Blues' Nathan Walker: Points in back-to-back games
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Walker scored an even-strength goal on two shots in addition to logging four hits and one blocked shot in Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Sabres.
Walker slammed home a rebound to tie the score at 2-2 at 5:56 of the third period. The goal was Walker's first since Nov. 21, a span of 15 games. It was the second time this season that Walker has recorded a point in back-to-back games, but his offensive contributions will likely remain limited as long as he continues to serve in a fourth-line capacity. The Australian center has chipped in four goals and seven points through 32 games.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Ends slump with late helper
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Walker registered a shorthanded assist and six hits in Friday's 7-4 win over the Predators.
Walker had gone 14 games without a point entering Friday. The drought almost reached 15, but the 30-year-old forward deposited a feed from Colton Parayko for a shorthanded empty-netter. Walker is up to six points, 30 shots on net, 107 hits, 17 PIM and a minus-4 rating through 31 appearances. The helper was his first career shorthanded point. Walker remains a fixture on the Blues' fourth line.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Stuck in slump
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Walker's point drought reached 14 games when he was limited to three hits in Monday's 4-0 win over the Red Wings.
Walker has 44 hits and 11 PIM during the slump, with his last scoring contribution being a goal Nov. 21 versus the Sharks. He's been scratched just once in that span. The 30-year-old has worked well on the fourth line this year as a checking forward. He has just five points to go with 101 hits, 30 shots on net, 17 PIM and a minus-5 rating over 30 appearances.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Chips in goal Thursday
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Walker scored a goal on his only shot in 10:49 of ice time Thursday in a 3-2 shootout win over San Jose.
Walker opened the scoring Thursday after Yaroslav Askarov mishandled the puck just 11 seconds into the contest. Walker's offensive upside is limited when factoring in his fourth-line line role, but he's capable of chipping in from time to time. Furthermore, the left-shot forward hasn't come out of the lineup since being a healthy scratch in four consecutive games between Oct. 22-29. Walker has recorded three goals, two assists and a minus-1 rating through 16 outings.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Nets equalizer Saturday
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Walker scored a goal on two shots and added four hits in Saturday's 3-2 overtime win over the Bruins.
Walker snapped a five-game slump with the third-period tally, which tied the game at 2-2. The 30-year-old has meshed well with Radek Faksa and Alexei Toropchenko as a checking trio. Through 13 appearances, Walker has two goals, two assists, 15 shots on net, 52 hits and an even plus-minus rating. His career high in points is 13 over 45 contests in 2023-24, but he's started well enough to be in position to surpass that mark this season.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Pots first goal of season
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Walker scored his first goal of the season in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Flyers.
The fourth-liner tied the game at 1-1 midway through the third period by banging home the rebound on a Philip Broberg shot. Walker continues to bounce in and out of the St. Louis lineup -- he's suited up for six of the team's first 11 games this season -- but he's been physical when he gets a chance, piling up 20 hits to go along with two points, seven shots on net, four PIM, four blocked shots and a plus-1 rating.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Adds helper Thursday
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Walker notched an assist, two hits, two PIM and a plus-2 rating in Thursday's 5-4 overtime win over the Sharks.
Walker set up Radek Faksa's goal, which sparked the Blues' third-period rally. Those two forwards, along with Alexei Toropchenko, have formed an effective fourth line early in the season. Walker doesn't bring a lot of offense -- his career high is 13 points from 45 games last year -- but he can add a physical presence. The 30-year-old has struggled to keep his place in the lineup, but the Blues' lack of forward depth this year could help him earn a career year.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Posts pair of points
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Walker had a goal and an assist in Sunday's 4-1 win over the Kraken.
The depth forward had gone 11 games without a point before his third multi-point game of the season. It brings Walker to seven goals and 12 points in 44 contests, the latter of which ties a career high for the 30-year-old. At this point in his career, you know what you're getting with Walker. He plays around 11 minutes per game, doesn't score frequently and hasn't topped 56 appearances in a season.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Two points in loss
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Walker tallied a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Avalanche.
Walker tied the game 1-1 midway through the first period, beating Justus Annunen with a wrister through traffic for his first goal since Feb. 17. The 30-year-old Walker added a second point with an assist on Alexei Toropchenko's marker in the second. Walker came into Tuesday with just two points in his previous 13 contests. He's up to six goals and 11 points, one shy of a career high, through 32 games in a fourth-line role this season.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Finds twine in win
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Walker scored a goal and dished out three hits in Sunday's 7-2 win over the Canadiens.
