Alexei Toropchenko

June 2023 – After an offseason shoulder surgery that was supposed to keep him out of the lineup for at least three more months. Toropchenko made a comeback just in time for opening night against the Blue Jackets. Following some ups and downs in his performance, the Blues have opted to send Toropchenko down to the AHL for a short 5-game conditioning stint. After performing well in that stint, he stayed all season in the NHL, taking a step forward by playing most of the year with the Blues. But the question raises if he stayed up because of his talent, or the poor season his team had. In 69 games played, he was caved in defensively, with 41% expected goal and it wasn’t much better offensively. His points production should decrease next season when his shooting percentage and his ratio Goal vs expected goals will ultimately fall off. His poor advanced metrics may be due to his injury and next season he may play better, but this seems very unlikely. Cedrick Blais-Turcotte  

June 2022 – Toropchenko’s first pro season  in 2019-20 was underwhelming. The Blues’ fourth round pick played 59 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds and scored nine points. In 2020-21, he went overseas to the KHL where Toropchenko played for the Kunlun Red Star. Playing for the KHL’s only team in China, he scored at a higher pace even though he amassed 11 points in 45 games. After coming back this season, it seems that Toropchenko found his game. In 40 games with Springfield, he scored 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points. Although he played the majority of the season in the AHL, he did have small stints with the St. Louis Blues. That was until March 8th, when he was recalled to the Blues and stayed in the NHL until the Blues’ season ended. He continued to have a regular spot in the lineup until St. Louis was eliminated in the second round against the Colorado Avalanche. Overall in 28 regular season games for the Blues, Toropchenko scored two goals with zero assists for two points. In 12 playoff games he did the opposite, scoring zero goals and two assists for two total points. It is unclear exactly where he projects for next year and it is possible that he starts next season on the Thunderbirds roster once again, but head coach Craig Berube was a big fan and he may start on the Blues’ fourth line. However, it is always a good sign when a player can keep a regular spot in an NHL lineup for almost three months straight. Gordon Munro

September 2019 – After a wildly successful run in last season’s OHL Playoffs and the Memorial Cup Toropchenko will cut his teeth in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage this season. Toropchenko has the build to be successful at the men’s level; the question is whether or not he thinks the game well enough. The towering winger is going to need to make full use of that strong build and heavy release this year if he wants to make his mark as a legitimate candidate for a call-up. Sam Stern

May 2019 – Back in March the story-line was that if the Guelph Storm were going to go on a run they would need Toropchenko to step up. The hulking winger finished the OHL playoffs with 13 goals, six assists, and 19 points in 24 games. He caught fire in the OHL Championship series against the Ottawa 67’s when he recorded seven goals over a four game stretch to help send the Storm to the Memorial Cup. Toropchenko has remained hot since the start of the Memorial Cup, recording a first period hat trick in the Storm’s opening match against Royn-Noranda. He has since recorded two assists leaving him with three goals, two assists, and five points in three games played. Sam Stern

April 2019 – Toropchenko’s play is one of the biggest reasons that the Guelph Storm are moving onto the second round of the OHL Playoffs. Toropchenko’s 6’3 201lb frame was just too much to contain for the Kitchener Rangers. He drove to the front of the net with ease and did it often as he recorded five goals and two assists in the four-game sweep over their next-door neighbours. The winger’s five goals are tops on his team and place him in a five-way tie for second in the playoffs behind Adam Boqvist’s six. Sam Stern

March 2019 – After a slow February Toropchenko has started March on-track. Through six games this month he has recorded two goals and six points. Guelph will face rival Kitchener in the first round of the OHL playoffs and will expect Toropchenko to contribute in a big way, with size and strength around the net. He’s built for playoff hockey. Sam Stern

December 2018 – Toropchenko has signed an entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues. Pat Quinn