Where Do Suter And Bjugstad Fit In The Lineup?

[TBone]

I can only post so much of this column since it's from The Athletic, but it's a good one.

Interesting note on Bjugstad playing compromised last year. If he and Suter bring their best the Blues pool could be overflowing!

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Where do new Blues Pius Suter, Nick Bjugstad fit in the lineup? We asked Jim Montgomery

By Jeremy Rutherford
Aug. 5, 2025

- clip -

Bjugstad, 33, had just eight goals in 66 games with Utah last season, but that was after having back surgery in training camp. Two years ago, he had a career-high 22 goals and 45 points in 76 games with the Arizona Coyotes.

“Last year was a tough year,” Bjugstad said. “I had a full summer of trying to rehab a back injury and it was unsuccessful, so I had the surgery. I wasn’t myself the entire year. I was trying to play catch-up. So I’ve been excited this summer to get back into it, really training hard, skating a lot and trying to get back to the physical form that I was two years ago.

“I definitely want to bring some offensive touch back to my game after a slow year last year. With a full summer and a healthy summer, I definitely have a way more positive outlook on what I can bring to the Blues.”

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/649776 ... ed_article

[dhsux]

Heard JR covering this article on 101 today.
He was a bit more fired up than usual.

There's a lot of moving parts on this team this year and I say that in a very positive light.

[Zizzle1297]

Ideally 3 and 4th line centers. Start Devo on the wing if he even sticks on the roster. Suter could slid up to 2C if Schenn cant keep up and if Devo isnt ready. Suter could slid to wing if Devo is ready for a 3C role. So many options

Id like to see

Buch, Thomas, Snuggy
Holloway, Suter, Kyrou
Neighbors, Schenn, Devo
Torpo, Bjustad, Walker/Sunny

Texier and Joseph fight for last spot

[Old_Goat]

Ideally 3 and 4th line centers. Start Devo on the wing if he even sticks on the roster. Suter could slid up to 2C if Schenn cant keep up and if Devo isnt ready. Suter could slid to wing if Devo is ready for a 3C role. So many options

Id like to see

Buch, Thomas, Snuggy
Holloway, Suter, Kyrou
Neighbors, Schenn, Devo
Torpo, Bjustad, Walker/Sunny

Texier and Joseph fight for last spot

I like your thinking. Although if things are still clicking with Schenn between Holloway & Kyrou, I would say don't upset that applecart. Suter between Neighbours & Dvorsky I think could be fine too. It's nice to have more flexibility and upgrade with bringing in two Suter & Bjustab to replace one Faksa.

[callitwhatyouwant]

Ideally 3 and 4th line centers. Start Devo on the wing if he even sticks on the roster. Suter could slid up to 2C if Schenn cant keep up and if Devo isnt ready. Suter could slid to wing if Devo is ready for a 3C role. So many options

Id like to see

Buch, Thomas, Snuggy
Holloway, Suter, Kyrou
Neighbors, Schenn, Devo
Torpo, Bjustad, Walker/Sunny

Texier and Joseph fight for last spot

I like your thinking. Although if things are still clicking with Schenn between Holloway & Kyrou, I would say don't upset that applecart. Suter between Neighbours & Dvorsky I think could be fine too. It's nice to have more flexibility and upgrade with bringing in two Suter & Bjustab to replace one Faksa.

yea you have to roll that kyrou/schenn/hollywood line if it is still working. It was playing better than your 1's and was basically operating like a top 20 1 line for a month and a half. If that line produces anywhere near that level, the Thomas line gets to go to work as well. I think what plagued the Blues last year late was that Hollywood injury messed up the team dynamic. They had 2 top end lines to end the year, so the other lines knew a certain style to play. When they had to change it up a bit, there was a chink in the armor, and they still pushed the series to 2 seconds left.

I'm not counting on that line to do the same, but give them runway to see what happens.

[Harry S Deals]

I am thinking this is what JR was mentioning on 101:

Buch Thomas Snuggerud
Holloway Suter Kyrou
Schenn Bjudstad Neighbours
Walker Sunny Torop

Joseph/Texier

I could definitely be onboard with this as Monty will know way more than me in camp. Thats a pretty sturdy C corp down the middle and there is lots of in game flexibility.

My issues are:

Suter - has never had 50pts as a center in the NHL and we know Schenn worked well in the 2C spot.
Bjudstad had back surgery which slowed him down i believe last season but he can be a 30-40 pt guy he could be the ideal 3rd C but is he better suited as a 4C
Sunny - is Sunny healthy enough to play down the middle still. Love his d zone game, plenty of juice there and we all know Dvo is waiting in the wings.
Joseph/Texier - still dont think BOTH of these guys are making it out of Blues camp with the younger guys knocking on the door.

[DawgDad]

Repeating myself, but the baseline case would appear to be keeping vets on the 3rd and 4th lines and the extra forward or two until they get everyone settled and comfortable, see how Suter and Bjugstad fit in various scenarios. The wild card is a young prospect playing his way into the mix, I think Dvorsky and others still have an uphill battle for ice time until injuries open opportunities.

