tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23356372509787496972024-03-27T01:38:07.960-05:00In The SlotYour access to all things St. Louis Blueslkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.comBlogger3284125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-75956807924544597872022-10-15T23:36:00.003-05:002022-10-16T02:35:25.622-05:00Blues third line has ability to change games<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Even when numbers say they're not at their best, Schenn, Barbashev, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Neighbours changed course of season opener in 5-2 win over Columbus</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">ST. LOUIS -- The analytics, for those that live and die by the numbers, didn't read particularly well for Brayden Schenn, Ivan Barbashev and Jake Neighbours.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Their corsi number read four shots for and 10 against, for a 28.57 rating.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6NgsLtEQQyn4ejRvUWuxzVhfZV00dpDVugo8LZACHtgTXdEEtcZ_f4t2BKG4idRtJs3Qlz_U5MDyMOd0uxj-OoUUyE38a6C6nOFS-bO0VT_hFX3jpfSmlpmR6_LP0uzm6VPWFNmTo0NwlwUUlKN-atYkqQkiJ-CT_vaQDgYJiEUfiswv-jizNU36/s813/cut%20(5).jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6NgsLtEQQyn4ejRvUWuxzVhfZV00dpDVugo8LZACHtgTXdEEtcZ_f4t2BKG4idRtJs3Qlz_U5MDyMOd0uxj-OoUUyE38a6C6nOFS-bO0VT_hFX3jpfSmlpmR6_LP0uzm6VPWFNmTo0NwlwUUlKN-atYkqQkiJ-CT_vaQDgYJiEUfiswv-jizNU36/w400-h266/cut%20(5).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Jake Neighbours (middle) is all smiles after scoring and celebrating with</div><div style="text-align: left;">teammates Ivan Barbashev (left) and Brayden Schenn on Saturday.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Not exactly beaming with dominance.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But for all the talk of how effective the Blues' top two lines can be, that third line, should it stay together, can change a game on a dime no matter how things are going.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Barbashev and Neighbours provided the goals that changed a game in the balance, scoring twice in 20 seconds in the third period to break a tie and send the Blues to a season-opening 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets Saturday night in front of 18,096 at Enterprise Center.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What people tend to forget is that a third line, normally an energy-type line a coaching staff implements, also has the ability with the right players to be game-changers.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Last season alone, Barbashev was a 60-point player (26 goals, 34 assists) and Schenn had 58 points (24 goals, 34 assists) in just 62 games. And with the young buck Neighbours, whose motor is always in high octane mode, it can do things and get favorable matchups the coaches can certainly take advantage of.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"They have the ability to score, but they're a good identity line for us with work, physicality, doing all that kind of stuff," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "They can change a game when needed, change momentum of a game.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"They were fine. Obviously got us a couple big goals on the third period, but they're just a hard-working line, their forecheck's hard that just goes north. They didn't have a lot going on early on, but their work ethic and hard work paid off in the third."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">All it takes is seconds, and the Blues are capable of striking, much like Barbashev and Neighbours did when they scored 20 seconds apart to make a 2-2 game into a 4-2 Blues lead.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's huge. You could tell with the emotion on the bench and in the building, it was a big one," Neighbours said. "Obviously with the flat second (period) we were eager to get out to a good start in the third. It was a great play, a good finish by 'Barby' and got the guys going."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"... The building still had so much energy. Everybody was still kind of on their feet. 'Barby' got right back to it, got on the forecheck there, created a turnover, and it was just kind of a hard working play by my line, and the D and everybody on the ice. It was a high-energy moment, getting two back to back there."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There's so much made of Pavel Buchnevich, Robert Thomas and Vladimir Tarasenko and Brandon Saad, Ryan O'Reilly and Jordan Kyrou and rightfully so. That set of lines has great capabilities and can be game-changers themselves. But imagine having the ability to affect the game the way Schenn, Barbashev and Neighbours can with the favorable matchups they'll get.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That line combined for four points tonight, with Schenn picking up two assists, but even at less than their best, they changed the game in a positive way.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58H8Psn8H_iQLBRxZtMiqVFBCgNQeXpWx2S6v4i2ueyj-z2Re9iEyq2ewdVSrpTPreloOKSH4j5jykBKSjY_eIU4_jmA1QiPiddA7SNZYOKkgYNq7zFsjpbP4gGAL9v-SBV3dneYSzCFAWEffevJdCzxPXhoqFKvyfkAiDB4_ZdOVuFEJtaLNtj8H/s813/cut%20(6).jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58H8Psn8H_iQLBRxZtMiqVFBCgNQeXpWx2S6v4i2ueyj-z2Re9iEyq2ewdVSrpTPreloOKSH4j5jykBKSjY_eIU4_jmA1QiPiddA7SNZYOKkgYNq7zFsjpbP4gGAL9v-SBV3dneYSzCFAWEffevJdCzxPXhoqFKvyfkAiDB4_ZdOVuFEJtaLNtj8H/w400-h266/cut%20(6).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Ivan Barbashev is all smiles and celebrates with teammate Torey Krug (47)</div><div style="text-align: left;">after scoring in a 5-2 season-opening win over Columbus Saturday.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"'Schenner' and 'Barby' are two pretty elite players in this league," Neighbours said. "Their offensive talent is swept under the rug a little bit. They're two very talented players and can provide a lot of offense for this team, especially in a third-line role. My job is just to chip in when I can. I think at the same time we're reliable and physical and hard to play against. It's fun playing with those two and hopefully we keep it rolling."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Neighbours scored his second NHL goal, and put a stamp on what was a challenging opener.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We started to play in the third period, just the way we wanted. We had to," Barbashev said. "If we’re going to play like this, it’s going to be a good season.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I haven’t played a lot of games with (Neighbours) to be honest, especially with this preseason. I think it’s only our second game together. But he’s a really smart player. He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He plays it simple, and it’s really simple to play with him. He’s been great whole camp and I hope he’s just going to keep improving."</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-91301060161312630272022-10-15T12:16:00.004-05:002022-10-15T12:16:28.118-05:00(10-15-22) Blue Jackets-Blues Gameday Lineup<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">ST. LOUIS -- Time to drop the puck -- finally.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For the Blues, it's been too long, long enough for them to be the last of the 32 teams in the league to play their season opener.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That will all change today at 7 p.m. (BSMW, ESPN 101.1-FM) when the Blues open the 2022-23 season at Enterprise Center against the Columbus Blue Jackets (0-2-0).</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Everybody's ready," Blues coach <b>Craig Berube</b> said. "It seems like we're the only team that hasn't played, but guys are excited and ready to roll.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"... You're off in the summer for a while, that gets boring. Not boring but you want to get back to doing what you do for a living as a player or a coach, or anything, management. We're always excited for the season. The start of the season, it's a great opportunity to see what your team can do and how they look. You're shooting for a goal."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues made minimal changes, most notably the missing include <b>David Perron</b> and <b>Ville Husso</b>, each which has moved on to Detroit now, but the lineup remains relatively the same with a few exceptions.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Many of those that remain the same include veteran skaters that still get excited about opening night.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Oh yeah, it's an honor and a pleasure to play in the NHL," center <b>Brayden Schenn</b> said. "Time goes by fast and you look forward to the start of every year. You work hard all summer in order to get ready and feel as good as possible and feel better than in the previous year. You're looking to find ways to make yourself better in the summer time. Opening night and the start of the season is when you have to try and show it."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Ready or not -- and they better be ready -- the Blues feel like they're prepared.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think we're ready," center <b>Robert Thomas</b> said. "I think we did a lot in the preseason to kind of ramp it up. I think in our team bonding trip (to Charleston, South Carolina earlier in the week) went really well. Everyone's pretty close and just ready to play for each other.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">"We're out there getting that itch a little bit, but it's still been fun watching other games. It's been a while since the last game. Games are the most fun. Everyone's excited to not practice as much and play more games."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forward <b>Alexey Toropchenko</b> has been confirmed to open the season in the lineup. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That had been the going trend after Friday's practice session when the 23-year-old declared himself good to go, but Berube wanted to get through the day first before making any confirmation himself.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's good to go," Berube said. "We're excited, he's excited. He's a good player for us. I thought he brought a lot last year to our team and in the playoffs. We're really excited that he's early, going to play. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think he's a smart player, which he's got really good hockey sense, which goes a long way. We all know his skating ability and his size, and when you put the hockey sense in there, he's a good player."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Toropchenko, who had shoulder surgery June 13, is two months ahead of the projected timeline of mid-December when the Blues felt like he could return, a remarkable turn of events.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I've been here since July 10th, but since I had surgery June 13th and pretty much like two weeks of a little vacation and pretty much that's it," Toropchenko said. "Been here all summer working with (strength and conditioning coach) <b>Ryan Podell</b> and doctors."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Toropchenko will skate with <b>Noel Acciari</b> and <b>Nathan Walker</b>, a line Berube said has the capabilities of being tenacious, hard-nosed and checking.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think so," Walker said. "That's pretty much down to a tee of how we want to play and how we need to play in order for the team to be successful on that line. I think those three things are definitely part of our identity as that line.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"(Toropchenko's) done great. I always say he was built in a lab, but he's done really good. He's worked hard through his rehab. It's great to see him back again."