Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Tallies 14 goals in bottom-six role
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Toropchenko recorded 14 goals and seven assists across 82 games during the 2023-24 campaign.
Toropchenko played almost exclusively in the bottom six, but he was briefly promoted to the top six when the Blues' playoff hopes were in desperation mode. The 6-foot-6 forward is known for his defensive presence and physicality -- he dished out 165 hits -- but the scoring touch adds to his versatility. The 24-year-old is heading into the final year of his contract next season.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Builds on career highs
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Toropchenko assisted on a first-period goal during Sunday's 4-1 win over Seattle.
Toropchenko raised his career-high point total to 21 with Sunday's apple, and a career-high 14 of those points are goals. The 24-year-old Russian's continued growth leaves something to consider as fantasy managers look for depth production next year.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Opportunity knocks
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Toropchenko will skate on the second line and the second power-play unit in Monday's game versus the Oilers, Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports.
The Blues' playoff hopes are slipping away, so now seems like the right time to see what Toropchenko can do in the top six. However, interim head coach Drew Bannister stated that Toropchenko earned the opportunity after excelling in a bottom-six role and defending well on the penalty kill. The 24-year-old has been impressive this year with 14 goals and six assists through 74 games despite averaging just 12:17 of ice time per contest.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Lights lamp against Kings
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Toropchenko scored a goal and dished out two hits across 10:57 of ice time in Wednesday's 3-1 win over the Kings.
Getting pucks on net is the name of the game, and Toropchenko showed why when he fired a wrister from the blue line and it snuck by Cam Talbot's blocker. This was his fourth goal in seven games and his 13th goal of the season. The big-bodied winger has averaged 12:19 of ice time this season, so he's not a steady fantasy producer despite the recent surge.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Opens scoring
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Toropchenko recorded a goal and one hit in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Wild.
In a low-scoring affair, Toropchenko tipped one past Marc-Andre Fleury in the first period on only the third shot of the game. Toropchenko added a hit, one shot on net and a plus-1 rating in 9:30 of ice time. The 24-year-old forward ended his seven-game scoring slump to give him 10 goals through 60 contests this season. He has averaged just 12:22 of ice time this season, which remains a significant hurdle for his fantasy value. Until that changes, Toropchenko will struggle for consistent point production.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Finds twine Wednesday
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Toropchenko scored a goal on two shots, added three hits and blocked two shots in Wednesday's 4-3 overtime win over the Canucks.
Toropchenko snapped a 13-game point drought with his tally in the third period Wednesday. The 24-year-old winger has maintained a steady spot in the bottom six despite his slump, providing a bit of a physical edge for the Blues. He's at 11 points, 53 shots on net, 65 hits, 29 blocked shots, 26 PIM and a minus-4 rating through 46 outings this season, so he's not scoring enough to justify a roster spot in most fantasy formats.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Scores in Thursday's win
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Toropchenko scored a goal and fired two shots on net in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Panthers.
Toropchenko has averaged just 11:06 of ice time in December and has produced just two goals, an assist and 13 shots on net through 10 games. He's added a physical touch to the bottom six with 17 hits in that stretch, but it hasn't been enough to vault him onto the fantasy radar.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Opens scoring in Vegas
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Toropchenko scored a goal in Tuesday's 2-1 OT road win against the Golden Knights.
Toropchenko helped the Blues start strong, scoring at 19:39 of the first period to give the visitors a lead on a goal assisted by Colton Parayko and Oskar Sundqvist. He was good for a plus-1 rating, two shots on goal and a blocked shot, making the most of his 8:38 of ice time in just 12 shifts on the fourth line. Toropchenko has managed three goals and four points in the past eight games.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Lends assist in win
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Toropchenko notched an assist and two hits in Thursday's 3-0 win over the Flames.
Toropchenko is starting to get his offense going with two assists over his last three games. The 24-year-old winger has played in a bottom-six role this season, and it's not a great sign that he saw just 11:39 of ice time despite the Blues dressing only 11 forwards Thursday. He's at two helpers, six shots on net, nine hits, five blocked shots, four PIM and a plus-1 rating through six outings overall.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Set to play Thursday
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Toropchenko (lower body) is slated to play versus Dallas on Thursday, Matthew DeFranks of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Toropchenko had 10 goals, 19 points and 122 hits in 69 games last season. He's projected to play on the fourth line with Oskar Sundqvist and Jake Neighbours on Thursday.