Walker was called up from AHL Springfield on Jan. 1 and has played in 15 straight games for the big club, recording four goals and an assist while registering 33 hits. The 30-year-old's offensive touch is a welcomed addition to the bottom six. He appears to have decent job security for now.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Two goals not enough
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Walker scored both St. Louis goals in a 5-2 loss to Washington on Thursday.
Both goals came on deflections of point shots with Walker parked in front of the net. He's an unlikely scorer -- these were his second and third goals of the season. Walker has played in parts of seven seasons, but he has just 118 NHL games under his belt. This season, Walker has three goals in seven games while averaging 8:53 of ice time a game. That kind of ice time puts him at risk of sitting out, so don't treat this outburst as a reason to snag him off the wire, at least not yet. Walker needs to secure a roster spot before anyone should consider him for fantasy purposes.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Scores first goal of season
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Walker opened the scoring in Saturday's 2-1 shootout win over the Hurricanes.
Walker was a healthy scratch Thursday after being called up from the AHL on New Year's Day, but he dressed Saturday against the Hurricanes and took advantage of his opportunity. While Walker played the fewest minutes among all skaters (7:28), he scored a breakaway goal on Antti Raanta 11:04 into the first period to open the scoring. Walker added a plus-1 rating and two shots on net.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Waived Sunday
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Walker was waived by St. Louis on Sunday, Chris Johnston of TSN reports.
Walker spent most of last year in a bottom-six role with the Blues; he scored two goals and 10 points in 56 games. The 29-year-old could split time between the AHL and NHL levels during the 2023-24 campaign.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Nets first goal of season
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Walker scored a goal and added two PIM in Monday's 5-1 win over the Canucks.
Walker put the Blues ahead for good with a goal at 13:02 of the second period. It was his first tally of the season, and he's earned both of his points in his last six outings. The 28-year-old has been limited to fourth-line minutes when he's in the lineup, which is no guarantee -- and he could be on his way back to the press box soon if Logan Brown (upper body) pushes Walker for a spot in the lineup. In addition to his two points, Walker has 13 PIM, 27 hits, 17 blocked shots, 10 shots on net and a minus-1 rating in 19 appearances.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Finding minutes hard to come by
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Walker is averaging just 9:50 of ice time this season, his lowest since joining the Blues ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.
In addition to seeing limited minutes, Walker has been a healthy scratch 13 times this season. Considering when he does crack the lineup he is barely on the ice, the 28-year-old winger figures to remain a low-end fantasy option throughout the 2022-23 campaign.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Back with team
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Walker (wrist) re-signed with St. Louis on a one-year contract Thursday.
Walker logged 30 games with St. Louis this year, a personal best, in which he recorded eight goals, four assists and 38 shots. If he can cement himself in the lineup this season, Walker could be in line to challenge for the 30-point threshold.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Undergoes wrist surgery
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Walker underwent a small "tidy-up" surgery on his wrist recently, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Walker's surgery is considered less significant than the one Alexei Toropchenko (shoulder) underwent recently. The 28-year-old Walker's status for training camp isn't likely to be in doubt, though he may initially be eased into on-ice activities if his recovery lags. Walker is expected to compete for a bottom-six role in 2022-23 after posting career highs in points (12) and games played (30) last season.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Lights lamp Wednesday
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Walker scored a goal on two shots in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Canucks.
Walker has scored twice in five contests since he joined the Blues after the trade deadline. The 28-year-old's third-period tally Wednesday stood as the game-winner. Through 14 games this season, he's earned six goals, one assist, 26 shots on net, 26 hits and a plus-4 rating in a bottom-six role.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Summoned by big club
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Walker was recalled from AHL Springfield under emergency conditions Tuesday.
The Blues are dealing with multiple injuries up front, so Walker will likely draw into the lineup immediately Tuesday versus the Capitals. He's picked up four goals and five points through nine top-level appearances this season.
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Blues' Nathan Walker: Sent to AHL
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Walker was reassigned to AHL Springfield on Monday, per CBS Sports.
Since scoring five points in his first three NHL appearances this season, Walker is on a six-game scoreless drought. He'll likely spend more time in the minors or on the taxi squad.
