Fabbri cleared for training camp

2014 first-round pick has not played in regular-season game since Feb. 4, 

2017 following two ACL tears; Soshnikov to miss start of camp with concussion

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- To the surprise of nobody, the Blues made it a formality on Thursday by declaring Robby Fabbri ready to go and activating the forward off injured reserve for the start of training camp on Friday and announcing forward Nikita Soshnikov will miss the start of camp with a concussion.

Robby Fabbri

Fabbri, the Blues' first-round pick in 2014, has played in one game (a preseason game on Sept. 22, 2017 at Washington) since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Feb. 4, 2017 against Pittsburgh before re-injuring the same knee during camp last season. 

Fabbri, 22, began training in Toronto and participated in the BioSteel Camp this summer before coming into St. Louis and skating with teammates the past two weeks. He has 66 points (29 goals, 37 assists) in 123 regular-season games over two seasons.

Soshnikov, acquired from Toronto on Feb. 15 for a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, sustained a concussion while training. He was on the ice on Monday during an informal practice with teammates. He had one goal and one assist in 12 games with the Blues last season; he played in three with the Maple Leafs before sustaining a shoulder injury during an injury-plagued career.

Soshnikov, 24, has 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 82 NHL games spanning parts of three seasons.

Soshnikov joins goalie Jake Allen on the sidelines to start camp. The Blues said Thursday that Allen would miss 10-14 days with back spasms, while prospects Erik Foley (concussion) and Luke Opilka (hip) are out indefinitely. 

Foley, acquired from Winnipeg on Feb. 26 for Paul Stastny, sustained his second concussion in less than a year; he was injured during the East Region Final playing for Providence against Notre Dame on March 24.

Opilka has been plagued by hip injuries and has gone under the knife on both hips; he had surgery again on Wednesday.