The St. Louis Blues have announced that forward Nathan Walker has been recalled from their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Walker fills the open spot on the Blues’ roster that was created by yesterday’s reassignment of Mackenzie MacEachern. MacEachern had been on the Blues’ NHL roster since early December and played in a total of eight games for the Blues. They went 5-3 in that span, but after consecutive losses it appears St. Louis has opted to make a change.
Replacing MacEachern is Walker, a veteran of 111 NHL games who has not yet dressed for the Blues in 2023-24. Walker stands just five-foot-nine compared to MacEachern’s six-foot-two, though he offers more recent NHL experience. Walker played 56 NHL games for the Blues last season, while MacEachern’s last extended NHL run came in 2019-20.
Walker won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals, and has been excellent in the AHL this season. He has 13 goals and 29 points for the Thunderbirds, and he leads the team in points scoring. The reward for his success in Springfield is this call-up, and he’ll likely skate on the Blues’ fourth line alongside Sammy Blais and Oskar Sundqvist.
Walker > MacEachern. By far.