The St. Louis Blues open a four-game road trip with a noon CT matinee against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday at Little Caesars Arena, in a matchup that carries extra weight for two players returning to familiar surroundings for the first time.
The Blues (6-6-1) enter after a 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Thursday that closed a five-game homestand at 3-2. The Red Wings (6-4-3) come in off a matching 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, powered by a hat trick from Viktor Arvidsson. Detroit swept the 2025-26 season series against St. Louis, outscoring the Blues 11-6 across the two meetings.
For Blues forward Jonatan Berggren, Saturday marks his first game against the Red Wings since St. Louis claimed him off waivers last December. Berggren appeared in 169 games for Detroit, totaling 31 goals and 64 points. He has five points (two goals, three assists) in 13 games with the Blues this season and is looking to end a goal drought that dates to mid-October.
On the other side of the ice, veteran defenseman Justin Faulk will face his former club for the first time since the Blues traded him to Detroit at the 2026 deadline in March. The right-shot blueliner, who logged heavy minutes in St. Louis for several seasons, has five points (two goals, three assists) in 13 games with the Wings while averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time. Faulk was acquired by Detroit as a stabilizing top-four presence on the right side.
Both teams have significant absences. The Red Wings are without former captain Dylan Larkin, who was suspended without pay this week after informing the organization he would no longer play while awaiting a trade. Defenseman Simon Edvinsson also remains unsigned and has not appeared this season. The Blues are dealing with injuries that include defenseman Logan Mailloux (hand) and forward Dillon Dube (neck), among others.
Special teams could play a decisive role. St. Louis ranks among the league leaders with a 25.7 percent power play (eighth) and an 85.3 percent penalty kill (sixth). Detroit’s penalty kill sits at 66.7 percent (29th), a clear vulnerability against a Blues unit that generated two power-play goals in Thursday’s win over Boston. Offensively, the Red Wings are led by Alex DeBrincat, Arvidsson, and Lucas Raymond, who have combined for 41 points. Dylan Holloway leads the Blues with 11 points and has a strong history against Detroit, including a hat trick in December 2024 at Little Caesars Arena.
Joel Hofer is expected to start for the Blues after making 31 saves in the victory over Boston. John Gibson is projected to start for Detroit. The clubs will meet again on Nov. 10 in St. Louis, making Saturday the first of two meetings in a short span. For Berggren and Faulk, the noon puck drop offers a chance to settle personal narratives while both teams chase points in the early stretch of the 2026-27 season.
