Stastny placed on IR, will miss minimum next two games,
Megan recalled; Yeo's line movement; Wolves reunion in St. Louis
HAZELWOOD, Mo. -- The Blues placed center Paul Stastny on injured-reserve on Tuesday ahead of their fifth and final game of a trip against the Detroit Red Wings and recalled center Wade Megan from the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.
Stastny, who has a lower-body injury, was hurt seconds into the second period last Thursday in a 2-1 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Blues coach Mike Yeo said Stastny, who did not practice Monday or Tuesday, is listed as day-to-day, but will not be in the lineup against the Red Wings or in Thursday's home game against the Vancouver Canucks. Yeo did not rule Stastny out for Saturday's road game at the Buffalo Sabres.
Megan, on his second recall from the Wolves, was called up to the Blues on Dec. 22 and made his NHL debut against the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring his first NHL goal that night at Amalie Arena.
Megan has played in 50 games for the Wolves this season and ranks second on the team and fourth in the AHL with 45 points, including a league-best 23 goals.
Stastny has at least a point in 11 of the past 17 games, and 13 of the past 21.
* Line movement -- With Megan's recall, the Blues' lines at practice Tuesday may or may not be the lineup the Blues (29-22-5) go with for what would be a season-high five-game winning streak.
Tuesday's lines included:
Alexander Steen-Jori Lehtera-Vladimir Tarasenko
Jaden Schwartz-Patrik Berglund-David Perron
Kenny Agostino-Ivan Barbashev-Magnus Paajarvi
Scottie Upshall-Dmitrij Jaskin-Ryan Reaves
Barbashev has been centering the fourth line since Kyle Brodziak (foot) went out of the lineup on Jan. 24, so even though Yeo reunited the Wolves trio, Megan could be put in the middle of Agostino and Paajarvi and Barbashev back as the fourth-line center.
"Just keeping 'em guessing, I guess," Yeo joked. "As I kind of joked around with them there, we didn't have a very good practice yesterday. We had to come up and shake up all the lines today.
"With two practices, I think looking at the lines we had today, I kind of liked the look of them. We wanted to try a couple different things, so yeah, we'll figure out what we need for tomorrow."
* Wolves reunion -- Megan's recall gives the Blues four Wolves forwards that were regulars for them three weeks ago.
"Those guys have played together and they've had a real strong year," Yeo said. "I think chemistry-wise, reading off each other, if we play them together, that will be a real good test for them. But no reason for us to believe that they can't do it."
"It was nice to play with a couple of the boys," said Agostino, who has a goal and an assist in four games since being recalled. "... Honestly, us three, I don't know how much we've played together. I played with both of them a lot but separately. I played with 'Meegs' and 'Mags' for a while and then for a while, me, 'Barby' and (Andrew) Agozzino. Us three, I don't know if we ever played together there. As a line, it's going to be the first.
"Obviously some familiarity. We're obviously all comfortable with each other. We've known each other for a while. We've gotten close playing with each other in Chicago being teammates. I think we complement each other very well actually."
Whatever Yeo decides, looks like he'll have a Wolves line out there against the slumping Red Wings, who are last in the Eastern Conference (22-24-10).
"We know each other," Paajarvi said. "We've been playing a little bit down there. I played a lot with Agostino. It shouldn't be a problem with chemistry."
Paajarvi, who scored against Ottawa in his return to the lineup, is getting another look with the parent club and has played well in three games.
"It's only been a couple games," Paajarvi said. "You can't really judge for just for a couple games. You need a longer span of games, I think, to judge. But sure, it's been good so far.
"When I came up, I knew there was a lot going on when the (coaching) switch happened and all that. But 'Yeosie' has been bringing in more energy. You can feel it on the players as well. It is different. So far it's been good."
Paajarvi was injured (hand) in Chicago and missed 6-7 weeks.
"That kind of sucked, but came back in mid-January and have been playing since," Paajarvi said. "It's always tough when you're injured and especially down there, it's not really fun.
"I've got to be more productive, I've got to take the chances I get. The windows aren't that many. You've got to step it up when you get a chance."
As for Agostino, who signed a one-year, two-way contract after spending the past three seasons in the Calgary Flames organization, including 10 games with the Flames over two different seasons.
"It's been great," Agostino said. "All the guys have been very welcoming. In terms of me personally, I've felt very comfortable right when I got here and the guys have made it easy. Mike has made it easy, all the coaches have made it easy for me. Similar systems obviously helps, but I understand the opportunity here, so I just try to take it a day at a time.
"A winning team's a happy team and it's a happy locker room. Just trying to do my part and contribute however I can. I feel good out there."
Agostino's goal and assist in four games with the Blues matches his production in 10 games with the Flames.
"After that first stint I had after college, the awe factor kind of goes away," Agostino said. "It's just becoming a pro, maturing and developing as a player and as a pro. I understand the opportunity I have in front of me and now I'm just trying to make the most of it."
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