What's Been A Tough Go in 2025-26, Dad's Can Bring Some Light To Blues' Season

ST. LOUIS -- By in large, the St. Louis Blues season has not gone accordingly thus far.

But as the Blues (20-26-9) play the final two games before heading off for some rest and relaxation (aside from Olympians Colton Parayko, Jordan Binnington, Pius Suter, Philip Broberg and Dalibor Dvorsky) during the Olympic break, they get to do so with a two-game trip against the Nashville Predators (Monday) and Dallas Stars (Wednesday) with their dads/mentors.

It's the first dad's trip since 2023 and the Blues are 8-2-1 according to the team in those games.

There are veterans of the trip, including Brayden Schenn's dad Jeff, who has been coming on them since the Blues acquired his son from the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017. Jeff Schenn is lucky enough to do this with two sons, including Brayden's older brother Luke, who currently plays for the Winnipeg Jets.

"If you look at the dad's trip or brothers, whoever is coming with all the players, these are moments where guys should feel grateful and lucky for the opportunity to have someone along with them who's helped them kind of be the person and player they are," Brayden Schenn said. "The organization and the Blues do such an amazing job of treating them like one of us. I know my dad or my mom when they come, always look forward to it. I think you just see smiles on the players' faces where they get to see it through their eyes and how much of a wow moment it is and how lucky we are to be playing in the NHL."

Jonatan Berggren, claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 16, is a first-timer who has his older brother Jesper coming along.

"It will be fun. My big brother's here," Berggren said. "It will be a fun memory. Hopefully we will get two wins."

There's also a first-timer in Wayne Walker, Nathan Walker's dad who flew all the way from Australia, and Tyler Tucker's dad Byron:

Tyler Tucker's dad, Byron, was delayed at a Chicago airport for almost 24 hours, and he wasn't even supposed to be there at all!

Byron was traveling from Thunder Bay, Ontario to St. Louis to join his son for the Blues Dads' Trip. He was supposed to go from Thunder Bay to Toronto… pic.twitter.com/te3T7eCYiJ

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 1, 2026

It also strikes emotion for Blues coach Jim Montgomery, a former NHLer in his own right that credits his father, James, for his upbringing and passion for setting up his career.

"Every hockey player, when you grow up, you grow up riding with mom or dad," Montgomery said. "Usually it's dad ... in my case, and most cases because they're the ones that drive, right? Mom's the one that nurtures. They drive you to practice and they watch practice. Those car rides over years, it builds a relationship that that time spent in a car, is more valuable to your upbringing than going over homework because it's time spent with your parent that you never get back and it helps develop you, not only as a player -- who cares about the player part -- but as a person, and the relationship you have ... I remember songs from different years that my dad and I would be having conversations about. That was my second year squirt, that was my first year peewee, that was my second year in bantam. Was it Hall & Oates or was or Supertramp. I could tell you the years, depending on the song that comes up. And I can tell you if he was yelling at me or if he was patting me on the back."

Montgomery was coach of the Boston Bruins when he gave a short, yet impactful, speech to his players in 2023 while on a dad's/mentor trip:

💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/sBpY38HU9h

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) November 23, 2023

"To me, it is a special time because my father was the biggest influence in my life," Montgomery said. "So when I got to see those guys and we had a couple of guys whose fathers had passed away already so young. I just thought at that time, it struck me and it would strike a chord with our group. I think that speech strikes a chord every time, but it just really depends on the timing of it at times."

The dads/mentors are flying with the team, staying at the team hotels, going to team meetings and practices,, eating dinners together, and get to watch the games from a suite level before flying back to St. Louis with the players.

Wheels up on the Dads' Trip. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/IsTvs0Gt91

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) February 1, 2026

The list of dads/mentors attending:

Jesper Berggren (Jonatan Berggren’s brother)

John Binnington (Jordan Binnington’s dad)

Mike Bjugstad (Nick Bjugstad’s dad)

Mattias Broberg (Philip Broberg’s dad)

Dalibor Dvorsky (Dalibor Dvorsky’s dad)

Len Fabbri (Robby Fabbri’s dad)

Adam Wilcox (Justin Faulk's friend)

Perry Fowler (Cam Fowler’s dad)

Steve Hofer (Joel Hofer’s dad)

Braunson Holloway (Dylan Holloway’s brother)

Frantzi Joseph (Mathieu Joseph’s dad)

Tom Kessel (Matthew Kessel’s dad)

Jeff Mailloux (Logan Mailloux’s dad)

Ed Neighbours (Jake Neighbours’ dad)

Tom Parayko (Colton Parayko’s dad)

Jeff Schenn (Brayden Schenn’s dad)

Dave Snuggerud (Jimmy Snuggerud’s dad)

Anton Sundqvist (Oskar Sundqvist’s brother)

Byron Tucker (Tyler Tucker’s dad)

Wayne Walker (Nathan Walker’s dad)

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.