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forward <b>Logan Brown</b>, who has an upper-body injury, was not on the ice again Saturday. He has been dealing with the injury since Oct. 1, a 5-2 preseason loss against the Dallas Stars in Independence, Mo. after putting together a solid training camp.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He had a great start to camp and it's an unfortunate injury," Berube said. "But he'll be back. He's just got to heal up. We'll get him on the ice as soon as we can and get him working again and get him back up to speed."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Asked if time is all Brown needs, Berube said, "Yes, that's all it is. It's nothing more than that."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Brandon Saad-Ryan O'Reilly-Jordan Kyrou</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Pavel Bucnnevich-Robert Thomas-Vladimir Tarasenko</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Ivan Barbashev </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Alexey Toropchenko-Noel Acciari-Nathan Walker </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Torey Krug-Justin Faulk</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Niko Mikkola-Robert Bortuzzo</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Jordan Binnington</b> will start in goal; <b>Thomas Greiss</b> will be the backup. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Healthy scratches include <b>Calle Rosen</b> and <b>Josh Leivo</b>. <b>Marco Scandella</b> (hip) is on injured-reserve, <b>Scott Perunovich</b> (shoulder) is on long-term injured-reserve and <b>Logan Brown</b> (upper body) is out.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blue Jackets' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Johnny Gaudreau-Boone Jenner-Justin Danforth</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Yegor Chinakhov-Jack Roslovic-Jakub Voracek</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Gustav Nyquist-Cole Sillinger-Kent Johnson</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Eric Robinson-Sean Kuraly-Mathieu Olivier</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Zach Werenski-Adam Boqvist</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Vladislav Gavrikov-Andrew Peeke</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake Bean-Erik Gudbranson</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Elvis Merzlikins</b> could start in goal; <b>Daniil Tarasov</b> would be the backup.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Healthy scratches could include <b>Liam Foudy</b> and <b>Nick Blankenburg</b>. <b>Patrik Laine</b> (elbow) is out 3-4 weeks and <b>Joonas Korpisalo</b> (hip) is out.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-55506702664125233982022-10-14T14:40:00.000-05:002022-10-14T14:40:09.773-05:00Toropchenko likely to play Saturday in season-opener<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Forward was expected to be sidelined until mid-December </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">following </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">offseason shoulder surgery, rehab has done better than expected</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- The remarkable run of Alexey Toropchenko appears to have parlayed into an opening night assignment.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">And that's two months ahead schedule to boot.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWVUb7YPupGmmX0-vS7EtEmbm35pudpv_ElPIx0apdn_u3QyUaomvpntDN6cnBOyHxvYQ02yli7iyeie6_dqwEECy3N6Im5OtEGHlfqvpDNn1PlybP6M5HCRkqhtFk22U3xCJH0cQZ0SlyhTBvCXPkxYozhR3PwuZbfztVzhjQFRWHR4ovKWS8aAZ/s813/cut%20(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWVUb7YPupGmmX0-vS7EtEmbm35pudpv_ElPIx0apdn_u3QyUaomvpntDN6cnBOyHxvYQ02yli7iyeie6_dqwEECy3N6Im5OtEGHlfqvpDNn1PlybP6M5HCRkqhtFk22U3xCJH0cQZ0SlyhTBvCXPkxYozhR3PwuZbfztVzhjQFRWHR4ovKWS8aAZ/w400-h266/cut%20(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko (right) shoots a puck last year in the</div><div style="text-align: left;">first round of the playoffs against Matt Dumba and the Minnesota Wild.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He even made it known after practice Friday just how he feels.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Incredible," the 6-foot-6, 220-pound Moscow, Russia native said.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Why? Because it appears that Toropchenko will make his season debut in the season-opener on Saturday when the Blues kick off the 2022-23 season against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Enterprise Center (7 p.m.; BSMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Toropchenko, 23, had offseason shoulder surgery on June 13, and when Blues general manager Doug Armstrong announced the injury/surgery on July 2, he projected Toropchenko to be on a 4-5 month timeline, sidelining the forward until mid-December.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But Toropchenko was on the ice, as has been the case for weeks, playing left wing on a line with center Noel Acciari and right wing Nathan Walker, doing all the battle drills and preparation as if he was going to be a player.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Yep, 100 percent," Toropchenko proclaimed. "Excited, feels strong, healthy, ready to go."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues have been diligent, yet deliberate with Toropchenko's rehabilitation, but through hard work with strength and conditioning coach Ryan Podell and the training staff and the advice from team doctors, the progression has gone better than expected.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">"Yes, of course, hard work all summer," Toropchenko said. "You can see where I'm at right now. Way ahead of schedule and I'm ready to go. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I'm very excited that my body heals so fast, probably because I probably put a lot of work into it. I am very excited to play tomorrow night."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The coaching staff, including coach Craig Berube, hasn't made the final decision yet but the signs point to a season debut on Saturday.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We'll make a decision tomorrow," Berube said. "Check out, see how he did today. He looks ready, he's skating extremely well and he's strong. We'll just see tomorrow."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Toropchenko has been skating regularly since the start of training camp, just three months removed from surgery on June 13. But it wasn't until a practice session 3-4 weeks ago with teammate Brayden Schenn that Toropchenko felt like this day could be possible.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Probably more confidence gave me (was) Schenner when we did (a) drill 1-on-1 in the corner, he asked me, 'Can I push you?' I said, 'One-hundred percent, go right after me,'" Toropchenko said. "It pretty much gave me a lot of confidence about my shoulder. That was a point when I start thinking that I would be ready soon."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">More recently, it was assistant coach Steve Ott that was providing the pushing and prodding, but don't think for a second Schenn went light on the second-year NHL pro.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"No, and he's not easy to move around either," Schenn said. "He's a big, strong kid. He's one of those guys, 6-5 or whatever he is, 220, and strong. It was just one of those battle drills where we weren't playing on a day. Nice to see that he worked extremely hard to get himself back earlier.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It was just out of courtesy, he had the same color jersey on and I wanted to know if I could push him around and he got clearance or whatever and I've got to hand it to him, he put a lot of work in. He's a big, strong boy. He does extra in the gym, takes care of himself and I showed up to the rink this morning and asked if he's playing and he said yeah. I was shocked actually because I never had asked the status of it the whole time. He's a huge piece to our team. He's a north-south type of guy, big body, physical. We need players like that."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Toropchenko, who had two goals in 28 regular-season games last season and two assists in 12 playoff games, brings am element the Blues will find plenty useful on the fourth line.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's a great skater," Berube said. "He pressures the puck everywhere and is a good forechecker, big guy obviously. He can penalty-kill, check. He's got good details to his game, but when you see a guy like him out there, a team really feeds off his energy and his forechecking and his skating and his work ethic. It goes a long way.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiwVO_X6QJURMAfrIDUl3f_K6utkUpZ1gaMKhhr-7Qnc2s8Y4zyjCGnrTbIhvn0aps5Zpq2EgSP3VDWDOaWgA7ycyTqKulzSMpJilXnw1TPfuaEz-tsK31pAn7fGlvrESJqeHwLcGcakFr-FMthd2XXmARNv_lH369rZTNNicx2i47CHej3puS_E9T/s813/cut%20(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiwVO_X6QJURMAfrIDUl3f_K6utkUpZ1gaMKhhr-7Qnc2s8Y4zyjCGnrTbIhvn0aps5Zpq2EgSP3VDWDOaWgA7ycyTqKulzSMpJilXnw1TPfuaEz-tsK31pAn7fGlvrESJqeHwLcGcakFr-FMthd2XXmARNv_lH369rZTNNicx2i47CHej3puS_E9T/w400-h266/cut%20(4).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Alexey Toropchenko (left) celebrates a goal with Jordan Kyrou during the</div><div style="text-align: left;">Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, is expected to play in Saturday's opener.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's hard work. He spent the whole summer here pretty much and worked. He's got a great work ethic. That's part of it. That's why he recovered so quickly I'm sure that he put the time in."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"You just know what you're going to get from him every single night," Schenn said. "The style that he plays, I'm sure that's why the coaching staff loves him. He's consistent with what his game is. It's north-south, chipping pucks in, he's hard in the forecheck creating energy like that. When he has the puck, he can take it wide, take it to the net too. He's come a long way probably in two years I'm assuming. He's a huge piece to our team."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And Toropchenko made one declaration that he wants the fans to understand, something he's already instilled in them through his style of play.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I promise I will put (in) like 100 percent always," he said "</span><span style="font-family: arial;">... I just try and (put my) head down and just working. I didn't think too much actually (about the surgery). I just tried to do everything right and follow what doctors said and be smart with it."</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-90744991724314002672022-10-11T00:40:00.004-05:002022-10-11T22:38:23.433-05:00Blues unveil 23-man roster to begin regular season<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Roster </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">includes </i><i style="font-family: arial;">pair of defensemen who could miss most, if not entire </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">regular </i><i style="font-family: arial;">season; Neighbours, Leivo assigned to Springfield to be cap-compliant</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">ST. LOUIS -- The Blues unveiled their 2022-23 season-opening roster on Monday, having to get it set at the 23-man limit and doing so with a little maneuvering.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKaOzCH9RnPhQP0A4G53XrT9aZGKDUrzS5m6rc9jg6tY1Z1PBNnEyRvnCLVHPXuvEOqoJyrYSghDjQf5Mq2qfRD5jUsFnA70xMgC68HerJacGicGRAuppNNz6FMaWqm4Oxx5_JxFAM7s8KzXAsnrqEKUbXjtYxm2lbxAcg9MqcQECl5lPG1wCorfN/s320/blues-logo-e1538760361134.