Blues Activate Oskar Sundqvist From Injured Reserve, Recall Matt Luff
1/30/26: The Blues once again recalled Luff from AHL Springfield under emergency conditions, restoring the recall they made, and then reversed, yesterday. The move fills the roster spot they opened when they reassigned Luff as part of the series of transactions they made that activated Sundqvist off of IR.
Luff has had a strong season so far, scoring 33 points in 33 games at the AHL level. That’s earned him the chance to dress for five NHL games, where he’s scored one goal and averaged 9:08 time on ice per game.
1/29/26: The Blues announced Thursday that they’ve activated center Oskar Sundqvist from injured reserve. As previously reported, St. Louis assigned wingers Matt Luff and Hugh McGing to AHL Springfield in the corresponding moves after recalling them under emergency conditions just this morning, leaving them with an open roster spot.
Whether or not Sundqvist enters the lineup tonight against the Panthers remains to be seen. He was labeled as a game-time decision this morning by head coach Jim Montgomery alongside top-six wingers Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours (via NHL.com’s Lou Korac). Returning Luff and McGing to Springfield indicates the Blues have certainty that at least two of those names will be available. Considering Sundqvist has been a healthy scratch on a few occasions this season, though, he may still be outside of the lineup if all three are healthy.
The 31-year-old’s stay on IR was brief. He landed there last Friday and ended up missing four games with an ankle laceration that he sustained on Jan. 18 against the Oilers. With that, the healthy scratches and a lower-body injury that kept him on the shelf for the first couple of weeks of the season, Sundqvist has been limited to 39 out of 53 possible contests in 2025-26.
Now in his 11th NHL season and second stint with the Blues, Sundqvist remains an all-situations pivot who’s anchored the fourth line between Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker for a decent portion of the campaign. He’s flexed into both the Blues’ second penalty-killing and power-play units when needed and is averaging 13:20 of ice time per game, right in line with his career average.
While he hasn’t been in the Blues’ lineup every night, he’s still been reasonably productive in his depth role for a St. Louis squad that struggles to score. He’s managed three goals and 10 assists for 13 points in 39 games, a pace of 0.33 per game that outmatches what he’s done in either of his last two seasons in Missouri. That’s despite him shooting at 9.4%, more than a full point below his career average.
Sundqvist’s -13 rating is uninspiring but not unexplainable. He starts 71.5% of his shifts at 5-on-5 in the defensive zone, one of the highest rates in the league among forwards.
Blues Place Dylan Holloway On Injured Reserve
3:00 p.m.: According to regional reporter Lou Korac, the Blues have already returned Luff and McGing to AHL Springfield from their emergency call-ups. Korac hinted that this likely means either Jordan Kyrou or Jake Neighbours would return to the lineup tonight.
10:30 a.m.: Dylan Holloway‘s return from a high ankle sprain will be short-lived. According to a team announcement, the St. Louis Blues have placed Holloway back on the injured reserve and recalled Matt Luff and Hugh McGing under emergency conditions.
After suffering a high ankle sprain in his right foot against the Chicago Blackhawks on December 12th, Holloway missed a month of action. He returned against the Edmonton Oilers on January 18th, but has missed the Blues’ last four games. Combined, since mid-December, Holloway has missed 19 games, and that absence is expected to grow.
Technically speaking, Holloway is eligible to return this upcoming Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, given his injury struggles of late, it’s far likelier that St. Louis will hold him out through the Olympic break, giving him ample time to recover fully.
Regardless, it’s been a difficult follow-up campaign for Holloway’s breakout last season. In his first year with the Blues during the 2024-25 season, Holloway scored 26 goals and 63 points in 77 games, helping the team qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Due to the multiple injuries, Holloway has been limited to 34 appearances this year, registering eight goals and 17 points.
Meanwhile, St. Louis has recalled a pair of relatively older options from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds to fill out the rest of their forward core as they conclude their four-game homestand. The pair have combined for eight games with the Blues this season, scoring two goals and three points.
In Springfield, however, the difference between the two is clear. Luff is leading the team in scoring by a healthy margin, putting up 13 goals and 33 points in 33 games. McGing, on the other hand, has provided more tertiary scoring, providing four goals and 12 points in 35 games.
