Pavel Buchnevich

Pavel Buchnevich Undergoes Minor Surgery

January 24, 2023 at 10:38 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The St. Louis Blues made the expected moves of activating Torey Krug and Vladimir Tarasenko today, but it came with some bad news. Pavel Buchnevich has been moved to injured reserve after a minor surgical procedure to address an ankle infection. Buchnevich will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break.

Some would argue that there is no more important player to the Blues than Buchnevich, who leads all forwards in ice time and has registered 38 points in 38 games this season. Losing him for any length of time will be difficult, though the team did stress the minor nature of the procedure.

On the bright side, Krug and Tarasenko will return after missing long stretches, helping to cover Buchnevich’s absence. It’s the latter that will be so interesting to watch as the trade deadline approaches and his time in St. Louis potentially comes to an end.

Tarasenko has only ever played for the Blues, and has reached the 30-goal plateau in six of his seven full seasons. This year, when healthy, he has still been excellent, racking up 10 goals and 29 points in 34 games. While he may not be the dynamic, game-changing power forward of a few years ago, Tarasenko would still be an impressive pickup for a contender at the deadline.

Of course, the Blues still have eyes on the playoffs themselves. Sitting at 23-21-3 on the year, they aren’t out of the Central Division race by any means. Getting two key veterans back should only help that chase, starting tonight with a game against the Buffalo Sabres.

Latest On The St. Louis Blues

January 23, 2023 at 6:08 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 2 Comments

A pair of valuable assets are very close to returning to the St. Louis Blues lineup, says Inside the Blues’ Lou Korac. Forward Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Torey Krug are projected to return to the St. Louis lineup when they host the Buffalo Sabres tomorrow night.

Both have missed double-digit sets of games, with Tarasenko missing the past ten contests and Krug missing the past 13. Tarasenko returning early from his hand injury well in advance of the March 3 trade deadline could pay dividends for the Blues, allowing him to showcase himself and build on his 70-point full-season pace to increase his potential trade value. The Blues are 6-4-0 in their past ten games without Tarasenko, but they’re still just two games over .500 and 11th in the Western Conference. With a pair of highly-valued pending free agents in Tarasenko and Ryan O’Reilly, the Blues would be wise to sell if they’re still this far removed from the playoff picture in a month’s time.

Getting Krug back is also important for a defense core slowly getting healthy. He has the highest points per game among all Blues defensemen, just a small bit ahead of normal partner Justin Faulk. His return should allow Niko Mikkola to slot back into a more comfortable bottom-pairing role.

Korac also notes that Tarasenko’s compatriot, Pavel Buchnevich, is questionable for the game against the Sabres with what he described as a “lingering” lower-body injury.

St. Louis Blues Recall Alexey Toropchenko

December 12, 2022 at 10:39 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

With his two-week conditioning stint used up, Alexey Toropchenko has been recalled by the St. Louis Blues. The big winger is back on the active roster, though it’s not clear if he’ll be back in the lineup right away.

Toropchenko, 23, wasn’t even supposed to be ready for the start of the season after offseason shoulder surgery, but was ready when things opened and played 15 games for the Blues. The 6’6″ forward scored just a single goal in that time, and failed to make much of an impact, leading to this conditioning stint. During five games with the Springfield Thunderbirds, he recorded three points.

The Blues continue to struggle this season, allowing 108 goals in 28 games, easily the worst among Central Division clubs. That has resulted in a 12-15-1 record so far, including a 2-7-1 run in their last ten. Toropchenko certainly isn’t going to fix that, especially given the lack of production he has shown in the NHL. Sure, his size can be used as a fourth-line option, but the team needs a lot more than a few extra hits to turn things around.

Logan Brown, another big body, was also on the ice this morning at the optional skate, according to Lou Korac of NHL.com, but it was an appearance by Pavel Buchnevich that should excite Blues fans. Buchnevich hasn’t played since December 5, missing the last three games after a brilliant start to the year.

Injury Notes: Capitals, Jets, Krug

December 11, 2022 at 11:52 am CDT | by John Gilroy Leave a Comment

It’s been a tough season thus far for the Washington Capitals, who sit three points out of the New York Rangers and a Wild Card spot in the East and six points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes for a spot in the Metropolitan Division. No team will ever make excuses, however injuries have been unrelenting for Washington even before the puck dropped on the 2022-23 season. The organization expected a tough go of it early on without some of their stars and all things considered, 30 points in 29 games is not half bad. They’ll have to have a strong season the rest of the way to get into the postseason, but as of right now, injury updates look positive.

Earlier today, the Capitals placed defenseman Alexander Alexeyev and goaltender Darcy Kuemper on IR and recalled defensemen Lucas Johansen and Dylan McIlrath. For Kuemper, that’s not expected to be much of an issue, eligible to come off of IR as soon as Tuesday, and according to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, the netminder participated in the team’s morning skate today for the first time since suffering the injury. Also from Gulitti, veteran Dmitry Orlov, who has not played since November 5th due to a lower-body injury, also skated this morning. Perhaps the best news, even if nothing is imminent, is forwards Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson skated this morning in non-contact jerseys, traveling with the team on the road for the first time this season, which appears to be the norm going forward. Both core pieces of this generation’s Capitals squad, getting either back in the lineup would be a massive boost not only to on-ice production, but to off-ice morale too. Still, one bit of bad news, both Alexeyev and Martin Fehervary did not skate this morning, and fellow defenseman Erik Gustafsson left practice early, head coach Peter Laviolette telling Gulitti the Capitals and Gustafsson are “working through some things.”

