Troiani Rink Report

The Boston Bruins placed another defenseman on injured reserve, which has caused the Original Six franchise to recall Victor Söderström from Providence on an emergency basis, the club announced Thursday.

Michael Callahan is now the fourth Bruins’ blue liner currently on injured reserve, joining Charlie McAvoy (facial surgery) and Henri Jokiharju (undisclosed injury), while Jordan Harris (ankle) is on long-term injured reserve.

The right-shot defenseman has played in 18 games for Providence, notching one goal and eight assists for nine points and a plus-3 rating.

This will be Söderström’s first appearance for the varsity club since Boston acquired the rights to the Swedish defenseman last spring and signed him to a one-year, two-way contract worth the league minimum $775,000 at the NHL level. He is slated to skate on the third defensive pairing with Mason Lohrei.

The Bruins and the Blues square off for the first of two meetings this season after going 1-1-0 in the 2024-25 campaign against St. Louis, with each team winning on the road. Boston is 40-19-5 at home against the Blues.

After falling 5-4 to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, Joonas Korpisalo will get the start for the Black and Gold. Across the ice, Jordan Binnington is expected to get the nod for the Blues.

It marks the return to Boston for Jim Montgomery after he was fired by the Bruins on Nov. 19, 2024, following an 8-9-3 start.

Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on NESN and 98.5 The Sports Hub.

Here are the projected lines and defensive pairings for both clubs:

BOSTON BRUINS (15-13-0)
Alex Steeves — Elias Lindholm — Morgan Geekie
Casey Mittelstadt — Pavel Zacha — Viktor Arvidsson
Tanner Jeannot — Fraser Minten — Mark Kastelic
Marat Khusnutdinov — Sean Kuraly — Michael Eyssimont

Hampus Lindholm — Andrew Peeke
Nikita Zadorov — Jonathan Aspirot
Mason Lohrei – Victor Soderstrom

Joonas Korpisalo

ST. LOUIS BLUES (9-11-7)
Brayden Schenn — Robert Thomas — Jake Neighbours
Dylan Holloway — Pius Suter — Jordan Kyrou
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki — Dalibor Dvorsky — Pavel Buchnevich
Mathieu Joseph — Oskar Sundqvist — Nick Bjugstad

Philip Broberg — Colton Parayko
Tyler Tucker — Justin Faulk
Cam Fowler — Logan Mailloux

Jordan Binnington

ODDS AND ENDS
Special Teams
Power Play: Boston 24.7%, St.Louis 19.2%
Penalty Kill: Boston 82.6%, St.Louis 76.6%
Penalty Minutes: Boston 367, St.Louis 183

Offense and Defense
Goals Scored: Boston 85, St.Louis 69
Goals Allowed: Boston 91, St.Louis 93