St. Louis Blues Reassign Hugh McGing
The St. Louis Blues announced today that the club has reassigned forward Hugh McGing to their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.
The 27-year-old forward was originally recalled by the Blues from Springfield on Dec. 8. McGing served as a healthy scratch the next day for the Blues’ game against the Boston Bruins, but drew into the lineup for the team’s following three contests.
McGing made an instant impact during his recall, scoring his first NHL goal during the team’s road loss to the Nashville Predators. McGing also added the first assist of his career a few nights later, during the Blues’ second loss to the Predators of December.
A 2018 fifth-round pick of the Blues, McGing played his first NHL game in 2022-23 and got into five games in 2023-24. He spent all of last season in the AHL but earned an early recall this season in part due to his record of steady production at the AHL level.
While he has just six points through 18 AHL games this season, he’s managed to score at least 30 points for the Thunderbirds in every full season he’s played there. He’s become a consistent, reliable presence in Springfield, a development that paved his way to the NHL.
While his most recent recall has come to an end, McGing’s NHL performance put him on the radar for future call-ups. Even as the Blues struggle to build momentum in the standings this season, and are at risk of playing out the latter part of their season outside of the playoff picture, each game would have serious weight for McGing, especially from a financial perspective.
He’s a pending unrestricted free agent who could leave the Blues organization for the first time in his career. He’s playing out a two-year, two-way deal that carries a league-minimum $775K NHL cap hit and a $250K AHL salary. Given his slow start to the season in terms of AHL production, he’ll need to earn as many NHL games as possible if he wants to make a push to earn a one-way contract, or a heftier AHL guarantee, in free agency this summer.
Blues Recall Hugh McGing
The St. Louis Blues have recalled center Hugh McGing with their open roster spot. He will join the Blues with three games ahead of them this week. McGing has six points, 25 penalty minutes, and a minus-seven in 18 games with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds this season.
McGing has been near the top of St. Louis’ call-up sheet since 2022. He has appearead in six NHL games in that span, with no scoring, no penalties, and a minus-five. He brings a hard-working energy to the bottom of the lineup. Despite his 5-foot-8 frame, McGing isn’t afraid to get involved with puck battles in the corners or in front of the net. That grit has earned him a key role as Springfield’s third-line center. He has also appeared on the team’s penalty-kill.
The Blues will be looking for any help they can to keep their recent hot streak going. They have won their last two games by a combined score of 6-4 – after losing eight of their previous 11 games. The Blues face two of the top 15 offenses in the league through their next five games in Boston (ranked seventh in goals-for) and Chicago (ranked 14th). They’ll get a bit of respite with two matches against the Nashville Predators, who are one of only five teams with fewer goals than the Blues this season.
McGing will offer an alternative for Matt Luff, who made his Blues debut on Suunday. Luff recorded one hit, two shot blocks, and a minus-one in eight minutes of ice time.
Waivers: 9/27/25
As training camp cuts continue to occur, there will be an uptick in waiver placements over the next week and a half. Today is a particularly busy day on the wire with PuckPedia reporting that 20 players are now on waivers. Meanwhile, all of yesterday’s players cleared, per PuckPedia.
Buffalo Sabres
Calgary Flames
Columbus Blue Jackets
D Dysin Mayo
F Hunter McKown
G Zachary Sawchenko
F Owen Sillinger
Colorado Avalanche
F Alex Barre-Boulet
F Tye Felhaber
F Jason Polin
F T.J. Tynan
Edmonton Oilers
D Josh Brown
F James Hamblin
F Roby Jarventie
New York Islanders
St. Louis Blues
F Nikita Alexandrov
F Hugh McGing
Toronto Maple Leafs
F Travis Boyd
F Benoit-Olivier Groulx
F Vinni Lettieri
Vegas Golden Knights
For the most part, this is a group of veteran players who have cleared waivers multiple times in the past and should expect to do so here as well. That said, Lettieri has gotten into 72 NHL games over the last two seasons and could be appealing to a team looking for some extra depth down the middle. Alexandrov didn’t see any action with St. Louis last season but averaged just over a point per game with AHL Springfield last season and has 51 career NHL appearances under his belt. Boyd was a full-time NHL player as recently as 2022-23 and is one game shy of 300 for his career but has settled in as more of an AHL veteran since then.
