The St. Louis Blues return from their Olympic break as a team in transition.
The Blues have lost eight of nine games (1-7-1) heading into their game against the visiting Seattle Kraken on Thursday.
Trade rumors are swirling around the Blues as contending teams show interest in center Robert Thomas, defenseman Justin Faulk and others.
“I try not to think too much about it, but I’m not naive to the situation,” Faulk said. “I’ve never tried to be that way. I’ve been traded before. Other guys in this league have been traded and there’s going to be guys in this league traded here in the next week or two. We had one traded two weeks ago on our team. It’s the way the league goes.”
The trade deadline is March 6.
Thomas has taken leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. He has been recovering from leg injury that has sidelined him since Jan. 10.
Jack Finley will make his Blues debut as the fourth-line center. St. Louis claimed him from the Tampa Bay Lightning during the Olympic break to replace Nick Bjugstad, who was traded to New Jersey.
Defenseman Colton Parayko is expected play in this game after returning from the Olympics, but Joel Hofer will start in goal ahead of Team Canada starter Jordan Binnington.
Captain Brayden Schenn is questionable after missing practice on Wednesday with an illness. Fellow forward Oskar Sundqvist has been away on paternity leave.
Winger Dylan Holloway will play in his first game since Jan. 18 — and just his second since Dec. 12 — after recovering from an ankle injury. After rushing his comeback in January, Holloway feels closer to 100 percent this time around.
“It’s hard mentally, but I’m definitely feeling a lot better than I did before I tried to play the last time,” Holloway said. “I think I probably jumped the gun too quick, just eager to get back. I feel much better now, minimal pain and grinding through it.”
The Kraken came out of the break eager to strengthen their hold on a playoff position. They are sitting in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
“It’s fun to play in high-pressure situations,” said Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn, who won a Stanley Cup with the Blues. “Every game, if you’re winning, you climb into the playoffs and if you lose you kind of slip out. So, just knowing how close it is, it’s a fun time of the year, and there’s no better feeling than being in a playoff fight.”
Seattle got healthier coming out of the break. Forwards Berkly Catton and Ben Meyers came off injured reserve on Wednesday and played in the Kraken’s 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars.
Catton sustained an upper-body injury on Jan. 29, and Meyers was sidelined since Jan. 21 with a lower-body ailment.
Joey Daccord started in goal against the Stars, so Seattle likely will come back with Philipp Grubauer as it tries to regroup versus the Blues.
The Kraken recorded a 4-3 victory in overtime in St. Louis on Nov. 8. Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and two assists in that game and Grubauer earned the victory in goal.
