St. Louis Blues Forward Could be Ready for Season Opener

While speaking with reporters, St. Louis Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko wouldn't rule out the possibility of being ready to go for the club's season opener.

Alexei Toropchenko won’t rule out being avail for opening night and when u watch him u can see why. I wouldn’t put the house on it but it won’t be long after Oct 15th before he’s playing. #stlblues
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) September 29, 2022

Toropchenko doing some work on that shoulder after practice. Was originally given a December timeline to return. Obviously way ahead of schedule. Big part of #stlblues roster. pic.twitter.com/0bXD4uajDF
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) September 29, 2022

Toropchenko returned to practice on Thursday even though he was expected to be out of action until December. Yet, given the fact that he was on the ice, it is clear that he is recovering from his injury at a quicker rate than previously predicted.

Toropchenko is in the running to play bottom-six minutes for the Blues this season. The 23-year-old played in 28 games for the team last season, where he had two goals. Yet, he was a noticeable force in the physical side of the game, as his 69 hits show perfectly. This element of his play makes him valuable to have, and given his recent comments, it seems possible that the Blues will have it on opening night.