St. Louis Blues Recall Matt Luff
In a move to bolster their struggling forward line, the St. Louis Blues announced on Wednesday that they have brought back Matt Luff from their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. This latest recall comes as the Blues, currently sitting with a record of 9 wins, 11 losses, and 7 overtime losses, prepare to face off against the Boston Bruins, who hold a record of 15 wins and 13 losses, on Thursday.
Injury Concerns
The Blues have been grappling with a multitude of injuries affecting key players such as Jimmy Snuggerud, who is recovering from a wrist issue, Alexey Toropchenko, who is dealing with leg burns, and Nathan Walker, who is out due to an upper body injury.
Matt Luff’s Career and Impact
Matt Luff, a 28-year-old forward, returned to the NHL after signing a one-year, two-way contract valued at $775,000 at the NHL level and $400,000 in the AHL. The last time he suited up in the NHL was during the 2022-23 season when he played for the Detroit Red Wings, recording two goals and two assists across 19 games. Additionally, he has previous experience with the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators.
This season, Luff has made a significant impact in Springfield, leading the Thunderbirds in scoring with 7 goals and 14 points over 17 games. This marks his second season with the Thunderbirds, following a productive year in which he tallied 18 goals and 27 assists in 50 games.
In his career, Luff has participated in 106 NHL regular-season games, accumulating a total of 27 points made up of 15 goals and 12 assists. With the Blues scheduled to play against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, Luff’s addition to the roster provides additional depth, especially alongside Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, who is set to debut in the NHL on Thursday.
Team Updates and Roster Moves
In other team news, goalie Jordan Binnington recently addressed the tense exchange he had with head coach Jim Montgomery after being pulled in a 4-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, stating he respects the decisions made by his coach. The injury list for the Blues continues to grow, with Walker expected to be sidelined for eight weeks due to an upper-body injury, alongside Snuggerud and Toropchenko out long-term, while Pius Suter remains day-to-day.
Additionally, the Blues made a minor roster move, trading Nikita Alexandrov to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for forward Akil Thomas, continuing to reshuffle their lineup to navigate through their injury challenges.