The Winnipeg Jets will be without forward Saku Maenalanen and defenseman Logan Stanley when they take on the Capitals this evening says Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun. No update beyond that was given by associate coach Scott Arniel. Billeck adds that the Jets are trying to get an additional player called up from the Manitoba Moose to join the Jets at home this evening. Billeck adds the Moose, who actually share an arena with the Jets, are on their way to Calgary, however getting a player back from Calgary to Winnipeg by tonight shouldn’t be an issue. As for the injured players, Maenalanen has impressed in a depth role for the Jets this year, recording six points in 25 games, averaging 11:30 a night, his first NHL action since a stint with the Carolina Hurricanes back in 2018-19. Unfortunately for Stanley, who missed a-month-and-a-half, was able to play just two games after coming back before being forced out of the lineup once again.
The St. Louis Blues confirmed defenseman Torey Krug would rejoin the lineup Sunday after missing two games with an upper-body injury. The veteran, much like his Blues, has had a shaky start to 2022-23, recording 11 points in 24 games, but comes with a -22 rating, the worst mark in the league. Even amid his struggles, if the Blues hope to re-write their 2022-23 story, it’s more likely than not that Krug will have to be part of the solution, and having him in the lineup would be a start. Though Krug is back, forward Pavel Buchnevich, who also hasn’t played since December 5th, will not play this afternoon, the Blues announced.

Injury Notes: Canadiens, Blues, Brodin

December 6, 2022 at 8:53 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

The Montreal Canadiens will be without defenseman David Savard and forward Sean Monahan when they take on the Seattle Kraken tonight. Per the team, Savard is dealing with an upper-body injury and is day-to-day. At the same time, Monahan has a lower-body injury and will be reevaluated when the team returns to Montreal after their road trip concludes tonight.

Savard is second among Canadiens defensemen this season in points (eight) and average time on ice (22:17). While his defensive play hasn’t been what it was during the end of his time in Columbus, he’s a vital minute-muncher on a youthful Montreal defense. His usage is the highest it’s been in more than five years, so it’ll be testing for the Habs rookies to see if they can handle some increased minutes in his absence. Monahan is also in the middle of a well-documented resurgence, sitting in fourth place on the Habs with 17 points in 25 games this year. He’s also been great in the faceoff circle, winning over 55% of his draws and leading the team in total faceoff wins (177).

While the St. Louis Blues are on their way to a convincing road win on Long Island, they did it without a pair of key players in winger Pavel Buchnevich and defenseman Torey Krug. Buchenvich was out with a lower-body injury, while Krug missed the game with an upper-body injury. Head coach Craig Berube noted pre-game that both players need further evaluations before “knowing whether the injuries would be more short-term or long-term.”
Minnesota Wild head coach Dean Evason said today that although defenseman Jonas Brodin won’t make his return to the lineup tomorrow, the Swede looked “great” today and is close to returning. Brodin, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, has missed a combined five games this year with this injury and an earlier illness. While known for his defensive prowess, he’s still in the middle of a down year offensively, with just four assists in 19 games.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Heinola, Samuelsson

November 21, 2022 at 12:41 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The NHL released its Three Stars for last week, and first place went to one of the game’s legendary players. Sidney Crosby is back on top after scoring 11 points in four Pittsburgh Penguins matches, passing Bryan Trottier for 17th on the all-time points list. With 64 more points, he will become just the 15th player in NHL history to record 1,500 in a career.

Second and third place went to Pavel Buchnevich and Martin Jones, respectively, after their own impressive weeks. The St. Louis Blues forward had seven points in four games to help power the incredible turnaround that now has them on a six-game winning streak and sitting fourth in the Central Division. Jones, meanwhile continued his resurgent season and now carries a .913 save percentage through 15 appearances.

The squeaky wheel is getting some grease in Winnipeg, where the Jets will dress Ville Heinola for the first time this season. Earlier this month, Heinola’s agent publicly requested some additional playing time for his client, who has been stuck in limbo somewhere between leagues for much of his professional career. Now 21, Heinola has seven points in 11 games for the Manitoba Moose but will make his season debut against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight, according to Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun.
Speaking of getting a defenseman into the lineup, the Buffalo Sabres are expecting to have Mattias Samuelsson dressed tomorrow night. The team has gone into a tailspin since he was injured earlier this season and is currently on an eight-game losing streak. Buffalo went 4-1 with Samuelsson, who signed a seven-year extension in early October.