Toropchenko agreed to a two-year, $2.5 million contract with St. Louis on Saturday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
Toropchenko had 10 goals, 19 points, 122 hits and 46 blocks in 69 contests with the Blues last season. The 24-year-old was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights coming off a one-year, two-way contract worth $750,000 at the NHL level.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Supplies goal vs. Chicago
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Toropchenko netted a goal in a 5-3 victory over Chicago on Thursday.
Toropchenko supplied his third goal in the span of five contests. That's pushed him up to eight markers and 15 points in 62 outings this season. Toropchenko entered Thursday's action averaging just 11:49 of ice time, but he did log 14:10 versus Chicago. If he starts playing a bigger role with the Blues, then his scoring pace might also increase.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: In doubt with upper-body issue
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Toropchenko was absent from practice Tuesday after suffering an upper-body injury versus Vegas on Sunday, Lou Korac of NHL.com reports.
Toropchenko is mired in an eight-game goal drought dating back to Feb. 23 against Vancouver. During that stretch, the 23-year-old winger has managed just eight shots, which doesn't bode well for him to break out of his slump. If Toropchenko is unavailable heading into Wednesday's matchup with Minnesota, it could mean more minutes for Josh Leivo.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Scores fourth goal of 2022-23
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Toropchenko tallied a goal in a 4-2 win over New Jersey on Thursday.
Toropchenko scored at 4:00 of the second period to put the Blues up 2-1. It was his fourth goal and ninth point in 41 contests this season. Toropchenko was limited to an assist over his previous seven games.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Scores against Nashville
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Toropchenko contributed a goal in a 5-2 win against the Predators on Thursday.
Toropchenko's marker at 2:01 of the third period pushed the Blues up 5-1. It was his third goal and seventh point in 33 games this season. The 23-year-old entered Thursday's action averaging just 10:27 of ice time, and he's unlikely to increase his offensively pace much unless he starts playing a bigger role with St. Louis.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Records assist in win
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Toropchenko picked up an assist in Thursday's 3-1 win over the Blackhawks.
Toropchenko helped set up Josh Leivo's opening tally in the first period, following a defensive-zone turnover by the Blackhawks. The 23-year-old Toropchenko now has three assists in his last four contests after going 19 games without a helper. The winger wont offer much offensive upside in a fourth-line role but he should hold a spot in the lineup thanks to his physical presence (53 hits). Toropchenko has four points (one goal, three assists) in 23 games this season.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Expected to play Saturday
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Toropchenko (shoulder) is expected to play Saturday, according to Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
This is a surprise as Toropchenko underwent shoulder surgery in June and hadn't been expected back before early December. He practiced on the fourth line Friday with Nathan Walker and Noel Acciari. The 23-year-old Toropchenko had two goals in 28 games with St. Louis last season.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Cleared for contact
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Toropchenko (shoulder) was cleared for contact Wednesday, though he is not yet ready to resume game action, Jim Thomas of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
By all accounts, Toropchenko's return from offseason shoulder surgery has gone extremely well. He looks poised to return well ahead of his initial expected date in early December, and he could be back before the end of October at the rate he's going. The 23-year-old should be in contention for a fourth-line role once he rejoins the Blues' lineup.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Undergoes shoulder surgery
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Toropchenko had shoulder surgery recently and will be out until at least December, Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports.
The 23-year-old winger tallied two goals in 28 games as a rookie last season before chipping in two assists in 12 postseason appearances. Toropchenko should be expected to land on injured reserve once the season begins, as he's going to miss roughly the first two months of the 2022-23 campaign. He should return to a bottom-six role once healthy.
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Blues' Alexei Toropchenko: Offers helper in win
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Toropchenko posted an assist and two shots on goal in Wednesday's 5-4 overtime win over the Avalanche in Game 5.
Toropchenko set up Justin Faulk's game-tying goal with 4:46 left in the third period. This was Toropchenko's first point in the second round and his second assist in 11 playoff contests overall. The 22-year-old winger has mainly been limited to fourth-line action, where he's added 22 hits, eight shots on net and a plus-2 rating, though it's encouraging to see him maintain his place in the lineup.