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKaOzCH9RnPhQP0A4G53XrT9aZGKDUrzS5m6rc9jg6tY1Z1PBNnEyRvnCLVHPXuvEOqoJyrYSghDjQf5Mq2qfRD5jUsFnA70xMgC68HerJacGicGRAuppNNz6FMaWqm4Oxx5_JxFAM7s8KzXAsnrqEKUbXjtYxm2lbxAcg9MqcQECl5lPG1wCorfN/w200-h200/blues-logo-e1538760361134.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The roster currently has 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies, along with injured defensemen Marco Scandella (hip) and Scott Perunovich (shoulder), who will miss the majority, if not the entire regular season, with long-term injuries.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 23-man roster doesn't include forwards Jake Neighbours and Josh Leivo, who each was assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey League in order to be cap-compliant of the $82.5 million ceiling.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Their transactions was merely a paper transaction and those players will more than likely be recalled back to the Blues prior to their season starting, which is Saturday at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets, after the team places Scandella and Perunovich on injured-reserve, whether it be long term or not.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And Alexey Toropchenko, who had offseason shoulder surgery whose prognosis was determined to keep the forward out until mid-December, isn't projected to begin the season ready to play and it could promote 2019 second-round pick Nikita Alexandrov, who was assigned to the Thunderbirds on Saturday after impressing the coaches throughout training camp.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Without further ado, here is the 23-man season-opening roster:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Forwards (12):</b> <i>Noel Acciari, Ivan Barbashev, Logan Brown, Pavel Buchnevich, Jordan Kyrou, Ryan O'Reilly, Brandon Saad, Brayden Schenn, Vladimir Tarasenko, Robert Thomas, Alexey Toropchenko, Nathan Walker.</i></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Defense (7):</b> <i>Robert Bortuzzo, Justin Faulk, Torey Krug, Nick Leddy, Niko Mikkola, Colton Parayko, Calle Rosen.</i></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Goalies (2): </b><i>Jordan Binnington, Thomas Greiss.</i></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Injured (2): </b><i>Scott Perunovich, Marco Scandella.</i></span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-57935656706706904942022-10-10T00:53:00.003-05:002022-10-13T17:05:47.040-05:00As time passed, Kostin trade seemed more and more likely<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Commentary by Lou Korac</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">With each passing day and as potential skaters in search for a job in a crowded lineup for the Blues continued to pass him on the depth chart, Klim Kostin's days in St. Louis slowly became numbered.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">On Sunday, that number came to a head when the 2017 first-round pick was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for defensive prospect Dmitri Samorukov, a third-round selection by the Oilers in the same draft class.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLyZfL4ltttpl-y8NycLmrO5oeg9gwuKnAr4wRQzJGVQsBNMk_dDhi4WXtVreiCJuNQE5rHkizU5DRvTSQsvPTabR1faKZj4tGO6m1iMBBUmH0UPhed7L5TZ5RKv_PaUIBR_iW1cQm7XzsiY-6s0czmnT_mJGORHCdR8_GridgIjcZ0OJ-ZB9VCak/s812/cut%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="812" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLyZfL4ltttpl-y8NycLmrO5oeg9gwuKnAr4wRQzJGVQsBNMk_dDhi4WXtVreiCJuNQE5rHkizU5DRvTSQsvPTabR1faKZj4tGO6m1iMBBUmH0UPhed7L5TZ5RKv_PaUIBR_iW1cQm7XzsiY-6s0czmnT_mJGORHCdR8_GridgIjcZ0OJ-ZB9VCak/w400-h268/cut%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Klim Kostin (37) scores against the Minnesota Wild in a preseason game</div><div style="text-align: left;">last week. Kostin was traded Sunday to the Edmonton Oilers.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Call it a trade of giving each 23-year-old a fresh start, and all the signs point to that very thought, but let's look at it from a Blues perspective before we take a look at the defenseman the Blues acquired.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I remember when the Blues drafted Kostin in Chicago, first acquiring the pick along with Oskar Sundqvist from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Ryan Reaves, and I kept thinking to myself who the Blues could potentially get as a terrific value after selecting Robert Thomas with the 20th pick. I remember the great Bob McKenzie talking at the time about who remained on the board for teams to select as the first round was winding down, and I remember distinctly him talking about Kostin and how he could be a steal for someone because had it not been for a shoulder injury Kostin suffered earlier in the year while playing in Russia, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound forward would have gone much earlier in the first round, potentially as a top-10 pick or close.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues were able to get Kostin at No. 31, the final pick of the first round, and the timeline for the project was on.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues were slowly able to nurture Kostin, ingratiating him into the North American style of hockey, first at San Antonio of the American Hockey League as an 18-year-old in a foreign country for two seasons. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Kostin got his first taste of the NHL in November of 2019 as a brief call-up for four games and scored his first NHL goal against the Nashville Predators Nov. 23, 2019, but his stay was brief and the development continued in the AHL.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He had 28 points (six goals, 22 assists) in 67 games in his first season with the Rampage in 2017-18; not bad by all accounts but not great either. We have to take into account that he's young and raw and that the Blues could and were willing to be patient with the progression.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">There would be two more seasons in San Antonio, combined with two years of representing Russia at the World Juniors in 2017 and 2018, but the Blues were prepared to be as patient as they could until they felt like the player could one day be ready for full time NHL duty.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kostin's third and final season in San Antonio gained some traction with 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 48 regular-season games, but then COVID-19 played havoc on not only his life but the world's, but for Kostin's in particular, he spent 2020-21 in Russia playing in the KHL for Avangard Omsk, winning a Gagarin Cup, Russia's version of the Stanley Cup.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kostin finally got his real shot at making the NHL roster last season, and he did so out of training camp, playing in 40 games in St. Louis, but after scoring two goals in his season debut Oct. 18 at Arizona, he would finish with nine points (four goals, five assists) and not really making much of an impact the way the Blues wanted or needed.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Coach Craig Berube would address Kostin's progression and play when asked, and the common theme was that the Blues needed him to play a north-south game, use his big body to hold onto and protect pucks and park his rear end in front of the net and develop as a power forward.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Unfortunately, there was too much zig and zag and not enough straight line play, and eventually, the Blues would assign Kostin to Springfield of the AHL last season, never to see the NHL last year again.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was almost a sign as the beginning of the end then, and even though Kostin went up to Massachusetts and was part of the Thunderbirds' run to the Calder Cup Final, it was pretty clear even at the time that at 22 going into age 23, Kostin's make-or-break career with the Blues would be this year.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues would give Kostin a one-year, $750,000 one-way contract, a sign that they were ready to say this is it, show yourself or there are others that will.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, Jake Neighbours (first round, 2020) came along, Zachary Bolduc (first round, 2021) came along, even though he has since been returned to his junior team in Quebec this season; Alexey Toropchenko came along, and heck, now even Nikita Alexandrov (second round, 2019) came along, players within the system that were drafted that certainly have made respective marks within the organization.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But as training camp was moving along, I asked Berube recently about Kostin's play and his remarks were telling.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's got to do more," Berube said. "He's got to show us a little bit more, he's got to get engaged more in the games. I'm not seeing enough yet."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In other words, "your time is running out kid. Either show us something quickly, or perhaps it's time to cut the cord."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And that cord was finally cut on Sunday, two days after the Blues put Kostin on waivers for the purpose of assigning him to Springfield.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There's no doubt Kostin has ability; I've seen it. There's raw talent there, but until he realized he's not Connor McDavid, who he may very well share a sheet of ice with, then being an every day NHL player is going to be a long shot. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've seen Kostin have moments, such as one recently in a preseason game against Minnesota in which he used his physical presence to lay a good, hard, clean hit that resulted in an end-of-period scrum, and he would go on to score a nice close range goal later on. And you say to yourself that this kid can play like this consistently but doesn't. He's got solid hands, a long reach and a strong body; use it to your advantage.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Instead, he almost tried to play like Jordan Kyrou instead, and that wasn't going to work, and the Blues finally feel like their time invested was not going to pay off.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As for Samorukov, he's also 23, and probably in need of a change.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Reporters in Edmonton say that the 6-3, 188-pound left-handed shot was behind a glutton of defensemen and that cracking the NHL roster would have been tough.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7fXpPQJ29jqvr04_z9nKq_VNpQCiEnD9g37NHLuMUhmDqaIhKlbYBv0UyfGx9lqaekpNfuY8wsS9u0CyeU2a25BTtZwtO-qReIYClOC8S18d_yS7cKKZDl2hqqjh6AlHQWFPtPbw3RyBEUDm2onIpqzzXbNV6HHZrCAeE6dMZX_nDgwxTkrlzubq/s576/cut%20(2).jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="513" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7fXpPQJ29jqvr04_z9nKq_VNpQCiEnD9g37NHLuMUhmDqaIhKlbYBv0UyfGx9lqaekpNfuY8wsS9u0CyeU2a25BTtZwtO-qReIYClOC8S18d_yS7cKKZDl2hqqjh6AlHQWFPtPbw3RyBEUDm2onIpqzzXbNV6HHZrCAeE6dMZX_nDgwxTkrlzubq/w356-h400/cut%20(2).jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(Edmonton Oilers file photo)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">The Blues are hoping defenseman Dmitri Samorukov can develop</div><div style="text-align: left;">with a change of scenery after being traded to St. Louis on Sunday.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perhaps there's a chance of scenery that will do a player good, too, and with the Blues' left-handed d-men depth dwindling with Marco Scandella (right hip joint) and Scott Perunovich (shoulder) down for most, if not all of the season, Samorukov will get the opportunity to grow.