Blues center Oskar Sundqvist out for season with a torn ACL

St. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist of Boden, Sweden is out for the remainder of the 2023-24 National Hockey League season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The loss is a significant blow for a Blues team that still have aspirations of making the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

How and When did the injury happen?

Sundqvist injured his ACL when being hit by Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb on Monday night in a 2-1 Golden Knights overtime win. Sundqvist was bodychecked in the corner and went down awkwardly during the second period. and needed assistance to get off the ice.

Sundqvist in 2023-24

Sundqvist had six goals and 15 assists for 21 points in 71 games. He was a -6 with 32 penalty minutes, five power-play points, three shorthanded points, 68 shots on goal, 247 faceoff wins, 49 blocked shots, 82 hits, 26 takeaways, and 13 giveaways. The 247 faceoff wins and 49 blocked shots were career highs.

Second Time Sundqvist Tears ACL

Sundqvist initially tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on March 19, 2021 in a 2-1 Blues win over the San Jose Sharks. He missed the remainder of the 2020-21 season, and did not start the 2021-22 season until November 16, 2021. Sundqvist was then traded from the Blues to the Detroit Red Wings at the 2022 National Hockey League trade deadline.

Second Time with the Blues

Sundqvist initially played for the Blues from 2017 to 2022 after arriving with St. Louis from the Pittsburgh Penguins. While with Pittsburgh he won the Stanley Cup in 2016. Sundqvist also won a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019.  After being traded from the Blues in 2022, Sundqvist played with the Red Wings and Minnesota Wild, before signing with the Blues on July 12, 2023 to a one-year contract worth $775,000.

Six points out of a playoff spot

St. Louis has the ninth best record in the Western Conference. They have a record of 38 wins, 30 regulation losses, and four losses in extra time for 80 points. St. Louis is six points back of the eighth place Vegas Golden Knights.