NHL Injury Update: St. Louis Blues forward Mathieu Joseph sidelined before clash with Calgary Flames

The St. Louis Blues will not have the services of forward Mathieu Joseph when they meet the underperforming Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. The loss of Joseph, who has been a reliable player this season, is an additional hurdle for a Blues team that is trying to get out of the bottom half of the Central Division standings.

The Blues are heavily looking for continuity, confidence, and leadership at that time, to turn around their poor early-season form.As Lou Korac of NHL.com reports, Joseph has a lower-body injury that will keep him out of the game at the Enterprise Center. Oskar Sundqvist will take his place in the lineup, while Nick Bjugstad will be added for more forward depth.

Can St. Louis Blues overcome Mathieu Joseph’s absence against Calgary Flames?

Mathieu Joseph, 28, is a reliable depth forward for the Blues in a major way this season.

He has registered 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 15 games, has a plus-1 rating, and his average ice time is over 12 minutes per game. The player from Quebec gained attention last Thursday night when he scored three points in Buffalo, including a shorthanded goal and two assists in a 3-0 win, a performance that proved his impact on both ends of the ice.

A former fourth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2015, Joseph became a member of the Blues last season after a short period with the Ottawa Senators.

His high energy and penalty-killing skills have been very important to the team’s support for the bottom six players.However, Sundqvist will be back in the lineup after a short absence and will offer the team his physicality and creativity. He has three assists in seven games this season. Bjugstad, who has already netted four times in 16 games, will be another crucial player in keeping up the forward depth.The Blues may find it hard to cope with Mathieu Joseph’s injury, but the positives are that it paves the way for players like Sundqvist and Bjugstad to really get into the game. Victory in the match today could be the ignition needed for St. Louis to reverse the course of its season.More coverage on NHL NHL Injury Update: Carolina Hurricanes’ Charles-Alexis Légault out after surgery, Shayne Gostisbehere expected returnColorado Avalanche locks in rising star Gavin Brindley with two-year contract extensionNHL Trade Rumors: Elliotte Friedman reveals Philadelphia Flyers eyeing $17-25M extension for Trevor Zegras