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Coincidentally, his NHL debut came against the Blues last season on Dec. 29, 2021 and he played in just four first-period shifts and was a minus-2; one of them thanks to Kyrou's quick hitch-and-go before scoring in the first period: https://www.nhl.com/video/kyrous-slick-individual-effort/t-326264946/c-10042115.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I think in the end, each team got what it wanted. The Oilers will not give Kostin an opportunity to grow within their organization, and the Blues will give Samorukov the chance to ascend up the chain. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Right now it's not one of those trades you grade in the spur of the moment but more down the line. Right now, it's a win-win for each side. It's just too bad Kostin didn't develop that power forward mentality, because his style could have suited the Blues well for many, many years. Maybe something will click in the Oilers organization, because the Blues have spent a lot of, quite frankly more than enough, time and energy with his development.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-60454990635298409242022-10-08T18:12:00.001-05:002022-10-08T18:14:08.648-05:00Alexandrov wanted, needed to prove himself, will parlay it into NHL job<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>2019 second-round pick wasn't on the radar initially, forward </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>earned himself job when many didn't give him chance to crack lineup</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">ST. LOUIS -- Jobs were already scarce when it came for the Blues this season. Nikita Alexandrov didn't care.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaq74ij4qGqHBiL1RM-sOs0rYdfS22u3kz2dGZyswoQ6DA4mOAzj1yDN91BzmDYLbGuPVTA9ZsYwxLxnIAO9l8zIr7C6lzXQA_uuK2NLoQ5D4_-ytl6LxfBrYXyx-6J0qv6ph18tzBee1qG7C6hgehq-55UpwI2qt9dhJ6bMUPDuOLAMeDsKBN0wKi/s168/8481543.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaq74ij4qGqHBiL1RM-sOs0rYdfS22u3kz2dGZyswoQ6DA4mOAzj1yDN91BzmDYLbGuPVTA9ZsYwxLxnIAO9l8zIr7C6lzXQA_uuK2NLoQ5D4_-ytl6LxfBrYXyx-6J0qv6ph18tzBee1qG7C6hgehq-55UpwI2qt9dhJ6bMUPDuOLAMeDsKBN0wKi/s16000/8481543.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nikita Alexandrov</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The 2019 second round pick flew in under the radar this year in training camp, nobody ready to put him in the conversation to win a job out of training camp.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But there he was, playing with the rest of the varsity lineup, the final tuneup for the regular season Saturday afternoon in a 6-0 blitzing of the Chicago Blackhawks at Enterprise Center.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Alexandrov, who played left wing on a line with Noel Acciari and Nathan Walker, was up against it. Did anyone really think he could be on the radar coming out of training camp?</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, probably nobody outside of the locker room walls. But somewhere along the line, the 6-foot-1, 177-pound forward served notice to the right people. Management took notice and the coaching staff took notice.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He caught my eye in Traverse City for sure," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "I thought he had a good tournament there and was very noticeable, physical player, takes the body. His details jump out to me."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And there you have it. When the head coach takes notice, that's all that matters, and Alexandrov, who scored his second preseason again on a redirection of a Robert Bortuzzo wrist shot/pass in the first period, made sure his name was right in the mix.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think just my 200-foot game. I want to be an all-around player. I want to be good defensively and offensively. I put the work in for that. I'm trying to do the little things right and everything's going to come. I thought I was more confident this camp. I gained some weight, felt stronger and that helped me a lot.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think that's my second real main camp, so I kind of wanted to put some noise in and my time will come soon. I just had to be ready for that."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Has Alexandrov benefited from Alexey Toropchenko not being available right away due to injury and maybe the recent injury to Logan Brown? Perhaps. But opportunity knocked, and Alexandrov, who had 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 67 regular-season games with Springfield of the American Hockey League last season, pounced when others didn't.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I'm impressed by his details," Berube said of Alexandrov. "Smart guy, in right positions, checks, does the right things, makes good puck plays. Now, he has growing to do but he's had a real good camp."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When guys like Klim Kostin, Matthew Highmore and Martin Frk (injury), fighting for jobs in camp but didn't make the initial cut -- each went on waivers Friday and assigned to Springfield on Saturday, Alexandrov decided that he would thrust himself up the ladder.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think it’s (his) compete level," defenseman Robert Bortuzzo said. "He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s tenacious on the puck. I think as a staff, they really appreciate being hard on the puck. They don’t want you to murder guys, but he plays with a bite and an intensity. He competes and he’s done that all camp. He’s made his way to the end, played in the last game, which I’m sure is exciting for him. I thought he was really solid tonight, played with good poise along the walls and that’s a good sign for a young guy when they have a lot of poise coming out of your end and can make plays in that direction."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There's going to come a time -- and soon -- when Toropchenko and Brown return, and it could end Alexandrov's stint with the big club. Or it may not. It'll be up to the 22-year-old to maintain his status with the club, but the Blues know they have a player ready, winning and most importantly, able to perform at this level.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He’s earned that right to be here," Blues captain Ryan O'Reilly said. "He’s a phenomenal player. Watching him in the preseason, he’s extremely smart. Reads the game very well, makes smart plays, good decisions at the right time. That’s the mature thing to do. So he’s earned it, and again there’s a lot depth in this organization and he’s a very good player.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zVW7EeVg8eGGyzqRsNpZ_7mZF4cPVFg0Wypk-8ibltbn98w_3t-hVu9ZNLQ-BvqsamN44vBw5k3aBXAuYQ0jPC4cKDAIJQZG6rCKEOsUfvH2-89EH5PP4feUNL8N5JIb_Bfg5ZND-BSTZNhsZ6u-kMsXI-ME5TY5VBHp0TWd7mJKhiNRKGcTlRC_/s813/cut.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4zVW7EeVg8eGGyzqRsNpZ_7mZF4cPVFg0Wypk-8ibltbn98w_3t-hVu9ZNLQ-BvqsamN44vBw5k3aBXAuYQ0jPC4cKDAIJQZG6rCKEOsUfvH2-89EH5PP4feUNL8N5JIb_Bfg5ZND-BSTZNhsZ6u-kMsXI-ME5TY5VBHp0TWd7mJKhiNRKGcTlRC_/w400-h266/cut.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues photo)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Nikita Alexandrov (left) scores a goal in a preseason game in Chicago</div><div style="text-align: left;">against the Blackhawks on Sept. 27.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I thought last training camp, got to see him a bit, too. And I was really impressed with him. And then again first preseason game watching him – just little things that he does. Yeah, it’s definitely impressive."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That's why Alexandrov came into training camp with an open mind. Stand side by side with the rest of the players at the start and try to get ahead of the pack, which he has done.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Come in here, obviously try to do my best to my best here, work hard here and see where it goes," Alexandrov said. "Just come into camp, I didn't really have a lot of expectations. I know I just had to get in there and make some noise and work hard. That's what happened.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"At the beginning, they already told me how to play here, so I was just trying to build into that with my game and my skill set. It worked pretty well this preseason."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Alexandrov was assigned to Springfield after the game Saturday in what was likely a paper move, since he is waiver-exempt, for injured defenseman Marco Scandella, who will likely go on long-term injured reserve after the opening night roster is turned in.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-1924485852052441012022-10-07T14:54:00.003-05:002022-10-07T14:54:42.155-05:00(10-8-22) BLUES NOTEBOOK<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Alexandrov could be surprise out of training camp to crack opening night </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>roster; Kostin among players put on waivers; Rosen in as seventh defenseman</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- For those that have followed and covered the Blues felt like the inevitable was unfolding as training camps winds down.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues will play their eighth and final preseason game Saturday at 2 p.m. when they host the Chicago Blackhawks at Enterprise Center, and Nikita Alexandrov, a second round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, could be not only in the lineup Saturday afternoon but also on opening night on Oct. 15.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">What has amounted to be the surprise of camp, the forward was on the practice ice Friday as the Blues made roster cuts to reduce their roster down to the 23-man limit in time for opening night.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 22-year-old hasn't really been talked about, nor has been asked about to the coaching staff, including Craig Berube, during this training camp, but with the roster reduced down to 23 skaters on the ice Friday at Centene Community Ice Center and another handful or so missing due to injury or being cut, Alexandrov was on the ice, playing left wing on the fourth line with Noel Acciari at center and Nathan Walker on the right wing.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Real good camp. I'm impressed by his details," Berube said of Alexandrov. "Smart guy, in right positions, checks, does the right things, makes good puck plays. Now, he has growing to do but he's had a real good camp."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Alexandrov, who has 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 67 regular-season games with Springfield of the American Hockey League last season, has sold his game to the coaching staff in St. Louis in a big way with plenty of competition to go up against.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He has offensive abilities for sure," Berube said, "but sometimes a player of his caliber has to start out in a certain area in the game and be a checker or be whatever and go into more of a puck-producer for you. We'll see how it goes. He has ability though. There's no doubt. He's got hands and his vision, he has those tools.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He caught my eye in Traverse City for sure. I thought he had a good tournament there and was very noticeable, physical player, takes the body. His details jump out to me."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues are still making the decision of whether Alexandrov, at 6-foot-1, 177 pounds, will make the final cut or not, but the trend is surely leaning that way.