(2-8-21) Coyotes-Blues Gameday Lineup

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- By his own admission, Ivan Barbashev has more to give.

He'll certainly get the opportunity to provide more when he slots in on the top line with Ryan O'Reilly and David Perron when the Blues (7-4-1) close out a four-game home set with the Arizona Coyotes (5-5-1) at Enterprise Center today (7 p.m.; FS-MW, ESPN 101.1-FM).

Barbashev has two assists in 12 games this season, and although the numbers are low, that's how what he's primarily asked to do. What he is asked to do is provide an efficient forecheck along with his other fourth-line linemates and that just hasn't been the case on a consistent enough level in this young season.

"I think my game's got to be on another level," Barbashev admitted. "It's been a tough start, but it's got to be better. Simple as that. The conversation with Chief was very good for me. It’s as simple as that. We've all got to better. We're not playing the way we should be."

Barbashev was even surprised when he saw his name up the chart when he came in Monday morning.

"Surprised? Yeah, kind of," he said. "I've played the fourth line and it's a big jump to play with O'Reilly and Perron. I'm looking forward to it. We didn't play our best game yet and I think we've got to turn around and play better and it starts I think tonight. We've talked about it the last couple days and I'm real excited."

Blues coach Craig Berube said he's looking for more bite from that line, and adding someone that can get the forecheck going might help produce offense from that group along with getting Barbashev's game going.

"Get in there on the forecheck, being physical," Berube said. "I think that line needs that right now. That's what we talked to Barby about. That's what we're looking for. If you look at the lines, we've got a heavy guy on every line."

As far as Barbashev's concerned, Berube spoke to him about his game and feels there's more to give.

"Not as much as normal. I think that he's kind of looked a little uninspired out there at times and I've talked to him," Berube said. "We had a good conversation yesterday so I'm hoping this inspires him a little bit and get a little bit more life in his game, a little bit more emotion in his game. We'll see what happens."

Perron feels the move can be beneficial despite not playing with Barbashev often.

"He's definitely a guy that can get in there and that's very much a strength of his. I also think he's got more offrense at times people give him credit for," Perron said. "He's shown that in the past. But I think at the end of the day, when our line is successful, we get in on the forecheck. If he does get in there, F1, F2, stops the puck, keeps plays alive. That's definitely what we're looking for as a line. We're excited to play with him.

"No, not many times quite honestly. Just over a few years. Even going back to juniors obviously most of us were offensive players, but his chemistry with 'Sunny' at times and 'Steener', a couple guys even on the PK making plays. As a line, we can't worry too much about scoring. If we worry about our forecheck, getting pucks back, getting stopped pucks on the forecheck, things like that, then the scoring will take care of itself. Definitely I think he's a guy when he's at his best, he really gets in on the forecheck, he does all the little things and we're looking forward to that."

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With Robert Thomas placed on injured reserve Sunday with a broken thumb that will keep the center out of the lineup 4-6 weeks, the Blues did some reshuffling to their forward group and elevated Oskar Sundqvist up to the third line to center Zach Sanford, who missed Saturday with the flu, and Mike Hoffman.

But on the good news front, defenseman Robert Bortuzzo returns after missing the past 10 games with an upper-body injury sustained Jan. 15 against the Colorado Avalanche.

"I'm sure he is (itching to get back in)," Berube said of Bortuzzo, who will be paired with Niko Mikkola. "Borts has worked hard and is ready to go, so he'll be in there tonight."
Bortuzzo's physical presence and penalty kill abilities were sorely missed.

"When he's in there, yeah, his gamesmanship and his physicality, kills penalties," Berube said. "He makes it hard on the other team."

Center Jacob de la Rose will make his season debut tonight after being called up from the taxi squad on Sunday.

With Tyler Bozak (upper body) also going on IR Sunday, it created a roster spot the Blues needed to fill.