At this time of year, it’s sometimes the younger players who might garner some attention and there are some on this list who could draw a look. Cormier and Poirier are only 23 and have shown some offensive upside in the past at both the QMJHL and AHL levels. Jarventie was once a prospect with some upside before an injury derailed his 2024-25 campaign but if there’s a team that thinks he has fully recovered, he could garner attention as well.
These players will be on waivers until 1 PM CT on Sunday.
Blues Recall Eight Players From AHL
The St. Louis Blues have recalled eight players from the AHL in preparation for their final preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. The full list of call-ups includes forwards Dalibor Dvorsky, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Mathias Laferriere, MacKenzie MacEachern, Hugh McGing, and Dylan Peterson; as well as defensemen Samuel Johannesson and Hunter Skinner.
That’s emphasized by the fact that none of the recalled managed any preseason scoring, despite each playing in at least one game excluding Peterson. In fact, the bunch only combined for five shots through their collective 10 games. Luckily, St. Louis’ preseason wasn’t as unproductive as the Blackhawks – who’ve so far managed just four goals in four games.
St. Louis’ bunch of recalls is led by 2023’s 10th-overall selection, Dalibor Dvorsky – a popular pick to make the Blues roster headed into training camp. His demotion to the AHL likely snubs those hopes, though Dvorsky is still carrying plenty of momentum into his first professional season in North America, after recording 45 goals and 88 points in 52 OHL games last season. The Slovak has been a top prospect throughout his teens and joined Sweden’s AIK for his age 17 and 18 seasons. Playing in the HockeyAllsvenskan – Sweden’s second-tier pro league – Dvorsky combined for 17 points in 55 games across the two seasons, enough to inspire the Blues to spend their earliest draft pick since they selected Alex Pietrangelo fourth-overall in 2008.
Pending a major breakout in Saturday’s matchup, all eight recalls can expect to head back to Springfield in due time. The Thunderbirds open their season against the Laval Rocket on October 12th, while St. Louis will kick things off in Seattle on October 8th.
Blues Sign Hugh McGing To Two-Year Extension
The Blues have signed forward Hugh McGing to a two-year, two-way contract extension, general manager Doug Armstrong announced Wednesday. He’ll earn $775K at the NHL level and $250K at the AHL level each season, per the team.
McGing, 25, spent most of last season on assignment to AHL Springfield. He led the Blues’ primary minor-league affiliate with 31 assists, adding eight goals for 39 points in 51 games with 40 PIMs and a +5 rating. In doing so, he matched his career-high points total set last season despite playing 20 fewer games. His 0.76 points per game were his highest since recording a point per game in his senior season with Western Michigan University in 2019-20.
The undersized forward also earned his second career NHL call-up on Dec. 9, remaining on the St. Louis roster for 11 days before being returned to Springfield. He made five appearances in that time, struggling mightily with no points, a -5 rating, poor possession metrics and going 1 for 7 on faceoffs. McGing averaged only 8:23 per game and was given advantageous offensive zone usage at even strength.
McGing was a fifth-round pick of the Blues back in 2018. While he hasn’t provided anything in his limited NHL time that suggests he can handle a major-league role, the Chicago native has turned into a good role player with Springfield with above-average playmaking skills. He served as an alternate captain for the Thunderbirds this year and is a good fit in their top six, providing the Blues organization with a quality linemate for some of their younger, higher-ceiling prospects.
He was set to be a Group Six unrestricted free agent this summer, as he’d played fewer than 80 NHL games while completing three or more professional seasons. His new deal earns him a $90K raise annually over his previous $140K minors salary, perhaps more if he spends additional time earning the $775K league minimum while on the NHL roster. McGing will be eligible for true unrestricted free agency when his extension ends after the 2025-26 season.
The Blues have one other Group Six UFA to deal with before July 1 – 25-year-old winger William Bitten, who posted 17 goals and 33 points in 68 games for Springfield this year. After McGing’s extension, they’re now at 36 of the maximum 50 standard player contracts signed for next season.
Blues Assign Hugh McGing To AHL
The Blues have assigned forward Hugh McGing to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, general manager Doug Armstrong said today. McGing will get extended playing time in the minors over the holidays while the NHL roster freeze is in effect until December 28.