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>* Blues reduce roster by 11 -- </b>The Blues placed three forwards on waivers Friday, including 2017 first-round pick Klim Kostin, for the purpose of assigning them to Springfield. Also going on waivers were Matthew Highmore and Martin Frk.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">They also assigned forwards Will Bitten, Mathias Laferriere, and Hugh McGing, defensemen Matthew Kessel, Brady Lyle, Steven Santini and Tyler Tucker, and goalie Joel Hofer to Springfield. In addition, the Blues released forward Tyler Pitlick from his professional tryout.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"They're close," Berube said of some of the final guys cut/put on waivers. "There's not a lot of spots, right, but they're close. We had some good camps from guys that did a good job, but in the end, we've got to make decisions."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>* Injury update -- </b>Berube said Jordan Kyrou is fine and the forward practiced in full Friday after missing Thursday's preseason loss at Columbus.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Also, forward Logan Brown, who suffered an upper-body injury last Saturday against the Dallas Stars, wasn't on the ice Friday.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Kind of took a backwards step after practice the other day, pretty physical practice, so I think that kind of set him back a bit," Berube said. "But I don't think it's long-term, I think he'll be fine."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As for forward Alexey Toropchenko, who continues to soar in his rehab from offseason shoulder surgery.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Some of the final steps in Toropchenko's recovery is being able to absorb contact, which he has done for multiple days now.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Really good, strong, very strong," Berube described.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">An original time line of mid-December has not whittled down to possibly being available for opening night.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"There's always a chance, right, but again, we don't want to rush him," Berube said. "We're going to make sure that he's 100 percent ready to roll."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>* Defensive unit set -- </b>With Marco Scandella (right hip joint) and Scott Perunovich (left shoulder) out long term, Calle Rosen will begin the season as the seventh defenseman, behind Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Torey Krug, Nick Leddy, Robert Bortuzzo and Niko Mikkola.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Projected to be the ninth defenseman coming into training camp, Rosen was quickly thrust up the depth chart with the injuries of Scandella and Perunovich.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"You never want to see guys go down obviously," Rosen said, "but it's a great opportunity for me to get started up here right now. I'm excited to be here right now and I'll just keep on working." </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 28-year-old Rosen skated in 18 regular-season games with the Blues last season and had two goals and five assists before playing in nine playoff games.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I'm not going to say a leg up (playing last year) but definitely confidence in myself, played lots in the playoffs and late in the regular season," Rosen said. "I know all the guys, know all the coaches and how everything works. I think that's just a confidence thing for myself and for my team too.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I felt coming into training camp, my goal was to stick around as long as possible. It's nice to know all the guys and right now I'm happy to be here. You never know what's going to happen. I came in training camp working as hard as I could this summer to be as ready as I could. That's kind of all you can do. I'm trying not looking too much at guys here or there. You don't want to see guys go down, but now it's a chance for me to be here and that's something I'm going to take advantage of."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>* Potential lineup Saturday -- </b>The Blues are expected to ice a full, if not near-full regular lineup Saturday before heading to Charleston, South Carolina for a team bonding trip.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Friday's lines/d-pairs included:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Brandon Saad-Ryan O'Reilly-Jordan Kyrou</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Vladimir Tarasenko</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Ivan Barbashev</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Nikita Alexandrov-Noel Acciari-Nathan Walker</b></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">extras: <b>Alexey Toropchenko</b> and <b>Josh Leivo</b></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Torey Krug-Justin Faulk</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Niko Mikkola-Robert Bortuzzo</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Calle Rosen</b> is the extra D</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Jordan Binnington </b>is projected to start and play the entire game in goal; the backup could be either <b>Thomas Greiss</b> or <b>Colten Ellis</b>, who was still in camp as of Friday.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-38011423912718152422022-10-06T12:59:00.000-05:002022-10-06T12:59:01.314-05:00(10-6-22) Blues-Blue Jackets Preseason Gameday Lineup<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- <b>Thomas Greiss</b> will play the full game when the Blues (5-1-0) close out their road preseason schedule today at 6 p.m. against the Columbus Blue Jackets (3-2-1).</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues backup goalie to <b>Jordan Binnington</b> has played in three periods this preseason spanning two games, most recently getting two periods last Thursday in a 4-2 win over the Blue Jackets at Enterprise Center.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Greiss, signed to a one-year, $1.25 million contract after spending two years with the Detroit Red Wings, will play the entire game tonight and be backed up by Joel Hofer.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Greiss, 36, has faced 34 shots in three periods and stopped 32 shots, including 10-for-10 in one period of a 4-0 win at Dallas on Sept. 26 and 22 of 24 shots against the Blue Jackets.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's been alright," Greiss said if his camp. "There's always things to work on. A couple bad habits over the last couple of years we'll get rid of just to sharpen up the game again. It's a good time for that and that's what I'm working on.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"On a good team, everyone looks better. On a worse team, guys don't look as good. It's just the nature of the game."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Greiss certainly hopes he's on a good team again after spending the past two seasons languishing in Detroit, going 18-30-9. In his previous five seasons playing for a defensively structured team with the New York Islanders, Greiss went 101-60-17.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I'm looking forward to it," Greiss said. "Everyone wants that success. That's what you play for. You play to win. You don't play just to cruise around out there. ... I think it helps every goalie. Makes your reads easier. Every goalie profits from stuff like that.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's a good group of guys, very friendly, a few guys I've played with before. It's always good to know a couple familiar faces (<b>Nick Leddy</b> with the Islanders and <b>Robert Bortuzzo</b> with the Pittsburgh Penguins)."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues are taking younger, more raw group to Columbus tonight than the one that played against the Blue Jackets last week, much like Columbus did on its trip to St. Louis.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues will still feature <b>Ryan O'Reilly</b>, <b>Jordan Kyrou</b>, <b>Jake Neighbours</b>, <b>Nathan Walker</b>, <b>Robert Bortuzzo</b> and <b>Klim Kostin</b> among some of their regulars and hopefuls, but they called up five skaters from Springfield on Wednesday to fill up the roster.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So tonight's lineup will be filled with the likes of <b>Nikita Alexandrov</b>, <b>Hugh McGing</b>, <b>Will Bitten</b>, <b>Mathias Laferriere</b>, <b>Matthew Kessel</b>, <b>Calle Rosen</b>, <b>Steven Santini</b>, <b>Tyler Tucker</b>, <b>Brady Lyle </b>and possibly <b>Martin Frk</b>, who has been nursing a lower-body injury (more on him later).<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We've got some guys back up from 'Springy' to play the game tonight," Blues coach <b>Craig Berube</b> said. "It's good, we get to look at guys, evaluate young guys and guys that are battling for jobs.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Who knows, right? I don't have a crystal ball on things. It's important to go out and compete hard tonight. Columbus is going to have a good lineup. It will be good competition for them."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The majority of the Blues varsity players practiced after the game group and put in a hard, thorough workout, with plenty of battle drills and the like.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">"The battles are really important. We've got to keep doing that," Berube said. "Those games we did today are good competition games, 1-on-1, 2-on-2, things like that, get some fight for pucks and battling for pucks. That's a big part of the game. We want to try to get as much of that as we can in before the season.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We've got to amp it all up. You've got to amp up the competition. That's the big thing. It's important that we're competitive at practice."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Vladimir Tarasenko (illness) practiced for the second straight day, as did Ivan Barbashev (lower-body injury) and Logan Brown (upper-body injury).</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"They made it through practice today, so it was good to see," Berube said.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake Neighbours-Ryan O'Reilly-Jordan Kyrou</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Nathan Walker-Nikita Alexandrov-Josh Leivo</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Klim Kostin-Hugh McGing-Will Bitten</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Matthew Highmore-Mathias Laferriere-Martin Frk</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Calle Rosen-Matthew Kessel</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Steven Santini-Robert Bortuzzo</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Tyler Tucker-Brady Lyle</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Thomas Greiss</b> will start in goal; <b>Joel Hofer</b> will be the backup.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">* Forward <b>Noel Acciari</b> was a late addition to the game group and it's unclear who's spot he will take tonight. It could be Frk, whose wife is due to deliver the couple's child any day.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blue Jackets' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Johnny Gaudreau-Boone Jenner-Patrik Laine</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Yegor Chinakhov-Jack Roslovic-Jakub Voracek</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Kent Johnson-Cole Sillinger-Justin Danforth</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Mathieu Olivier-Sean Kuraly-Liam Foudy</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Zach Werenski-Adam Boqvist</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Vladislav Gavrikov-Andrew Peeke</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake Bean-Erik Gudbranson</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Danill Tarasov</b> is projected to start in goal; <b>Jet Greaves</b> would be the backup.