Blues Forward Toropchenko Returns, Two Others Sidelined for Penguins Game

The St. Louis Blues will have Alexey Toropchenko back in the lineup for tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but will be without forwards Jake Neighbours and Robert Thomas.

Toropchenko is set to play his second game of the season – after appearing in the season opener against Minnesota – having missed the last seven games due to injury. He is expected to center the fourth line alongside Nick Bjugstad and Nathan Walker. Head Coach Jim Montgomery highlighted Toropchenko’s impact, stating, “Torps is one of those guys, I think he drew most of our penalties last year, so that’s going to help, but his speed, his tenacity on pucks. He has a great defensive stick. Another top-end penalty killer to add to our lineup.”

Neighbours and Thomas are both considered day-to-day with injuries, prompting a reshuffling of the Blues’ forward lines. As a result, Pius Suter will move up to the top center position, flanked by Pavel Buchnevich and Jimmy Snuggerud. The loss of key forwards like Thomas and Neighbours impacts the team’s offensive depth, especially as they navigate a competitive Central Division. Alexandre Texier will also re-enter the lineup alongside Toropchenko. Montgomery acknowledged the impact of the absences, saying, “We’re missing two of our top nine forwards, so it impacts our depth of scoring, but the mentality of our team’s going to be the same: we’re going to check our [butts] off.” You can find more information about the St. Louis Blues on the official NHL website.

Tonight’s game between the Blues and Penguins is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT at PPG Paints Arena. Montgomery indicated the team will continue to evaluate Neighbours and Thomas’s conditions moving forward, and a further update will be provided after the game.