The St. Louis Blues are sitting in the bottom half of the Central Division standings through seven games. It's far from the start this team envisioned in their head. And it's certainly not the start they wanted. But, it is only seven games. There is still time for the Blues to turn things around and contend for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
To do that, though, St. Louis may need to rely on a few breakout candidates stepping up. This isn't anything new for this team. In fact, their Stanley Cup victory in 2019 wouldn't have been possible without a breakout season. Jordan Binnington's play in goal got them into the playoffs. And he played well enough to get the Blues into Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Let's be clear: a breakout season this year likely won't bring them a Stanley Cup. But, it could put them in the playoffs while giving them hope for more to come in the future. With this in mind, here are a few St. Louis Blues breakout candidates for fans to consider as the season progresses.
Alexey Toropchenko
Alexey Toropchenko hasn't produced a ton of offense so far in his career. Just last season, he scored 19 points in 69 games. However, he is still young enough that some offense can come around. Combine that with his size and checking ability, and there could be something interesting here.
Toropchenko stands six-foot-six and entered the league as a fourth-round pick in 2017. For his height, he has rather impressive skating ability. And he is rather sound in his own end, being able to block shots, collect rebounds, and begin the transition up the ice. His defensive abilities alone make him one to watch.
However, the Blues aren't the best scoring team. And while Toropchenko is not an offensive dynamo, there could be an avenue for him to receive more opportunities if the team still can't figure things out offensively. If not, then he can still breakout as a reliable middle-six defense-first winger who can chip in the occasional goal. There's a lot of value in players like that, even if they aren't the flashiest guys on the ice.
Joel Hofer
Binnington stole the show in 2019, helping the Blues win their first Stanley Cup. Joel Hofer probably won't have the same immediate impact, but he could still have an impact. And who knows, he could take the reigns in goal sooner rather than later in St. Louis.
Hofer played well in his first two games, recording a .913 save percentage. His best start was his most recent, coming a few days ago against the Calgary Flames. He stopped all 27 shots against him to record his first career NHL shutout. He is the third youngest goalie to record a shutout in Blues franchise history, according to NHL Public Relations.
The 23-year-old, a former fourth-round pick like Alexey Toropchenko, has a lot of room to grow. If Binnignton shows signs of inconsistency, they could give Hofer more opportunities in goal. And if he can play like he did recently against the Flames, St. Louis could catch an early glimpse of their future between the pipes.
Jake Neighbours
Jake Neighbours has a bit of a different backstory to the other two on this list. Neighbours entered the league as a first-round pick back in 2020. He has been seen as one of the team's top prospects in recent years. And yet, his first taste of NHL action has left a bit to be desired.
Injuries certainly played a factor in 2022-23. However, the 21-year-old scored just 10 points in 43 games. That's a far cry from the type of production you expect out of a former first-round pick. And it's a worrying statline when you're talking about one of your top prospects.
The silver lining here is that the Calgary native is still extremely young. He is 21 years old. There is a lot of time for him to figure things out. And that could begin this season. If Neighbours finds his game, he could form a very fearsome trio alongside Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou.
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