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-16915112453924735132022-10-06T01:25:00.002-05:002022-10-06T01:25:36.421-05:00Neighbours playing like he deserves to be, belongs in NHL permanently<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>2020 first-round pick by the Blues making strong case </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">to </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">cracking opening night roster again, staying on it this time around</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- If there's anybody on the Blues that understands what Jake Neighbours is going through these days, trying to make an impression on the coaching staff, Robert Thomas is most definitely the one.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnUhnImnh3y4zPbe608q7WdXIYgNqlOJbA_Tpztrz2_JTuxxLTo-MxtjTPitumsM9OorXiqpo5H4oB9Qeg7Gu5BHz2AwXDf3Pk1wb2nHtbsIAXd-49wF8b0jQT7NUnKbbGlXO0evFaAnsdAwl08Zs0K5x2bWA4VQznaXPAR9j3O_ZHDffj4_F1SIi/s813/cut%20(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgnUhnImnh3y4zPbe608q7WdXIYgNqlOJbA_Tpztrz2_JTuxxLTo-MxtjTPitumsM9OorXiqpo5H4oB9Qeg7Gu5BHz2AwXDf3Pk1wb2nHtbsIAXd-49wF8b0jQT7NUnKbbGlXO0evFaAnsdAwl08Zs0K5x2bWA4VQznaXPAR9j3O_ZHDffj4_F1SIi/w400-h266/cut%20(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Blues forward Jake Neighbours (middle) drives the net looking for a</div><div style="text-align: left;">rebound between Minnesota's Dakota Mermis (57) and Filip Gustavsson.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Thomas, the 20th pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, didn't immediately earn himself an NHL roster spot after his draft season as a highly-touted center; he was sent back to junior hockey to get some seasoning in before making his impact on Blues brass the following year, much like Neighbours, the 26th pick in the 2020 draft, is currently trying to do.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think he's following in the right footsteps," Thomas said of Neighbours. "He's doing everything right."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Neighbours, 20, has gone a slightly different path than Thomas did; he actually made the big club in his first camp and played nine games last season before getting returned to the Western Hockey League.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Neighbours scored his first NHL goal Oct. 23, 2021 against the Los Angeles Kings and finished with a goal and an assist in his nine games. Sure, he wasn't seeing a ton of ice but the experience of it certainly prepared Neighbours mentally to go back, hone in on his game and get back here ready to go. Winning a WHL title as captain of the Edmonton Oil Kings was the capper.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After scoring Tuesday in a 4-2 preseason win against the Minnesota Wild, it's evident that Neighbours is making a strong push and not go away quietly; he's ready to not only make it for good this time around but make that choice as tough on coach Craig Berube and the rest of the staff as possible.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Yeah he is, yeah. Definitely," Berube said after Tuesday's game.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And that's the plan, not give the coaches an easy out.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think it's kind of the same mindset I had last year is just come in with an open mind and anything can happen type thing," Neighbours said. "I think I've been playing well so far through preseason and camp and what not. Like you said, just try and make it tough on them to send me down. I think they know I want to be here, the guys know I want to be here. I'm trying to show them that every night."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Neighbours has three goals and an assist in four preseason games and is expected to play again tonight in Columbus; he's making a mark trying to win a job on the third line playing with perhaps Brayden Schenn and whoever else it may be, whether it's Ivan Barbashev, Logan Brown, Nathan Walker, or whoever. And doing so with a much more physical body than last year.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's stronger out there; he wins more battles," Berube said. "To me, he's quicker because he's stronger. I feel like (he's) a more confident player for sure in my opinion."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">According to Thomas, who went through some of the same trials and tribulations, confidence is key.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think he's done a really good job. I think he looks ready," Thomas said. "He's doing all the right things. He's competing out there every night. It's fun to see. Obviously it's a tough time and nerve-wracking when you don't know your future. You come in every day and just try to make the best impression. I think he's done a great job and he looks ready to me.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"His compete level's there. He's up to speed, he's thinking the game at the right speed. I think he's just got his confidence. You saw that shot (Tuesday) night, it was a great shot. He missed me backdoor, but that's alright (laughs). I love the way he's shooting the puck, I love the way he's carrying it and he's confident with it. That's important to see."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Neighbours has been playing throughout the preseason in the top nine, mainly on that third line because the feeling is that he'd be better off assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey League and play a bigger role than play on the fourth line with the Blues.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But he's up for any assignment given, as long as it's in the NHL.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"At the end of the day, that's up to them," Neighbours said. "I believe they know what's best for me and I trust in them to do that to me. I'm a hockey player at the end of the day and wherever I'm at, I'm going to play hockey at the highest level that I'm playing at. Whether that's in Springfield with those guys, which is going to be a really good team this year, or up here, I'm going to try and play the same way and bring the intangibles night in, night out.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"My rookie year in the WHL, I played a lot of fourth line and I think I have the capabilities to play a fourth-line role and kind of grind it out and be around the net, be hard to play against, be physical. That's something I try to bring is that versatility. Just try and be versatile and whatever way they need me to be there."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Neighbours is certainly not afraid to mix it up and sacrifice his body in front of the net. At 6-foot-0, 202 pounds, Neighbours has the body equipped to play a power forward style with offensive flare. Berube likes the mix.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's going to be the type of player that's going to score his goals around the net," Berube said. "I know he made a nice goal (Tuesday) night on his shot, but most of his goals are going to be around the net mucking and grinding. If he's in front of the net for the power play or whatever, that's where he's going to get most of his goals. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's definitely fearless. He puts himself in a lot of tricky situations. He's not scared to get in there, he's going to get in there in all situations and be physical and bang and muck and grind. Sort of an irritating player to play against."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And Neighbours is certainly using every chance he gets to play to mix it up, get in on the action and not shy away from confrontation, no matter the circumstances.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"When you're in my position every game, I don't take any game lightly," Neighbours said. "I'm trying to make the team here. I thought (Tuesday) was a good showing by the team and myself so try to continue that in the last two.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I was playing with some real good players obviously on the power play with those guys, with 'Schenner' and 'Walks', I thought we worked well together. Starting to develop a little bit of chemistry with 'Schenner' playing with him the last couple games. You only get more familiar and create more chances and things like that. I thought structurally we were good and that leads to success."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Look at Thomas when he broke into the league in 2018-19; he played fourth-line minutes before eventually moving up to help anchor the third line on the Stanley Cup championship team with Tyler Bozak and Pat Maroon.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbCyXhWTQEMCvfa1CdFgK2XBWnfE6yLauzji69xFT1F7iLs7Sohp-kULJ13GAAsAlyStppLMTCnFaQjxnCvG4iILU1QeOhZbF2_5TBtnV9qQy69SHdz2WUTXWP2p36s6Sti3kIngvvi4YXx-roo8T5KfN2Nt6LNX2wAsFNSZxRfARB5wfroA91tXL/s813/cut%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbCyXhWTQEMCvfa1CdFgK2XBWnfE6yLauzji69xFT1F7iLs7Sohp-kULJ13GAAsAlyStppLMTCnFaQjxnCvG4iILU1QeOhZbF2_5TBtnV9qQy69SHdz2WUTXWP2p36s6Sti3kIngvvi4YXx-roo8T5KfN2Nt6LNX2wAsFNSZxRfARB5wfroA91tXL/w400-h266/cut%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Blues forward Jake Neighbours scores on Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson</div><div style="text-align: left;">during Tuesday's 4-2 preseason win at Enterprise Center.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"There's always ways to kind of ease into it and improve your game," Thomas said. "I started on the fourth line for a while. You can start there and work your way up when you're ready. It's obviously hard. We have such a deep forward group that it's hard to crack. I don't think it's necessarily top nine or bust. I think there's different ways he can be used and learn and kind ease into it."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Neighbours has certainly put himself in the conversation of making the opening night roster again. There's always the possibility that the Blues send him down to Springfield for two reasons: 1) to play bigger minutes and get acclimated with the pro style game, contribute more and be relied upon more than he would be in St. Louis, and 2) it could come down to giving a roster spot to someone the Blues would rather protect than expose on waivers and risk losing. Those are managerial decisions that need to be made by GM Doug Armstrong. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">But bottom line for Neighbours: don't leave a stone unturned, dot all the I's and cross the T's and make it as agonizingly tough as possible for the coaches. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I'm trying not to leave any regrets out there or anything like that," Neighbours said. "I just try and put my best foot forward every day and work extremely hard and try and make plays when they're there and work within the system. I think I've done a good job of that so far."</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-87133613669587231492022-10-04T23:17:00.005-05:002022-10-04T23:21:48.406-05:00Leivo getting shot with Blues after successful playoff run<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Forward helped defeat Blues' AHL affiliate in Calder Cup Final year ago, </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>has taken challenging path to get game back after serious knee injury</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">ST. LOUIS -- When Josh Leivo went crashing hard into the boards Dec. 21, 2019 against the Vegas Golden Knights, the immediate feeling was not a good one.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qFOKmZK7PGXUR0oAoClHiCY0Sw9wEeffvHrqrhCQEMhhmEZpZp8CQ-KtoOAfnnpkPf1I9ZpMsv12NLt3s6pJcdZEEwZUVUc42OkTRSG5EsEC35nSVi2md8Gf8z-wBoVcjbBXjEePu6XwxsBSYmM0HYyZzvRMWN1Hq4KNGgHBs_rZKMBIiwYkd6Dj/s813/cut.