"What he always does," Berube said on what he's looking for. "He's a big body, kills penalties, he's got to be good defensively, good in the face-off circle and be physical."

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Along with some tweaks to the regular lineup, the Blues are searching for any sort of life to kickstart a power play that's 28th in the league at 10 percent.

The Blues, who are 4-for-40 on the season, have moved Justin Faulk and Hoffman onto a unit with Perron, O'Reilly and Sundqvist, and Brayden Schenn, Torey Krug, Jordan Kyrou, Vince Dunn and Jaden Schwartz made up the other unit.

When Berube was asked what he's looking for, the answer is simple.

"Goals," he said. "I mean, ultimately, goals, right? That's what we want from our power play, but also create some momentum too. They haven't produced enough against Arizona. Before Arizona, I think we scored three straight games, but it's just got to be more consistent. We need more. The other night against Arizona, I think we had five power plays and we come out of there with no goals. That could have been the difference in the hockey game."

In Faulk, there's a different look with a right-handed shot on the point.

"I like it," Perron said. "I thought it looked decent this morning, definitely some things we can always work on, but I think it does take away a little bit of pressure maybe on one unit too. There's always two units, but you always take pride when you're on the first power play to score and I think it just kind of evens it up, start building it back up and hopefully it's a start that puts the onus on both units equally to get out there and if someone runs with it a little bit, you start with those guys more or even generating momentum. I think for our unit with how it's set up, I like having a righty behind me where I can do a lot of behind-the-back plays like I was doing with 'Petro' last year. I can come in here and pull a shot like I was doing at times last year. I feel like there's all kinds of options. There's the option to go on our one-time side. Every game you'll end up seeing both looks depending on face-offs, the way the night's going, the way the opposition is defending. I can't speak for the other unit, but for my unit, there's definitely more options. I think it's exciting. I've got to take that on my back a little bit too to really generate offense for our team, generate momentum."

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* LATE AFTERNOON UPDATE -- As expected, the Blues' game against the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul on Thursday was postponed by the league late Monday afternoon.

The Blues were originally supposed to face the Wild on Tuesday and Thursday but the Tuesday game was postponed last week due to the Wild's Covid-19 outbreak.

The Blues will not face the Coyotes at least six straight games with games Saturday and Monday in Glendale, Ariz. but there's a possibility of a game in Arizona added on either Thursday or Friday to account for one of the games the Blues have to play there April 15 and 17 to keep the teams from having four off days between games. 

Stay tuned.

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The Blues' projected lineup:

Ivan Barbashev-Ryan O'Reilly-David Perron

Jaden Schwartz-Brayden Schenn-Jordan Kyrou

Zach Sanford-Oskar Sundqvist-Mike Hoffman

Kyle Clifford-Jacob de la Rose-Mackenzie MacEachern

Torey Krug-Justin Faulk

Vince Dunn-Colton Parayko

Niko Mikkola-Robert Bortuzzo

Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Ville Husso will be the backup.

The healthy scratch is Carl Gunnarsson. Vladimir Tarasenko (shoulder), Tyler Bozak (upper body), Marco Scandella (upper body) and Robert Thomas (thumb) are out. Sammy Blais (unknown) was a late scratch.

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The Coyotes' projected lineup:

Clayton Keller-Nick Schmaltz-Conor Garland

Drake Caggiula-Christian Dvorak-Tyler Pitlick

Derick Brassard-Barrett Hayton-Phil Kessel

Lawson Crouse-Johan Larsson-John Hayden

Jakob Chychrun-Ilya Lyubushkin

Alex Goligoski-Niklas Hjalmarsson 

Jordan Oesterle-Jason Demers

Darcy Kuemper could start in goal; Antti Raanta would be the backup.

Healthy scratches include Adin Hill. Oliver Ekman-Larsson (lower body), Lawson Crouse (undisclosed), Christian Fischer (undisclosed) and Dryden Hunt (lower body) are out.