GDT #1: Blues @ Stars 7 CT BSMW, 101ESPN

[theohall]

BLUES With the Opening Night roster set, the St. Louis Blues are ready to begin the 2023-24 season against the division-rival Dallas Stars. Though Kevin Hayes is the only one on the roster brand new to the organization this season, the team spent the early part of the week building chemistry on a team trip nearby in Frisco.

Hayes joins a forward group led by Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich and - in his first regular-season game wearing the 'C' - captain Brayden Schenn. Buchnevich, Thomas and Kyrou spent much of their preseason ice time on a line together, contributing to a strong 4-2-2 exhibition record. Thomas was one of three players in the NHL to score five goals this preseason, sharing the team lead with Kyrou at six points in four games each.

Justin Faulk, Torey Krug, Colton Parayko and Nick Leddy return to lead the Blues defensemen, while Scott Perunovich and Marco Scandella hope to bounce back from injury-riddled seasons in 2022-23.

In goal, Jordan Binnington remains the headliner, while 23-year-old Joel Hofer is set to begin his first season as a full-time NHLer behind him.

After leaving Texas, the Blues open up Enterprise Center for the 2023-24 season with a three-game stay against the Kraken, Coyotes and Penguins.

STARS The Dallas Stars are looking to follow up their Western Conference Finals appearance from last season with their eyes set on the Stanley Cup.

Jason Robertson's breakout season was a big driver to the Stars' success last year, contributing 46 goals and 109 total points and earning a spot on the NHL All-Star First Team. Goaltender Jake Oettinger also returns as a major contributor, winning 37 games in net to share No. 3 in the League last season.

Other key figures returning to the Stars this season include captain Jamie Benn, forwards Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz, and defenseman Miro Heiskanen.

The biggest addition the Stars saw over the summer was adding veteran forward Matt Duchene, who totaled 142 points in 149 games over the last two seasons as a Nashville Predator.

After hosting the Blues, the Stars travel to Vegas to face the defending champion Golden Knights in an early Western Conference Finals rematch.

HEAD-TO-HEAD The Blues were unable to take a win from the Stars last season in any of their three matchups. Over the previous four years, however, the Blues are 8-4-1 against Dallas.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
BLUES Jordan Kyrou, who led the Blues with 73 points last season. Kyrou went for a career-best 37 goals in 2022-23, recording one assist in three games against Dallas.

STARS Jason Robertson, whose 109 points last season led the Stars and shared No. 6 in the NHL. Robertson posted 18 points in 19 postseason games during Dallas' run to the Western Conference Finals.

BLUE NOTES
The Blues are 29-17-6-3 all-time in season opening games (.609 point-percentage), which is the sixth best point percentage in NHL history

The Blues are 15-9-4-2 in season openers on the road, which shares the fourth most wins in NHL history (1. NY Rangers, 27 / 2. Montreal, 19 / 3. Chicago, 18 / T-4. Toronto, 15)

From March 9 to the end of the season in 2022-23, the Blues went 10-7-2. Their 22 points during that span shared 12th in the NHL (1. Colorado, 33), while their 10 wins shared 11th in the NHL (1. Colorado/Boston, 16). The Blues scored 70 goals during that span, which ranked 3rd in the NHL (1. Colorado, 77)

After Feb. 9, 2023, the Blues ranked fourth in the NHL in points and shared first in goals from players acquired before the trade deadline to the end of the season

Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong will enter the season with 995 games as the Blues GM. On Oct. 24 at Winnipeg, Armstrong will become the first general manager in Blues history to reach 1,000 game

After David Poile of the Nashville Predators retired this offseason, Doug Armstrong is now the longest tenured GM with his franchise in the NHL

[glen a richter]

Buchnevich and Kyrou wil score, Blues lose 3-2 in overtime.

[theohall]

Well, they didn't suck. Krug needs to sit, though. He was by far the Blues worst defenseman in regulation. Parayko looked like the 18-19 Parayko. Hopefully that continues

[glen a richter]

Hey, Tucker’s on pace for 82 goals! I’ll take the under.

[theohall]

And Krug is on pace for zero points. I'll take the under.

[theohall]

If Discord is the future, which i agree it should be, the channel requires more active management. Currently, it only responds to new members who have nowhere to post, other than a voice only channel. Is anyone on voice 24/7?