St Louis Blues Star Player Unexpectedly Leaves Team Before Must Win Game

Despite their red-hot run since the Four Nations break, the St. Louis Blues still haven't qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and with the Calgary Flames hot on their tail, they need to win both games down the stretch in order to qualify.

Game 81 for them takes place on Saturday night on the road against the Seattle Kraken, and now, it has been revealed that they've suffered a major loss before one of their most important games of the season.

According to The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford, defenseman Philip Broberg is headed back to St. Louis to attend to a personal matter, meaning that their key off-season acquisition will be unavailable for this crucial game.

In 67 games this season, Broberg has 8 goals and 29 points, all while carrying an impressive +21 differential, and while the production has certainly slowed down in recent times, this is still a player that's absolutely crucial to the recent success of the Blues.

It's unclear if Broberg will miss both of the Blues final games or whether or not he'll be able to return for Game 82, which will be a must-win regardless for St. Louis, and if the team drop Saturday's game to Seattle, it will put the pressure on the entire organization.

For now though, their focus will be on Seattle with or without Broberg, and given the way that they've played in recent times, it's safe to say that they're still full of confidence that they can continue their red-hot run into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.