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qFOKmZK7PGXUR0oAoClHiCY0Sw9wEeffvHrqrhCQEMhhmEZpZp8CQ-KtoOAfnnpkPf1I9ZpMsv12NLt3s6pJcdZEEwZUVUc42OkTRSG5EsEC35nSVi2md8Gf8z-wBoVcjbBXjEePu6XwxsBSYmM0HYyZzvRMWN1Hq4KNGgHBs_rZKMBIiwYkd6Dj/w400-h266/cut.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Blues forward Josh Leivo had two assists Tuesday in a 4-2 win against the</div><div style="text-align: left;">Minnesota Wild, adding fuel to his shot at making the roster.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The Vancouver Canucks forward, as he was skating off the ice, would slam his stick against the boards as he was somehow able to skate off the ice. It was quite telling.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The end result was a fractured right kneecap, the end result of getting shoved into the side boards by Vegas defenseman Nick Holden at 11:42 of the second period (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSdrV3nFqL4).</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"That was a tough injury. A full year of rehab," Leivo said after picking up two assists in a 4-2 preseason win over the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was Leivo's first season in Vancouver, after getting traded there by the Toronto Maple Leafs.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">No, it wasn't career-threatening, but the ensuing rehab and layoff can play mind games. Leivo, 25 at the time, had age on his side. He was never questioning whether his career was over.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think I was still too young," Leivo said. "I still believed in it. Maybe if I was older, maybe that might have happened. I still felt good, still believed in my game."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Believed in his game enough to grind through the rehab, and with the help of a wife and two sons, make it all the way back to the NHL.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leivo, 29, trying to make the Blues roster this season, needed something outside his own mind to help him through the physical, and in some cases, the mental process.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"That's it, you've just got to stick with it," Leivo said. "I think the mental part was there, but I think we have a good sports staff, my wife and when we had kids (two sons), that kind of makes it easier. The days go by quicker, you have fun with it and that helped those days go by. Just trying to get your hockey game back to the way you know you can play it. I think that took a full year and now I'm doing it."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leivo played a season and a half with the Canucks, totaling 85 games, then signed a one-year contract for $875,000 with the Calgary Flames, but playing a fourth-line role and didn't get to produce much. He only played in 38 games and had just six goals and three assists.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I went to a new team. It worked out, but I wasn't in the mix a lot," Leivo said. "That was another step and then I get sent down last year. It's been a roller coaster, but I'd like to keep my mindset going forward and I think it's helped me learn a lot."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leivo, a third-round pick by the Maple Leafs in 2011, signed with the Carolina Hurricanes last season, a one-year, $750,000 contract. But he did get sent down after playing in just seven games (one goal, two assists). He would find his offensive game again.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Playing for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League, Leivo thrived. He had 46 points (22 goals, 24 assists) in 54 regular-season games, then really took off in the Calder Cup Playoffs with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 18 games, helping the Wolves win the Calder Cup, beating the Blues' affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, in five games.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think last year gave me a lot of confidence," Leivo said. "Going deep, you kind of learn how to win and learn how to play every day. Can't take any days off in the playoffs and I think I figured that out. I just wanted to translate that to the new year with the Blues.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I played against them in the finals, so you know they're watching you. I think I've heard it my whole career when you're in junior, there's always someone out there. I think I've kind of figured it out now and kind of know how to put the game together for a full 60.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I didn't play a lot in Calgary, I was more fourth line. No excuse, but you're not getting enough minutes. Last year I was relied on. When the coach gives you that respect and trust, you can kind of find your game again and then we had a good team. When you're playing on a good team, you can have success and I think that was the root cause."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues came calling with a one-year, $750,000 contract, and it wasn't for lack of noticing who the 6-foot-2, 192-pound winger was.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But before that, Blues coach Craig Berube didn't know much of Leivo.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Not a lot," Berube said. "I knew he was a good scorer down in the minors and things like that, but he's got a lot of good details to his game. He's strong on pucks, he makes little, subtle plays with the puck whether it's coming out of our end or in the offensive zone and he's got a good nose for the net. He finds open ice very well in the offensive zone."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Berube had Leivo play on a line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich Tuesday against the Wild in place of Vladimir Tarasenko, who was out due to illness.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leivo has five points (two goals, three assists) in four preseason games and is getting a great opportunity playing with skill players here. He has a flare for offense and is providing plenty of ammunition on his side to the coaching staff, making it difficult to send him to the minors.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's a great hockey player," forward Nathan Walker said of Leivo. "I know the guys who played against in the finals last year in Springfield said he was really good. When you see him on the ice, he's dancing out there, he's looking really good.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWRLImLwQ4WDWWEyczQKdAQqi1tuCzRG05OF62aHcNHXy16FKK0QFImlVOfcdMUYFAoFgNdZBcFEVZ2VwOhz4GV8voxePW6YW04DC0djK10TS92xIstPmu8ujrTiZX4VqLJVu5PKyg_rxD0g8HvdkOs4gQIoTatZlZXDZ-lNTBRVdPMscvxOJvFgF/s812/cut%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="812" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWRLImLwQ4WDWWEyczQKdAQqi1tuCzRG05OF62aHcNHXy16FKK0QFImlVOfcdMUYFAoFgNdZBcFEVZ2VwOhz4GV8voxePW6YW04DC0djK10TS92xIstPmu8ujrTiZX4VqLJVu5PKyg_rxD0g8HvdkOs4gQIoTatZlZXDZ-lNTBRVdPMscvxOJvFgF/w400-h268/cut%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Josh Leivo (17) celebrates a goal after setting up Pavel Buchnevich (left)</div><div style="text-align: left;">in a 4-2 preseason win over the Minnesota Wild at Enterprise Center.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He had a helluva year, a helluva playoff. I believe he won the MVP down there for the playoffs too. It's great."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Whether he earns one of those precious few forward spots that are up in the air or not, Leivo is doing his best to leave it all on the line.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I'm getting good opportunities playing with some phenomenal players," Leivo said. "I missed a couple empty-nets the last couple games or got stopped. Chances are there playing with some good players. Just got to keep doing what I'm doing and hopefully it works.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perhaps the Blues found themselves a diamond in the rough, or at least they'd like to believe so.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think that playoff last year with scoring a lot and getting some points gave me some confidence to play the game I've always played," Leivo said.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-89761414828188932782022-10-04T12:25:00.009-05:002022-10-04T15:34:49.998-05:00(10-4-22) Wild-Blues Preseason Gameday Lineup<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">ST. LOUIS -- The news wasn't expected to be good for <b>Scott Perunovich</b> and the Blues confirmed a worse-case scenario on Tuesday.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues (4-1-0) will face the Minnesota Wild (4-0-0) at 7 p.m. today at Enterprise Center in preseason action, but the news on Perunovich was not good.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The defenseman will be sidelined and reevaluated in six months with a fractured left shoulder.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perunovich will have surgery on Thursday.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's tough for him, tough for the team," coach <b>Craig Berube</b> said. "Can't catch a break."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">With defenseman <b>Marco Scandella</b> (right hip joint) out six months, Perunovich was expected to battle for one of the bottom defensive pair jobs in training camp. This is his third major injury since 2020; he had a shoulder injury that sidelined him the entire 2020-21 season and wrist surgery in January that sidelined him until the Stanley Cup Playoffs.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"You feel bad for a guy like that," forward <b>Brayden Schenn</b> said. "He was looking good, looking good before the camp, during the camp. I just feel bad for him and not much you can do but train, get his health back as quick as possible.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Obviously he worked hard over the summer to come back and have a great year. Just an unfortunate bounce and you definitely feel bad for him. ... It's an unfortunate injury for him and for our team. You never want to see guys go down."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 2020 Hobey Baker Award winner returned last season to play in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"The frustrating part is he put in a full summer to get prepared; it sucks that you put your full summer in and you get excited," defenseman <b>Colton Parayko</b> said. "He's a good kid. It's just an unfortunate situation. For us now, we just kind of stick with him and try to keep him positive and obviously a long season but hopefully he just works towards it and gets strong and gets ready for next season.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We kept in touch a few times (over the summer), text back and forth and stuff. He was ready to come in and have a good season and was excited. He's a really good player."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues will now count on a bottom pair of <b>Robert Bortuzzo</b> and <b>Niko Mikkola</b> and be backed with a thinning depth group that now thrusts Calle Rosen into the seventh d-spot, veteran <b>Steven Santini</b> and leave younger skaters like <b>Tyler Tucker </b>and <b>Matthew Kessel</b> behind them, barring any sort of trade the Blues may look at with a potential of unexpected cap space should they put Scandella ($3.275 million) and Perunovich ($750,000) cap hits on long-term injured-reserve.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What it also does is thrust the top four of Parayko, <b>Justin Faulk</b>, <b>Torey Krug</b> and <b>Nick Leddy</b> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">into big-time minutes.