St Louis Blues (0-0-0) at Winnipeg Jets (0-0-0)
Venue: Canada Life Centre
Date: Tonight – Saturday, April 19th
Time: 5:00 pm CST
TV: Sportsnet, CBC, TVAS, TNT, truTV, Max
Radio: 680 CJOB (Winnipeg) & 101 ESPN (St. Louis)
DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Lines:
St. Louis Blues +1.5 ML +160
Winnipeg Jets -1.5 ML -192
O/U 5.5
Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster
St. Louis Blues News & Notes:
The St. Louis Blues have returned to the postseason for the first time in three seasons. The Blues shape up as the most dangerous wild-card team in the playoffs.
Recently, the Blues sent down 2023 first-round pick Dalibor Dvorsky to their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, ahead of the Thunderbirds’ Calder Cup Playoffs run.
The Blues get their top centre, Robert Thomas, back ahead of the playoffs after he exited their season finale against Utah. The question for the Blues is now whether Thomas is healthy enough to compete at the level that is demanded in the playoffs.
Related: Winnipeg Jets vs St. Louis Blues Series Preview
Winnipeg Jets News & Notes:
A Presidents’ Trophy, a couple of key players re-signed, and a mostly healthy Winnipeg Jets team. Gabriel Vilardi has recently begun skating, meaning his status is something to look at as every day passes.
Connor Hellebuyck rolls into this game after narrowly missing the goaltender quadruple crown in the major statistical categories after Anthony Stolarz beat him out in save percentage. It could be a sign that Hellebuyck could have more fire in his belly heading into game one against St. Louis.
St. Louis Blues Projected Lines
Jake Neighbours – Robert Thomas – Pavel Buchnevich
Jimmy Snuggerud – Brayden Schenn – Jordan Kyrou
Mathieu Joseph – Oskar Sundqvist – Zack Bolduc
Alexey Toropchenko – Radek Faska – Nathan Walker
Cam Fowler – Colton Parayko
Philip Broberg – Justin Faulk
Ryan Suter – Nick Leddy
Jordan Binnington
Joel Hofer
Winnipeg Jets Projected Lines
Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Alex Iafallo
Nino Niederreiter – Vladislav Namestnikov – Cole Perfetti
Brandon Tanev – Adam Lowry – Mason Appleton
David Gustafsson – Morgan Barron – Jaret Anderson-Dolan
Josh Morrissey – Dylan DeMelo
Dylan Samberg – Neal Pionk
Logan Stanley – Luke Schenn
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie
Players To Watch:
St. Louis Blues
Jordan Binnington will be looking to put his stamp on game one of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but that doesn’t go without saying that he’ll need significant help from the players in front of him. Since the 4-Nations break, Binnington has been on a tear, and he’s known to elevate his game in big moments. So, why wouldn’t 2025 be the same for Binnington?
Jordan Kyrou has been a big player for the Blues all season, and the playoffs will be a moment of reliance on him from the Blues. Jim Montgomery will be looking up and down his lineup, and Kyrou might be first on the list for whom Montgomery will call upon first.
Pavel Buchnevich will be looking to put a mark of his own on this year’s playoffs. After posting just 57 points (20G, 37A) this season, Buchnevich will be looking to make more of an impact in the postseason. I noted in my series preview that Buchnevich is one of those players who hasn’t quite defined his role, but one massive outburst performance in the playoffs could change that tune immediately.
Winnipeg Jets
Cole Perfetti has always been one of my players to watch, but it’s time for one of the Jets’ players who aren’t a household name already to become a household name. Perfetti, given his tendency to have a big moment or two every game, will be looking to solidify that mark and elevate the Jets’ scoring when called upon will be a massive factor for Winnipeg in game one.
Dylan Samberg, like Perfetti, will be a player who isn’t a household name already, looking to become one. Samberg has constantly elevated his game into a strong top-four role since the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and 2025 could be another massive step in his game.
Connor Hellebuyck is coming off of narrowly missing the quadruple crown in the major goaltender statistical categories. Hellebuyck has secured his second consecutive Jennings trophy and is the odds-on favourite to win the Vezina again, and he may add a Hart Trophy to the conversation, but is that all a distraction for game one of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against St. Louis?
Injury Report:
St. Louis Blues
C Dylan Holloway, Out – LBI, Week-to-Week
D Torey Krug – LTIR – Ankle
Winnipeg Jets
RW Gabriel Vilardi – IR – UBI, Day-to-Day
C Rasmus Kupari – Out, Concussion, Day-to-Day
RW Nikolaj Ehlers – Out, Foot, Week-to-Week
Next game
St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets, April 21st, 6:30 pm CST, at Canada Life Centre
ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again – Inside The Rink
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