MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — The St. Louis Blues could use some good news on the injury front and appear as if they’re going to get it.
Energy forward Mathieu Joseph looks like a good bet to return on Tuesday to close out a five-game homestand against the Boston Bruins (7 p.m.; FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).
Joseph, who has two goals and two assists in nine games, has missed the past six games with a lower-body injury after an injury late in the third period of a 5-2 loss against the Montreal Canadiens Oct. 26.
“First practice with everybody; I felt good,” Joseph said after practice at Centene Community Ice Center. “It’s been two weeks now. It’s been kind of brutal to watch the guys play. I’m trying to get better.”
With the Blues down Robert Thomas (fractured right ankle), Philip Broberg (right knee) and Nick Leddy (lower-body) with longer-term injuries, they can certainly use some good news in this department.
Joseph certainly provides a balance of energy and hard work that can certainly benefit this group.
“There’s more to my game that I think I can bring,” Joseph said. “Overall, I think I’m still getting adapted to pretty much everything. In general I think my work ethic was there and my details of the game were there too. I was just trying to bring that consistent game every night. I feel like there was still more to my game I can bring.
“I think it’s just reps to be honest with like confidence with the puck and the abilities to make plays, manage the puck when you need to manage the puck and be good on the walls and breakouts and battles and things like that. I feel like I was not bad since the beginning of the year but I feel like I got still a little bit more.”
Joseph was in a familiar spot during practice on Monday skating with Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway.
“He’s speedy, he’s relentless, he goes hard and you know exactly what you’re going to get from him every single night,” Schenn said. “That’s what you’re going to get out of him. He’s super simple to play with. He’s a north-south guy that brings energy on the forecheck and does his job in his own end. Just a guy that’s easy to read off of.”
So unless something unforeseen happens or there’s a setback, which doesn’t appear likely, Joseph will be back to try and help the Blues overcome their second dismal 8-1 loss in six games on Saturday against the Washington Capitals.
“I thought ‘Matty’ looked good,” Blues coach Drew Bannister said. “I think he’s probably had two, three real good skates. He skated here yesterday too by himself. He skated the day before (and) he felt really good. I would think ‘Matty’s going to be a player for us tomorrow.
“(That line was) really good. ‘Schenner’ being in the middle and the speed that he has on those wings, the aggressiveness, the relentless of how they forechecked and they gave other teams a lot of problems and their D too. I really liked that line when they were together.”
