St. Louis Blues Face Minnesota Wild with Key Lineup Changes

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The St. Louis Blues are set to take on the Minnesota Wild in a Central Division showdown on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The game, broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network and 101 ESPN, will feature two key lineup changes for the Blues as they aim to bounce back from recent struggles.

Defenseman Justin Faulk, who missed two games due to an upper-body injury, will return to the lineup. Faulk, a Minnesota native, practiced on Monday and will pair with Philip Broberg, allowing Cam Fowler to reunite with Colton Parayko on the top defensive line. “It’s not fun missing games,” Faulk said. “You want to be out there and trying to help the team. We’re trying to find a rhythm and find our game as a team, so I gotta do what I can to get back and help.”

Forward Zack Bolduc will also make his return after a one-game absence. Bolduc will skate on a line with Jake Neighbours and Oskar Sundqvist. The rest of the forward lines will remain unchanged from Saturday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jordan Binnington is expected to start in goal for the Blues.

The Wild, meanwhile, are preparing for the return of defenseman Jake Middleton, who has been sidelined since mid-December with a broken finger. Middleton, 29, participated in his first full practice on Monday and could rejoin the lineup as early as Tuesday. “Midsy is imminent,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “Whether that’s tomorrow or not, I’m not sure.”

Middleton’s return would provide a significant boost to the Wild, who are also missing captain Jared Spurgeon due to a lower-body injury. Spurgeon is expected to be out for two to three weeks. Middleton was playing some of his best hockey before his injury, recording five goals and eight assists in 29 games.

The Wild have managed to stay competitive despite injuries to key players, thanks in part to the strong play of defenseman Brock Faber, who logged over 30 minutes in each of the last two games. Forward Joel Eriksson Ek has also stepped up, earning the NHL’s first star of the week after recording eight points in three games.

However, the Wild will still be without star forward Kirill Kaprizov, who is set to miss his sixth straight game with a lower-body injury. Kaprizov has yet to resume skating, and his return timeline remains uncertain. “We don’t want him to come back and push through,” Wild general manager Bill Guerin said. “We need him for the long haul.”

Both teams are looking to build momentum as they navigate a challenging stretch of the season. For the Blues, the return of Faulk and Bolduc could provide the spark they need to turn things around. For the Wild, the potential return of Middleton and the continued strong play of Eriksson Ek offer hope for a successful homestand.