Third forward out due to injury; Brouwer brought back on one-year,
two-way contract worth $750,000; McGinn released from his PTO
ST. LOUIS -- Another injury has forced the Blues' hand, and brought back the return of a familiar face.
The Blues announced Wednesday night that forward Sammy Blais will undergo surgery on his right wrist and be re-evaluated in 10 weeks, and they've signed veteran Troy Brouwer, who will be in his second stint with the Blues, to a one-year, two-way contract for $750,000.
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| (St. Louis Blues photo)
The Blues brought back Troy Brouwer, signing the veteran forward to a
one-year, two-way contract worth $750,000.
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Blais, 23, was injured in the second period of a 3-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning when he was in the offensive zone and was shoved from behind by Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak. No penalty was called on the play, but Blais was on the ice before skating off on his own. He would return to finish the game but did not practice on Wednesday.
After practice, coach Craig Berube called Blais, who has eight points (five goals, three assists) in 20 games, day-to-day.
Blais marks the third significant injury sustained by the Blues this season; he joins forwards Vladimir Tarasenko (dislocated left shoulder) and Alexander Steen (left high ankle sprain) on the shelf.
With Blais' injury, there was a shortage of experience at forward, and Brouwer, who was brought in on a professional tryout, he reunites with the Blues after spending the 2015-16 season in St. Louis when he had 39 points (18 goals, 21 assists) in 82 regular-season games.
Brouwer, 34, helped the Blues to the Western Conference Final and finished with 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 20 playoff games.
Brouwer left the Blues as a free agent and signed a four-year, $18 million contract with the Calgary Flames, and his contract was bought out after the second season after two unproductive years in Calgary. He spent last season with the Florida Panthers and had 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in 75 games but was released from a PTO in September after trying to earn a spot with the Panthers for this season but fell victim to a numbers game and cap issues.
Brouwer and forward Jamie McGinn, who was released from his PTO with the Blues on Tuesday, came on board last week.
"We'll keep 'Brouws' for now and that's just the choice we made," Berube said after practice Wednesday of the choice of Brouwer over McGinn.
What do you think of Kostin's fate now?
ReplyDeleteHe was placed on the 4th line yesterday and almost not played at all (that line was mostly defending, anyway). I get it, it was against T.B., but with other teams coming, he should get better partners, like being on 2-3 lines. Hopefully, they still keep him, forget about DLR, and replace Blais with Brower (or with DLR and sit Brower).
Thoughts?