Jake Neighbours

Neighbours was the Blues first pick and 26th overall in 2020. He played nine games with the Blues to start the season and picked up his first career goal as well as an assist before being sent back to junior hockey. Neighbours has seven goals and 17 points during his streak, giving him 12 goals and 35 points in 21 games. Neighbours also played for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships before it was postponed in December. “At the World Juniors, they loved his character right away, made him an alternate captain,” the Blues director of player development, Tim Taylor said. “He was playing in all situations. They played two games, I was actually out West and saw those two games he played in and thought he played very well. There wasn’t much hitting except for him (at World Juniors). He rocked three or four guys and woke ’em up and kind of welcomed them to a little bit of pro hockey. He’s a hard-nosed guy and plays to win. Immediately after World Juniors get shut down, he went back to Edmonton. They went on a road trip and they were on a bus. There’s 30 of them, and all 30 of them basically tested positive. So the Edmonton team got shut down for 12 days. They’re back up and running now and he’s feeling pretty good and playing very well.” He is worth keeping an eye on in a couple of seasons.

In nine games with the Blues, Neighbours recorded one goal, one assist, eight shots and 10 hits. He averaged 9:21 of ice time per contest. "I think there's been games that I really liked him. He's done some real good things," coach Craig Berube said. "You have to look at a lot of the games and the score and the time of the game and just a lot of things played into hockey much ice time he got. It's not easy. But overall, I think he did really well. He's a smart player like I've always said, he's killed penalties for us in these games, done a great job, he's scored a goal, he's around the puck all the time, has a nose for the puck. (This is all) going to be a learning process for him, a kid that young coming into the League."

If Neighbours plays in one more game, then the first season of his entry-level deal is burned. The Blues could return him to the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL and let him get in plenty of playing time, or keep him up for a bit longer and lose the year. He was taken with the 26th pick in the 2020 Draft and has a goal and an assist in nine games. He has been pointless in his last five with only four shots on goal so perhaps a return to the WHL will be in his best interest.

This will be back-to-back games for him in the press box after opening up his NHL career with a goal and two points in six games. Niko Mikkola will also be scratched.