St. Louis recalled McGing, 25, for his first stint on the NHL roster in 2023-24 earlier this month. He’s played in all five of the Blues’ games since his recall but has struggled mightily, posting no points and a -5 rating while averaging 8:23 per game. The Western Michigan grad attempted five shots, went one for seven in the faceoff circle, and posted a 42.9% Corsi share at even strength.
McGing is in his sixth season in the Blues organization. The Blues acquired his NHL rights by making him the 138th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft after the 5-foot-8, 176-pound forward notched nine goals, 21 assists, 30 points, 40 PIMs, and a -7 rating in 36 games in his sophomore season with the Broncos.
After two more seasons at Western Michigan with similar production and serving as captain in his senior season, McGing inked a two-year entry-level contract with the Blues in March 2020. He’s now on his third NHL contract, inking a pair of one-year extensions after his initial contract expired to remain in the organization.
McGing has played primarily in the minors for the Blues’ top-level affiliates since turning pro in 2020. However, he did earn his first set of NHL recalls last season and made his major-league debut on April 12, 2023, logging 9:37 in a 5-2 loss against the Stars. His AHL production is pacing for career highs this season with four goals, 11 assists and 15 points in 21 games, a 0.71 points-per-game pace. His previous career-high pace was 0.55, set with Springfield last season.
McGing does not need to clear waivers to return to Springfield as he’s played fewer than ten games and remained on the NHL roster for fewer than 30 days since clearing waivers in October when he was cut from the Blues’ training camp roster. The Chicago-born forward will be a restricted free agent next summer and is eligible for salary arbitration. With no corresponding transaction, the Blues have one open spot on the active roster.
Blues Recall Hugh McGing
On Friday, the Blues opened up a roster spot when they traded defenseman Robert Bortuzzo to the Islanders. Today, they’ve filled that vacancy as they recalled forward Hugh McGing, per the AHL’s transactions log.
The 25-year-old is in his fourth season in St. Louis’ system after being a fifth-round pick back in 2018 (138th overall). McGing made his NHL debut last year, getting into a single game with the big club but spent most of the year with AHL Springfield where he had 17 goals and 22 assists in 71 games.
He’s off to a better start offensively this season, notching four goals and 11 helpers in 21 appearances, a 51-point pace over a 72-game campaign, putting him fourth on the Thunderbirds in scoring and helping him earn this recall. McGing is playing on a one-year, two-way deal this season worth the league minimum at the NHL level and will almost certainly be eligible for Group Six unrestricted free agency next summer.
With McGing’s recall, St. Louis is now once again carrying a full 23-player roster.
St. Louis Blues Re-Sign Hugh McGing
The St. Louis Blues have announced the re-signing of forward Hugh McGing to a one-year, two-way contract. The restricted free agent will earn an NHL salary of $775K and an AHL salary of $140K in 2023-24 before becoming an RFA again next summer.
McGing, 24, was initially drafted by the Blues in the fifth round, 138th overall, of the 2018 NHL Draft. Last season, McGing played a significant role for the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, suiting up for 71 regular-season games and recording 17 goals and 22 assists, totaling 39 points.
McGing’s strong performance in the AHL earned him a late-season call-up to the Blues’ NHL roster, and he made his NHL debut against the Dallas Stars on April 12, recording zeroes across the board in just 9:37 of ice time.
A rather tenacious and physical presence on the ice with a decent shot, McGing has now played 161 regular-season AHL games across three pro seasons with the Blues, amassing a total of 77 points, consisting of 34 goals and 43 assists. He finished fourth on the Thunderbirds in penalty minutes last season with 66.
Before signing his entry-level contract with the Blues, McGing played collegiate hockey for the Western Michigan Broncos, from where he was drafted after his DY+2 season thanks to solid production. In his 2019-20 senior campaign, he served as the team captain and was recognized as a First Team All-American his senior season, leading the team with 35 points, tallying 13 goals and 22 assists in the COVID-shortened season.
His new contract comes in slightly below the qualifying offer of $787.5K the Blues issued him last month. Next summer, he’ll be due a qualifying offer of $813,750 per CapFriendly.
Forward Alexey Toropchenko, who elected salary arbitration yesterday, is the Blues’ last remaining unsigned RFA.