Hunter Skinner will make his NHL debut Friday when the St. Louis Blues face off against the Philadelphia Flyers at Enterprise Center (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network, 101 ESPN).
The defenseman is set to take the ice tonight on the third defense pairing.
"He has poise with the puck, but he's hard too," said Head Coach Jim Montgomery. "He plays the game with physicality and emotion, which our team can use."
While the experience will be new for Skinner, there will be some familiarity once he takes the ice. He'll skate alongside Matthew Kessel, a fellow Michigan native and his occasional defense partner in Springfield.
And the rookie will have a strong off-ice support system present as well. His family - including parents and siblings - made the trip to St. Louis for his debut and will be in the stands when he takes his first NHL shift.
"It's a dream come true," Skinner said. "I'm super excited for tonight."
The below projected lineup is based on Friday's morning skate at Enterprise Center.
