It was just another Sunday morning practice in Maryland Heights. The vibes at the Centene Community Ice Center were actually kinda high for once, mostly because the Blues were finally getting some healthy bodies back. Then, in a split second during a routine drill, everything shifted. Dylan Holloway went down, clutching his leg after a freak trip, and the silence in the rink was deafening.
If you've been following the Note this season, you know the luck has been abysmal. Honestly, it’s felt less like a hockey season and more like a revolving door at a local clinic. Just as Alexey Toropchenko was returning from that bizarre home accident involving leg burns, Holloway—arguably the most electric part of the Blues' top six lately—was being helped off the ice, unable to put any weight on his right leg.
The Diagnosis and What Went Wrong
Basically, the team confirmed what everyone feared on December 15, 2025. It’s a right high ankle sprain. For a guy whose entire game is built on explosive speed and the ability to turn defenders inside out, an ankle injury is pretty much the worst-case scenario. The team officially placed him on Injured Reserve (IR) and set a re-evaluation timeline of six weeks.
High ankle sprains are notoriously tricky. Unlike a standard "roll," these involve the syndesmotic ligaments that connect the tibia and fibula. They don't just "heal" in a linear way. You feel great one day, try to cut on the ice, and suddenly you're back to square one.
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Before the injury, Holloway was putting up respectable numbers. He had 17 points through 33 games. Sure, that’s not quite the 63-point supernova pace he set the previous year, but his underlying metrics were fantastic. He was leading the team in hits (91) and was a fixture on the top power-play unit. Losing that physical edge hurts just as much as losing the scoring.
St Louis Blues Dylan Holloway Injury: The Road to Recovery
Fast forward to right now, mid-January 2026. There is finally some light at the end of the tunnel. On January 6, Blues beat writer Lou Korac spotted No. 26 back on the ice. He wasn’t doing anything crazy—just some light skating—but for a guy who was stretchered off a bench earlier in his career and has dealt with surgery for a torn oblique, seeing him upright is a win.
The original six-week timeline puts his "realistic" return date somewhere in late January or early February. However, there’s a massive elephant in the room: the 2026 Olympic break.
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- Scenario A: He pushes to return for a few games before the break to test the ankle.
- Scenario B: Jim Montgomery and the medical staff play it safe, letting him rest until the NHL resumes post-Olympics.
- The "Blues Luck" Factor: Any setback in the next week basically guarantees we don't see him until late February.
Head coach Jim Montgomery has been pretty tight-lipped. He’s been forced to juggle lines like a madman, slotting guys like Jonatan Berggren and Otto Stenberg into roles they weren't necessarily supposed to carry yet. Stenberg has been a bright spot, showing some of that Holloway-esque creativity, but he lacks the "finisher" instinct that Holloway developed after coming over from Edmonton.
Why This Injury Hit Different
It isn't just about the points. It’s the narrative. Remember, Holloway came to St. Louis via that aggressive double-offer sheet alongside Philip Broberg. He was supposed to be the face of the "New Blues"—fast, mean, and skilled.
When he went down, the team was already missing Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou for stretches. It felt like the core of the roster was just... gone. You can't replace 18 minutes of ice time with a waiver claim and hope the power play stays at 20%. It just doesn't work that way.
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What Should Fans Expect?
If you're looking for a silver lining, Holloway has shown he's a fast healer. Last year, he tore his oblique completely off the hip bone—a gruesome injury that usually ends seasons—and he was back skating in six weeks. He’s tough. He’s also 24, so his body bounces back better than a veteran in his mid-30s would.
The biggest hurdle now isn't the pain; it's the "edge." A high ankle sprain robs a player of their lateral power. If Holloway can't dig his edges into the ice to make those sharp, puck-protection turns he’s known for, he becomes a much easier player to defend.
What you can do as a fan or fantasy owner:
- Monitor the Practice Reports: If Holloway moves from a "non-contact" jersey to a regular one this week, he’s imminent.
- Watch the Power Play: Jake Neighbours has been taking those minutes. Even when Holloway returns, he might start on the third line to get his "game legs" back.
- Manage Expectations: Don't expect a three-point night in his first game back. Ankle injuries usually take 3-5 games of "real" action before the speed returns.
The Blues are currently fighting for their lives in a crowded Central Division. Getting Holloway back isn't just a roster move; it's a massive psychological boost for a locker room that has been through the wringer. Keep an eye on the January 20th stretch—that's when the "six-week" mark officially hits, and we'll see if the Blues get their spark plug back.