Dec. 10 Blues European Update

By LOUIE KORAC
An update on current St. Louis Blues players competing overseas in various leagues:

Alex Steen, MODO (Sweden): 8 goals, 15 assists in 20 games. He leads the team with 23 points (12th overall in the Swedish Elite League) despite missing eight with a leg injury.

Patrik Berglund, VIK Vasteras (Sweden): 18 goals, 7 assists in 25 games; he is the team leader in goals and is second on the team with 25 points.

Kris Russell, TPS Turku (Finland): 2 goals, 12 assists in 15 games.

Kevin Shattenkirk, TPS Turku (Finland): 1 goal, 4 assists in 5 games after recently leaving North America to go play in Finland's top league, playing on the same defensive pairing with Blues teammate Russell.

Vladimir Tarasenko, SKA St. Petersburg (Russia): "Vova" has 11 goals, 14 assists in 23 games playing alongside fellow NHLer Ilya Kovalchuk.

Chris Stewart, Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany): 6 goals, 14 assists in 15 games; Stewart was second on the team in points despite only playing in 15 games. However, Stewart has returned to his native Toronto according to the team's website, presumably awaiting a potential CBA deal.

Matt D'Agostini, SC Riessersie (Germany): 2 goals, 6 assists in 10 games. The eight points are tied for eighth on the team despite playing in less than half the team's games (23).

Vladimir Sobotka, HC Slavia Praha (Czech Republic): 8 goals, 12 assists in 21 games. Sobotka is second on the team in goals and points (20) and was recently invited to play for the Czech Republic national team for the Channel One Cup, Euro Hockey Tour tournament. However, Sobotka will not be able to participate. He is currently out with a hip injury suffered last Tuesday, according to Slavia Praha's website.

Roman Polak, HC Vitkovice (Czech Republic): 2 goals, 5 assists and 45 penalty minutes in 21 games. Polak is also on the Czech Republic national team roster for the upcoming Channel One Cup. Polak has since returned to action after missing three weeks with an undisclosed injury.

Jaroslav Halak, Lausitzer Fusche (Germany): Halak played in one game and won it for the Foxes via shootout. But he has also since returned to his native Slovakia to handle some personal business and has not returned to Germany in anticipation of a CBA deal in the NHL.

Jori Lehtera, Sibir Novosibirsk (Russia): The Blues' 2008 third round pick has 9 goals, 23 assists (32 points) in 33 games in the KHL.