St. Louis Blues Activate Pavel Buchnevich

October 29, 2022 at 12:43 pm CDT | by John Gilroy 1 Comment

The St. Louis Blues announced that they have activated forward Pavel Buchnevich off of IR today. As a result, the team has also sent forward Josh Leivo to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. Buchnevich had missed the previous five games after suffering a lower-body injury on opening night. The team is set to take on the Montreal Canadiens at home this evening.

Though Buchnevich’s injury wasn’t too serious, a return today is a bit surprising. Word had been out that Buchnevich could be nearing a return, but as Blues head coach Craig Berube told reporters earlier, including Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the return could be as soon as Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. Evidently, that return will come tonight against Montreal. That return can’t come soon enough for St. Louis too, who is 3-3-0 on the young season, but has lost their last three games.

Always a solid point-producer, Buchnevich broke out during the shortened 2021-22 season, recording 48 points in 54 games with the New York Rangers. That offseason, New York sent Buchnevich to the Blues for forward Sammy Blais and a second-round draft pick. The 27-year-old did not disappoint in his first season with St. Louis either, scoring 30 goals along with 46 assists over 73 games.

Leivo, 29, is in his first season with the Blues organization after signing a one-year deal with St. Louis this summer. The veteran forward played in just seven NHL games last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, but did have a terrific year with the Chicago Wolves, their AHL affiliate, contributing 46 points in 54 games. Leivo has yet to play an AHL game in 2022-23, but has played three games with the Blues to start.

St. Louis Blues Sign Tyler Pitlick; Move Pavel Buchnevich To IR

October 25, 2022 at 11:33 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

After skating on a professional tryout to this point, Tyler Pitlick has finally earned an NHL contract with the St. Louis Blues. The team now has roster space to sign the veteran forward as Pavel Buchnevich has been moved to injured reserve. Pitlick will earn $750K this season on the one-year, one-way deal.

It was always a bit of a surprise that Pitlick couldn’t find a contract this summer, given it’s been six years since he stepped foot in the minor leagues. The 30-year-old forward is coming off a roller-coaster season that began with him getting claimed in the expansion draft by the Seattle Kraken, then traded to the Calgary Flames, and eventually swapped to the Montreal Canadiens as part of the Tyler Toffoli deal.

That tumultuous season led to just five points for the physical forward, not exactly what the Flames were hoping for when they used a fourth-round pick to nab him from the Kraken.

Now, with the Blues dealing with some injuries up front, Pitlick’s patience and hard work have paid off. He’s joining a group that is one of the most physical in the league, with a head coach who rewards the players that work hard and are willing to put their bodies on the line. It’s been that kind of career for Pitlick, who has racked up 659 hits in 325 regular season games, while chipping in 48 goals along the way.

A career-high 14 of those came with the Dallas Stars in 2017-18 but there’s no point really expecting that kind of offensive output at this point. Instead, he’ll give the group another hard-nosed, defensively-minded winger that can move around the lineup.

For Buchnevich, his IR placement is retroactive to his last game, meaning he can come off as soon as he’s ready to play. He and Brandon Saad both missed practice today, opening this opportunity for Pitlick to get back in the mix.

Snapshots: Buchnevich, Allen, Ingham

October 19, 2022 at 4:27 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

The St. Louis Blues could be without an impact piece tonight when they visit the Seattle Kraken. Top-six winger Pavel Buchnevich left the ice early during their morning skate today and will be a game-time decision tonight with a lower-body injury, according to head coach Craig Berube.

The Blues were one of the last teams to open their season and, as a result, have only played one game so far. Buchnevich was one of their best players in a road outing against Columbus, though, notching a goal and an assist and leading the team with a +3 rating. The Russian winger is coming off a gargantuan season in which he broke the point-per-game plateau for the first time, scoring 76 points in 73 games. If Buchnevich can’t go, the team would either replace him in the lineup with Josh Leivo or dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen, getting Calle Rosen in for his season debut.

Goalie Jake Allen will return to the Montreal Canadiens crease tomorrow night after welcoming the birth of his third daughter. Allen is expected to get his third start of the season against the Arizona Coyotes, who are coming off an impressive 4-2 win in Toronto. The 32-year-old Canadian has a sparkling .943 save percentage through two games this season, his third as a Canadien.
A top goalie prospect for the Los Angeles Kings is set to undergo surgery. Mayor’s Manor’s John Hoven reports that Jacob Ingham had back surgery yesterday and is expected to be out for five to six months. It’s a tough blow for Ingham, who’s played sparingly in both the AHL and ECHL over the past two seasons since turning pro. The Kings selected him in the sixth round of the 2018 NHL Draft.

Central Notes: Buchnevich, Wheeler, Wild, Kuemper

January 19, 2022 at 6:58 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich has been cleared from COVID protocol, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. As a result, St. Louis – who has had 21 different players unavailable due to positive tests in recent weeks – now doesn’t have anyone missing for that reason (though defenseman Scott Perunovich is out with an unspecified injury). Buchnevich will be a welcome addition back to the lineup for the Blues as he sits tied for second in team scoring with 14 goals and 21 assists in 34 games. St. Louis had an open roster spot so they didn’t need to make any corresponding roster move to bring him back onto the active roster.

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