Hofer will make his first start of 2024 but has become more of a regular fixture between the pipes for the Blues over the last two weeks due largely to a strong stretch of play. Hofer has allowed three or fewer goals in each of his last four appearances (2-1-0), posting a tremendous .949 SV% in the process. That said, the Blues will need to be heroic on Tuesday if they expect to get a victory against a Florida Panthers club that is riding a season-best seven-game winning streak and has outscored their opposition 22-7 over their last four games.

Hofer will make his first start of 2024 but has become more of a regular fixture between the pipes for the Blues over the last two weeks due largely to a strong stretch of play. Hofer has allowed three or fewer goals in each of his last four appearances (2-1-0), posting a tremendous .949 SV% in the process. That said, the Blues will need to be heroic on Tuesday if they expect to get a victory against a Florida Panthers club that is riding a season-best seven-game winning streak and has outscored their opposition 22-7 over their last four games.

The Blues have signed the Welsh-born Walker to a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension on Tuesday. Walker has spent the majority of the 2023-24 season with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, scoring 29 points (13G / 16A) in 30 games.

Walker earned his call up from Springfield after producing 29 points (13G/16A) in 30 games played and is expected to make his season debut Thursday vs. Vancouver. The 29-year-old left-winger appeared in 58 games for the Blues in 2022-23, where he had two goals, eight assists, 43 SOG, 25 PIMs and a +10 plus/minus.

Alexandrov has been reassigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, allowing the Blues to recall Jakub Vrana. Alexandrov was held without a point in 10 games with the Blues this season and will likely make his 2023-24 Thunderbirds debut after scoring 38 points (19G / 19A) in 41 games with the AHL club last season.

Faulk did not play the last game for the Blues due to a lower-body injury and has been placed retroactively on IR. Before his injury, Faulk had five points (2G / 3A) in his last seven games, averaging over 22 minutes on ice.

Faksa will re-enter the lineup for the Stars in favour of Ty Dellandrea, who is expected to be a healthy scratch. Faksa has not played the last two games and has zero points and only two shots on goal in his last four contests.

Binninngton saved 21 of 23 shots (.913 SV%) in a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in his last outing and will look to rebound as the Blue's starter on Thursday. Binnington has a sub-.900 SV% in six of his last eight games (3-5-0), posting an ugly .867 SV%. The Blues will be hard-pressed to shut things down defensively as +134 home underdogs against the Vancouver Canucks are their league-best offence (3.84 GF / GP).

Holloway has been out since November 13th due to a lower-body injury but has been activated off the Long-Term Injured Reserve Wednesday and loaned to Bakersfield (AHL) for a conditioning stint. The 22-year-old sophomore got out to a bit of a slump prior to his injury as he had only a goal, no assists, 29 SOG, 13 PIMs and a -3 plus/minus in 14 games played.

The Penguins' blue-liner returns to the lineup after being scratched each of the last six games, with the last two being due to an illness. He has no goals and one assist in eight games this season.

Despite a heroic effort from Joel Hofer in the Blues' last contest, in which he saved 39 of 40 shots (.975 SV%) in a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars, they will turn back to Binnington on Friday. Binnington has allowed five goals in each of his last two outings, posting an abysmal .767 SV%, but managed to salvage a 1-1-0 record. The Blues, who have won three straight, are +147 home underdogs against a Colorado Avalanche team that they demolished 8-2 on November 11th.