Blues need fourth line to bring identity

It was Ivan Barbashev, Oskar Sundqvist and Alexander Steen, a line coach Craig Berube wouldn't hesitate to start a game, to set the tempo, to push the envelope, to hit, to forecheck, possess pucks, to crash, to bang, to form the identity of how the Blues were going to play an opponent.

Fast forward to 2023, and Sundqvist is back -- as Berube said -- to drive the bus when needed, trying to forge a similar identity to a fourth line that is so crucial these days to winning sides, to sides that can win it all. The contributions of those players is paramount.

When the Blues drop the puck on their 2023-24 season Thursday in Dallas against the Stars, joining Sundqvist (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) there will be Alexey Toropchenko (6-6, 222), Jake Neighbours (6-0, 201) and when needed, Nikita Alexandrov (6-1, 177).

Sundqvist will be flanked by three younger players that have to learn to forge that lead-by-example identity, a line that won't be asked to play a plethora of minutes on a nightly basis but one that nevertheless makes those important contributions.

They have to play big, they have to play mean, they have to play nasty and they have to be tough to play against. They have to make the opposition's life miserable.

And they know it.

It all starts with hard work.

"Our whole team has to have that attitude with hard work," Berube said. "We've got to outwork our opponent.

"That line, it's a good identity line from putting pucks in and forechecking hard and being physical, disrupting the other team, checking the other team. I feel they can play against top lines when needed. From a physical standpoint, they're big guys, they all take the body, they don't shy away from that. They're a hard line to play against.

"... Size is important. Bringing in the big bodies and seeing what they can do, I think that's important. Whether they're the 11th forward, 12th forward, 13th forward, depending on where they fit in, it's nice to have the big bodies. We've always been a heavy team here and a big team. We don't want to lose that identity."

Those words are music to Berube's ears, and from the word go when those guys are on the ice, it has to be that way.

"Hard to play against line, dominating, forechecking, physical, creative," Toropchenko said. "That's always good.

"Our role is to be hard on pucks, be great defensively, shut down maybe top lineups from other teams, give our leaders more opportunity and just be aggressive and be hard to play against. This is it. Every line likes playing the same way, but we need to be more patient."

Sundqvist has been in this role before, and the Blues will ask the 29-year-old to be the veteran to lead by example because he's been there, done that before and understands the role as well as anyone.

"I think our style back in '19 was a really good mix of skill and grit, everyone doing the work and everyone moving the same direction," Sundqvist said. "I feel like if we can get that going, just have everybody moving in the same direction, have everyone on the same page, we definitely can get that back.

"I'm excited looking up and down this lineup seeing what we have. I'm very excited to get the season started and see how we do. The emotions and all that stuff in the locker room has been great. With everyone coming back, we have a good feeling in here. I feel like a lot of guys want to prove themselves from last season and I think that's going to be a big plus for us coming in."

"He stabilizes (the fourth line)," Blues captain Brayden Schenn said of Sundqvist. "You know what you're going to get every single night. He's going to bring guys into the fight with him, you know he's going to block shots, be physical, he's going to get to the dirty areas and he's hard to play against. He pulls guys in that direction whoever he's playing with."

So how can Toropchenko, Neighbours and Alexandrov not want to be part of that? For Neighbours especially, somebody the Blues know they can move up and down the lineup, it's not a hard sell.

"A lot of guys know I'm going to put my best foot forward every day, I'm going to work my ass off," Neighbours said. "That's kind of what I do. I think I bring a little bit of offense with it. Obviously some feistiness. I'll hit, I'll fight. Just having that Swiss army knife mentality of if I need to go up and down the lineup playing different roles, penalty kill, power play, whatever it may be, just be prepared and ready for those opportunities."

Those opportunities may include frustrating top lines, like Berube used to use the Barbashev-Sundqvist-Steen line against at a moment's notice.

It boils down to trust in those situations, and the coaches trust this trio right now because they've earned it.

"Yeah, I think so. I think we all know what 'Sunny' has done and what he's done for us," Berube said. "He's come into camp in real good shape and I think he's had a real good camp, 'Torpo' for sure. I thought he proved that last year with his play and Jake Neighbours is coming. He's working, he's coming. His camp has gotten better as it's gone along here. He still has to keep working and keep pounding away at things. It's all about becoming a real good pro for him and he's getting close."

It's no secret that the Blues' top nine is balanced and it's legit. There's personality on each line, and each line brings a different element to the game, but if this fourth line can make the kind of impact on a nightly basis the Blues need for success, this will be a tough nut to crack in each game.

"I think we are like one family right now," Toropchenko said. "We need to be like that for whole season and we'll do everything we can each game, start Thursday and make the playoffs for sure. That's the goal. We had a great camp. Everyone was working very hard, everyone was excited. Ready to go, 100 percent. I can't wait."