Buchnevich, Kyrou Lead the Way in a Shortened February

The calendar didn’t do the Blues any favors in February, but the four games they did play still managed to reveal plenty about where this team stands. With the Olympic break carving nearly the entire month, St. Louis had to make its impressions quickly, and a handful of players did exactly that. In a condensed stretch with almost no margin for error, the Blues’ top performers reminded everyone what this roster looks like when its best players are actually driving play.

Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou finished tied for the team lead with six points, but the shape of their months couldn’t have been more different. 

Buchnevich played like the player fans have grown accustomed to seeing in seasons past. A tone‑setter, and one who has recently started to thrive offensively as the teams second-line center who can dictate the feel of a game from his first shift. He scored four goals in four games, two at even strength and two on the power play, and buried a third of his shots, a 33.3 percent clip that speaks less to luck and more to how dangerous he was whenever he touched the puck. Add in two assists, a plus‑two rating, and nearly nineteen minutes a night, and February became a reminder of just how complete his game can be when he’s in rhythm.

Kyrou’s impact came through pace and distribution. He spent the month tilting the ice, collecting four assists and driving transition with the kind of confidence that forces defenders to back off. His two goals included the team’s lone game‑winner, and his eleven shots across the four games were a good sign of how often he put himself in scoring positions. He finished as a plus‑three, one of the better defensive marks among Blues forwards, and played with a level of control that hasn’t always been present this season. Where Buchnevich was the finisher, Kyrou was the engine.

Dylan Holloway delivered the month’s most explosive cameo. Due to injury, he was limited to just two games but still produced three goals and four points. His two‑points‑per‑game pace that no one else on the roster matched. He finished the month as a plus‑four, scored on 30 percent of his shots, and looked like a player determined to force his way into a larger role and simply eager to get back on the ice. Small sample or not, his February was impossible to ignore.

On the back end, Justin Faulk put together one of his most complete stretches of the season. He didn’t score, but his five assists led all Blues defensemen and trailed only Buchnevich and Kyrou overall. More importantly, he logged more than twenty‑one minutes a night and played with the kind of calm, mistake‑free presence that stabilizes an entire pairing. His reads were sharp, his puck movement was clean, and his ability to manage tempo gave the Blues a reliable foundation in all three zones.

Philip Broberg continued his upward trajectory with a goal, two assists, and more than twenty‑two minutes per game, the heaviest workload of any Blues skater in February. His mobility and poise stood out, especially in transition. Colton Parayko chipped in a goal of his own and converted on half of his shot attempts, even as his minus‑three rating reflected some of the defensive turbulence around him.

The depth group offered steady contributions behind the headliners. Jake Neighbours, Jimmy Snuggerud, and Tyler Tucker each finished with three points, all hovering around a 0.75 points‑per‑game pace. Neighbours brought his usual edge, picking up four penalty minutes and continuing to create offense from the hard areas. 

Snuggerud’s month was another step in his steady development, finishing plus‑one and scoring once on six shots. 

Pius Suter quietly delivered one of the most complete months on the roster, posting four points, a plus‑three rating, and a 59.2 percent success rate in the faceoff circle, the kind of two‑way reliability that lets a coaching staff trust him in any situation. 

Jonatan Berggren added two even‑strength assists in three games and finished plus‑three, continuing to make smart, efficient plays with the puck.

The crease told a different story. Joel Hofer and Jordan Binnington split the month evenly with two starts each, but neither found the form the Blues needed. Hofer went 1–1, stopping 45 of 52 shots for an .865 save percentage and a 3.53 goals‑against average. 

Binnington’s save percentage was slightly higher at .883, but he finished 0–2 and allowed seven goals in just under two full games. Neither netminder recorded a shutout, and both faced more high‑danger looks than the team would like to admit. 

The defensive structure in front of them will need tightening as March arrives, though with many fans wanting a full tank effort in St. Louis, I’m sure there are mixed reactions about tightening up the defensive scheme. Blues Head Coach Jim Montgomery will be looking for cleaner coverage, quicker reads, and more consistent support around the crease from his players, especially the youth who will look to be here for the long-haul.