The Blues will be without Dillon Dube for eight weeks after he suffered a neck injury Thursday against San Jose.
That timeline keeps him out until early December. For a forward who opened the season in the lineup, that's a long time to watch from the press box.
Neck injuries are always unsettling. The Blues didn't share details on how it happened, only the timeline.
St. Louis lost that game 3-2 in overtime, dropping to 1-2-1 on the season.
Dube, 28, had a shorthanded goal through three games. He carries an $850,000 cap hit, the kind of depth contract teams count on to stretch their cap.
His role mattered more than his numbers. Penalty-killing depth forwards don't always show up on the scoresheet, but coaches notice the minute they're gone.
Jim Montgomery's Blues need depth as a tough October continues
The Blues' start has been bumpy. Brandon Carlo was handed a kneeing major against Dallas in the opener, and the team was routed 6-1 in Colorado.
Jim Montgomery now has to find another forward to fill those minutes, especially on the penalty kill. Doug Armstrong could look internally or outside the organization.
This is a call-up opportunity. A young forward from the minors would get a real look on the penalty kill, and the Blues should use this absence to find out who's ready.
Losing a cheap depth forward is like losing the spare key you never think about until you're locked out.
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St. Louis hosts Columbus on Saturday, and the lineup will look a little different without him.
Eight weeks is a long time in an NHL season. How the Blues fill this hole could decide whether they're climbing or chasing by the time Dube returns.
Should the Blues call up a prospect to replace Dillon Dube?
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