Allen to miss start of camp; Schmaltz signs two-year contract

Goalie will be sidelined 10-14 days with back spasms; defenseman gets $700K 

AAV two-way contract this season, one-way in 2019-20; Foley, Opilka injured

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- WIth training camp starting in two days, the Blues will be without their No. 1 goalie for up to the first two weeks of it.

Goalie Jake Allen will be sidelined the first 10-14 days with back spasms, the team announced on Wednesday. It's not known when the back spasms flared up on Allen, who arrived in St. Louis last week and was able to get on the ice and skate, but if he needs the full 14 days to be ready, it means Allen will have roughly one week to get in work for the regular season opener Oct. 4 against Winnipeg.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Blues goalie Jake Allen will be out 10-14 days and miss the opening of

training camp with back spasms.

In addition to Allen, prospects Erik Foley (concussion) and Luke Opilka (hip) also not start camp and be out indefinitely. Foley, acquired from Winnipeg last season at the NHL trade deadline for Paul Stastny, was injured during the prospect tournament in Traverse City on Monday; he also sustained a concussion during the East Regional Final against Notre Dame on March 24. 

Opilka, picked in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft, has had three hip surgeries in all (two on the left, one on the right), and apparently, one is giving him issues again, which required a fourth surgery. 

Also, Jordan Schmaltz is a restricted free agent no more after the defenseman and the Blues agreed on a two-year contract worth $700,000 average annual value. Schmaltz, a 2012 first-round pick, gets a two-way contract this season ($700,000 NHL/$150,000 AHL) and a one-way contract next season.

Schmaltz, 24, split last season between the Blues and the San Antonio Rampage; he had one assist in 13 games with the Blues and 23 points (five goals, 18 assists) in 31 with the Rampage. 

Six players have also been trimmed off the roster before the start of camp. 

Forward Dominik Bokk, a 2018 first round pick, has been assigned to the Vaxjo Lakers in Sweden, while forward Jared Thomas has been assigned to the Rampage. The Blues assigned forward Mathias Laferreire to Cape Breton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, defensemen Trent Bourque to Owen Sound of the Ontario Hockey League, David Noel to Val-d’Or of the QMJHL and Tyler Tucker to Barrie of the OHL.  

Players report for physicals on Thursday and training camp opens Friday at the Ice Zone at St. Louis Outlet Mall, with Group A practice at 10 a.m. and Group B on the ice at 11:45 a.m. before camp shifts to Enterprise Center on Saturday with a 9 a.m. Group B practice, a 10 a.m. scrimmage and 11:30 a.m. Group A practice. Both sessions are open to the public.