sized guys, they protect pucks, they are doing job for us that way.”
Toropchenko, another physical winger, has the potential to be that sort of player as well. He made the most of his KHL time last season, then he had a strong camp for the Blues.
So circumstances have forced the Blues back to their basics, which has made life easier for fill-in goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Gillies in recent games.
“Being a hard team to play against in the offensive zone, that’s our identity,” Berube said. “Pressuring pucks on the forecheck, keeping pucks alive. Our (defensemen are) doing a real good job of staying tight on people in the offensive zone and the neutral zone and forcing turnovers and keeping pucks alive for us. That’s a big key to our success.”
If the Blues can get back to mostly full strength this season — full health is nearly impossible in this sport, especially in these times — then passing this lengthy stress test could make the team stronger for the playoff push.
One player after another has been willing to sacrifice. One player after another has stepped up to assume more responsibility. The team embraced a blue-collar mentality.
These are the qualities winning hockey teams possess. These are the traits the Blues developed while rallying from the NHL basement to make their Stanley Cup run.
This is the vibe the Blues have been trying to regain for the past 15 months.