I still see Schenn as the 2C until he's isn't, but I do believe Suter will get a look there. They will probably want to look at Bjugstad at center and on RW, where he's depth. Sunny is Sunny, he'll play wherever he's needed, possibly 4C. Walker sticks.

I lean more to Joseph than Texier as depth. If they need offense call up a deserving prospect.

So, the two guys coming to camp fighting for a spot in the NHL appear to be Tex and Dvo. Base case again I don't think either one survives camp, but you never know.

[bluetunehead]

I think you have to try and keep Schenn at 2C with Kyrou and Holloway until it stops working. So I'd start with Suter at 3C and Bjug at 4C or 3RW depending on how the roster shakes out in camp. I'm sure the lines are going to juggle in all sorts of ways throughout the year. Just about the only safe bet is Thomas at 1C.

[aslord]

Ideally 3 and 4th line centers. Start Devo on the wing if he even sticks on the roster. Suter could slid up to 2C if Schenn cant keep up and if Devo isnt ready. Suter could slid to wing if Devo is ready for a 3C role. So many options

Id like to see

Buch, Thomas, Snuggy
Holloway, Suter, Kyrou
Neighbors, Schenn, Devo
Torpo, Bjustad, Walker/Sunny

Texier and Joseph fight for last spot

thats the only way I see it aside from the possibility of Carboneau getting a short look

[STL fan in MN]

They’ll try both Suter and Schenn at both 2C and 3C and go with what works better.

Probably the same with Bjugstad and Sunny. They’ll try both at 3RW and 4C and go with whatever combos seem to click better.

[BluesDom]

3rd and 4th line.

[somni]

What is great by having both Bjugstad and Suter, is that Monty now has more options with the lineup. If a player is dinged up or "fighting the puck", Monty can now maneuver him around. Or put together a lineup that counters another team's style.

I expect lineup changes to happen often, especially early in the year. This will be beneficial as the year progresses. Players will become more adaptable.

[SRV1990]

3rd and 4th line.

That's what I'm thinking too, although I'm sure Monty will experiment/juggle until he finds what he feels are the right spots.

[danno]

Ideally 3 and 4th line centers. Start Devo on the wing if he even sticks on the roster. Suter could slid up to 2C if Schenn cant keep up and if Devo isnt ready. Suter could slid to wing if Devo is ready for a 3C role. So many options

Id like to see

Buch, Thomas, Snuggy
Holloway, Suter, Kyrou
Neighbors, Schenn, Devo
Torpo, Bjustad, Walker/Sunny

Texier and Joseph fight for last spot

thats the only way I see it aside from the possibility of Carboneau getting a short look

JC is not gonna make the opening night roster. I'm not sure why everyone keeps thinking that is even a possibility...

[callitwhatyouwant]

Ideally 3 and 4th line centers. Start Devo on the wing if he even sticks on the roster. Suter could slid up to 2C if Schenn cant keep up and if Devo isnt ready. Suter could slid to wing if Devo is ready for a 3C role. So many options

Id like to see

Buch, Thomas, Snuggy
Holloway, Suter, Kyrou
Neighbors, Schenn, Devo
Torpo, Bjustad, Walker/Sunny

Texier and Joseph fight for last spot

thats the only way I see it aside from the possibility of Carboneau getting a short look

JC is not gonna make the opening night roster. I'm not sure why everyone keeps thinking that is even a possibility...

yea he would have to outplay 2 decent 3rd/4th line guys and outplay a pointers per player AHL guy in Dvorsky. Dvorsky still might not make it right out of camp, tough to see Carboneau being better right now. IF that was the case, then I guess we have a wealth of talent.

[STL fan in MN]

Ideally 3 and 4th line centers. Start Devo on the wing if he even sticks on the roster. Suter could slid up to 2C if Schenn cant keep up and if Devo isnt ready. Suter could slid to wing if Devo is ready for a 3C role. So many options

Id like to see

Buch, Thomas, Snuggy
Holloway, Suter, Kyrou
Neighbors, Schenn, Devo
Torpo, Bjustad, Walker/Sunny

Texier and Joseph fight for last spot

thats the only way I see it aside from the possibility of Carboneau getting a short look

JC is not gonna make the opening night roster. I'm not sure why everyone keeps thinking that is even a possibility...

Because people misinterpreted Army paying him a compliment with Army saying he has a legit shot of making the team out of camp. IMO, he doesn’t. I doubt he even makes Canada’s WJC team this winter.

That said, I’m not trying to bash on Carbonneau. Perron didn’t make the WJC team. Bolduc didn’t make the WJC team. It’s really hard to make Canada’s WJC team, especially this season as they look absolutely loaded. He’s very talented and a quality prospect but he’s not even 19 yet and has some pretty big holes in his games he needs to clean up before he’ll become a legit option to make an NHL roster.