The St Louis Blues are not off to a great start in the 2025-26 NHL season as they enter a transitional phase. Younger players are the center of attention in Missouri, but two are now on the sideline. The Blues will be without Jimmy Snuggerud and Alexey Toropchenko for extended periods for very different reasons.
“St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today that forward Jimmy Snuggerud has suffered a left-wrist injury that will require surgery. Snuggerud will be placed on injured reserve and re-evaluated in six weeks,” a team statement read.
Snuggerud was the Blues' first-round pick in 2022 and proceeded to put together three stellar seasons at the University of Minnesota. His 51 points in 40 games for the Gophers last season made him St Louis' top prospect. He has six goals and nine assists in 33 career games.
But the wilder injury came to Toropchenko. “In addition, the Blues have listed forward Alexey Toropchenko as week-to-week after he sustained scalding burns to his legs in a home accident,” the statement read.
Toropchenko has become a solid bottom-six forward for the Blues, with 62 points in 276 games in his career. A former fourth-round pick, he can become a big part of the rebuild in St Louis. But this season has been sidelined by a freak accident.
This is not the first off-ice injury to have a significant impact on a team this season. Jack Hughes is out after a hand injury sustained at a team dinner. Later on in November, Eetu Luostarinen of the Florida Panthers was put on the shelf for a barbecue incident.
The Blues have 25 points out of 26 games, which is the fourth-worst total in the Western Conference. They have a long way to go before getting into playoff contention. Now, without two of their key forwards, it is a real uphill climb.
