The St. Louis Blues are likely sellers on the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. They’ve had a disappointing season, and changes might be coming over the subsequent few days. Nevertheless, they earned an enormous win over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. And it was goaltender Joel Hofer who played the hero in Minnesota.
The Blues held a 2-1 lead with lower than 40 seconds remaining. Veteran forward Mats Zuccarello gained control of the puck on the forecheck and delivered a lovely pass toward the slot. Vladimir Tarasenko ripped a shot immediately. But his shot was denied as Hofer made an unreal save within the dying embers of the competition.
Joel Hofer with some last‑minute robbery! 🛑 pic.twitter.com/x4u2VKrEfP
— NHL (@NHL) March 2, 2026
This save allowed the Blues to hold on and win this game by a final rating of 3-1. This was definitely a needed win for this group, as well. It marked the team’s first win away from home since December twentieth, in keeping with The Athletic’s Michael Russo.
It has been a rough season for the Blues generally. Nevertheless, Hofer has established himself as the perfect option between the pipes. Before Sunday’s win, he held a team-leading 8.97 save percentage. Moreover, he leads the team with 6.86 Goals Saved Above Expected, in keeping with Evolving Hockey.
St. Louis has now won two of its last three games. Still, they’re dead last within the Central Division on 53 points. Also they are third-worst in all the league on points. They’re tied with the Latest York Rangers, and only the Vancouver Canucks have fewer points.
Despite the awful season, this might be an enormous confidence boost for Hofer and his teammates. It is going to definitely be intriguing to see how they construct off this performance heading into the NHL Trade Deadline. The Blues return to motion again on March 4th against the Seattle Kraken.