In a press conference on Wednesday, the St. Louis Blues announced that forward Oskar Sundqvist will be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL. This injury poses a challenging situation for Head Coach Drew Bannister, who now needs to make changes to all four forward lines ahead of the team's upcoming matchup against the Calgary Flames.

Sundqvist's absence will undoubtedly be felt by the Blues, with Bannister acknowledging that the team will miss his presence in the lineup. However, the coach remains optimistic about the capabilities of their talented young players, who now have an opportunity to step up and showcase their skills on the ice.

One notable change will see Pavel Buchnevich re-joining the first line as the left wing alongside Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours. Bannister believes that having Neighbours on the line will allow Buchnevich and Thomas to play a more direct style, complementing their skillful play with Neighbours' hard-working approach.

On the second line, Captain Brayden Schenn will join forces with Brandon Saad and Jordan Kyrou, forming a potent offensive trio. This line combination is expected to bring both experience and scoring prowess to the team.

The third and fourth lines will also see adjustments, with Zack Bolduc and Zach Dean re-entering the lineup. Thursday's game will mark Dean's second appearance for the Blue Note, following his debut in a 5-2 victory against the Ottawa Senators on March 21. Joining them will be Alexey Toropchenko, who will re-join the third line. Kasperi Kapanen is expected to move to the fourth line.

In terms of defense, there is some uncertainty surrounding defenseman Torey Krug. After missing practice on Wednesday due to illness, Krug's availability for Thursday's game against the Flames will be a game-time decision, according to Bannister. However, Krug did participate in the optional morning skate on Thursday at the Enterprise Center.

The defensive pairings for the game are expected to be Nick Leddy alongside Colton Parayko, Torey Krug (if available) with Matthew Kessel, and Scott Perunovich paired with Justin Faulk.

As the Blues make these lineup adjustments to compensate for Sundqvist's absence, the team remains focused and determined to continue their competitive push in the season. Thursday's game against the Flames will provide an opportunity for the new line combinations to make an impact and for individual players to further establish themselves within the Blues' roster.

As the injury updates and lineup changes unfold, fans eagerly await the outcome of the Blues' matchup against the Flames, as both teams vie for crucial points in the race for playoff positioning.