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's going to test (the depth)," Parayko said. "We definitely have a lot of NHL-ready guys that have played in the past, which is nice. A long season, you never know what's going to happen. That's kind of the beauty of having some defensive depth with guys that have been in the NHL, but we're going to have to step in. It sucks it happens early in the preseason, but throughout the season, I think everybody steps in, forwards, d-men. Eventually we're going to see guys are going to step in and do our part.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's what we (as a group of four at the top) have to do. We've got to be ready for it. That's our job. We're definitely ready. I think we all had a good summer. Tonight's our first game together actually. It'll be good to get the feel a little bit."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"They like lots of minutes," Berube said of his top four. "They want to get out there as much as possible. I don't see that as an issue being the minutes. They've played a lot of minutes before and are going to have to again. That's the way it is."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kessel will get a game in again tonight in what was expected to be a strong Wild lineup, but that's not going to be the case. Minnesota will play a number of skaters that likely will get cut by Wednesday, but it gives Kessel a game with many of the Blues NHL-ready skaters; he will be paired with Mikkola.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's had a good camp," Berube said of Kessel. "I think he's got more there to give for me. I think it's more of the mindset than anything. He's a big guy's that's got good feet and can skate. He needs to be more aggressive. If anything I can say, it's be more aggressive, closing out and being just firm all the time. Like Mikkola, you get the puck, you make the simple play, move it, move it. I can't stress just moving the puck quick all the time, give it to somebody that's there." </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forward <b>Tyler Pitlick</b>, on the roster with a professional tryout, was originally on tonight's game roster but is out with an upper-body injury. <b>Klim Kostin</b> will take his spot.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's had a good camp," Berube said of Pitlick, who has four assists in three games. "He's definitely right there in my opinion. He's played really well and did what we've asked him to do coming in here and what we expected out of him. It's just unfortunate he got banged up."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forward <b>Vladimir Tarasenko</b> (illness) missed his second straight day; he was not on the ice at practice on Monday and likely would have played tonight on a line with <b>Robert Thomas</b> and <b>Pavel Buchnevich</b>, but will be replaced on that unit with <b>Josh Leivo</b>.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forward <b>Logan Brown</b> (upper body), who also missed practice on Monday, did not skate Tuesday.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Brandon Saad-Ryan O'Reilly-Jordan Kyrou</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Josh Leivo</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Nathan Walker</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Matthew Highmore-Noel Acciari-Klim Kostin</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Torey Krug-Justin Faulk</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Niko Mikkola-Matthew Kessel</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Jordan Binnington</b> will start in goal; <b>Joel Hofer</b> will be the backup.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Wild's projected roster:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forwards: <b>Sam Steel, Nic Petan, Brandon Duhaime, Marco Rossi, Connor Dewar, Steven Fogarty, Adam Beckman, Mason Shaw, Mitchell Chaffee, Nick Swaney, Brandon Baddock.</b></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Defensemen: <b>Jake Middleton, Ryan O'Rourke, Dakota Mermis, Calen Addison, Andrej Sustr, Carson Lambos.</b></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Goalies: <b>Filip Gustavsson</b> will start in goal; <b>Marc-Andre Fleury</b> will be the backup.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-87156045954293138082022-10-01T22:58:00.000-05:002022-10-01T22:58:31.377-05:00Players trying to win a job did themselves no favors for the Blues in 5-2 preseason loss against Stars<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Dallas brought young, hungry lineup against a St. Louis </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">lineup mixed </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">with veterans and skaters hanging in balance in first exhibition loss</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- This was one of those nights in the middle of the preseason where fringe players, guys trying to win an NHL job out of training camp to make a favorable impression.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">For those trying to crack the Blues lineup, Saturday did them no favors. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRN8YNM12vRgZCiA4CGrc45EeAi7Ps84mhYH019a9kyJZ_xzlwGrSw9CL-w6f2QUPCFhkW25HovsiIpDAY6FjqQOuC_SF2lpVYvohfcWdNVVwv4Rg8BGdmJF0kMXs_1E-itLjNrYQvXPRNax3v8ThZd3I9vzdo3_NKpQL0_bCLfxTTVNiqqorUnqF/s960/cut%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRN8YNM12vRgZCiA4CGrc45EeAi7Ps84mhYH019a9kyJZ_xzlwGrSw9CL-w6f2QUPCFhkW25HovsiIpDAY6FjqQOuC_SF2lpVYvohfcWdNVVwv4Rg8BGdmJF0kMXs_1E-itLjNrYQvXPRNax3v8ThZd3I9vzdo3_NKpQL0_bCLfxTTVNiqqorUnqF/w400-h225/cut%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Blues defenseman Nick Leddy (4) moves the puck while trying to fend off</div><div style="text-align: left;">Stars forward Joel Kiviranta Saturday in Independence, Mo.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues did bring a veteran-laden group to Cable Dahmer Arena, home of the Kansas City Mavericks, to face the Dallas Stars but they also brought a number of skaters that needed to continue to catch the coaching staff's eye. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There would be no steps forward. In fact, they may have taken a step back in the first loss of the preseason, 5-2 against the Stars, who brought a strictly young and hungry lineup aside from goalie Jake Oettinger, before a loud, boisterous and sellout crowd of 5,800 in the suburbs of Kansas City.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues put forth a dud for the second season in a row here; they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-1, last season here, but this game on Saturday presented a chance for guys like forwards Matthew Highmore, Josh Leivo (who in fact did generate some quality scoring chances in the game) and Zachary Bolduc and defensemen Calle Rosen, Tyler Tucker and Matthew Kessel to make any more favorable impressions.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It didn't happen.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It wasn't good. It wasn't good enough. That's for sure," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "Not enough. We didn't do enough all around. It wasn't a very good game."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That goes for the veterans that came over to play in the game, including the top line of Pavel Buchnevich, Robert Thomas and Vladimir Tarasenko, Brandon Saad, Ivan Barbashev, Colton Parayko, Nick Leddy and Robert Bortuzzo, guys that will be mainstays in the lineup and looking to get in sync and their timing down.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I felt that a little bit," Parayko said. "Just some of the system work, getting on pucks quick, just getting the first guy and then the second guy in quick, things like that. Just continue to work on and tweak a couple things in the d-zone that maybe we just kind of hesitated a little bit, just reading off players too playing with different people. We're trying to get through this as quick as possible. Obviously halfway through preseason now, we have to start looking in the right direction.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"They played well. Obviously credit to them, they played fast, got on the puck quick, won a lot of battles. Credit to them. They played a good game."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Buchnevich did score a power-play goal, and Logan Brown added his fourth preseason goal but it wasn't enough to support goalie Joel Hofer, who allowed five goals on 28 shots and in all likelihood finished his preseason playing in five periods; he allowed three goals on 12 shots in two periods in the preseason opener against Arizona.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think it's been all right," Hofer said of his training camp. "Obviously, every guy in here wants to come in and push for a job. Tonight and the other night (against Arizona) were good teaching points. I've definitely got room for improvement."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Stars, who outshot the Blues 28-17 in the game, were more hungrier for pucks, they won more puck battles, won more loose pucks, competed harder. It was a group that Dallas brought that was filled with players looking to win a job on the Stars roster.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"They won more battles and checked and worked. They played well," Berube said. "I think from a competitive level, more competitiveness, heavier and winning more puck battles and things like that, just playing a team game. We just didn't do it tonight.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It just wasn't good tonight all around. Again, we didn't play a good team game, didn't win puck battles and just weren't competitive enough."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When the Blues were able to gain offensive zone time in this game, they just didn't generate much offense. Of their 17 shots on goal, 11 of them came from Leivo (five), Tarasenko (three) and Buchnevich (three).</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Obviously getting pucks in deep, I think we deviated a little bit away from that," Parayko said. "Just didn't hold onto pucks and get pucks to the net. Getting pucks to the net makes it hard on the other team and hard on the goalie, their defensemen when we've got guys crashing the net when we're getting pucks to the net. That's something we've got to focus on, getting pucks to the net and working hard."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Rest assured when the Blues resume practice on Monday, there will be points of emphasis that were certainly missing here.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJGrBZBlLbkRnh705ngnixw6PiqdBbmWO4JwblVsK7_it_fntWSVlgMQPGhurfchHDv2ImjUodqLsZ07cWh5BNnXQr9-je5I_vU7x9RoI9p8X42Igjn7gSKS4OaJSvTuMJs2ziLEihiQiJPuEnZ32Tie7La75SegWRk7MH1OinoHbjFaqYSkZuzdz/s813/cut%20(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJGrBZBlLbkRnh705ngnixw6PiqdBbmWO4JwblVsK7_it_fntWSVlgMQPGhurfchHDv2ImjUodqLsZ07cWh5BNnXQr9-je5I_vU7x9RoI9p8X42Igjn7gSKS4OaJSvTuMJs2ziLEihiQiJPuEnZ32Tie7La75SegWRk7MH1OinoHbjFaqYSkZuzdz/w400-h266/cut%20(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Vladimir Tarasenko (91) shoots the puck in a game on Thursday at</div><div style="text-align: left;">Enterprise Center against the Columbus Blue Jackets. </div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"There's things you can take from this game and show them that it's not good enough, going into a corner and they're coming out with the puck every time, beating us to pucks all over the ice, not making good plays with the puck, not playing fast enough," Berube said. "That's all part of it. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's an exhibition game. I'm going to do what I need to do to fix it and move on."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues did lose a forward early in this game when Anthony Angello was rocked by Dallas' Mason Marchment, who received a minor for interference at 8:56 of the first period. Angello was attended to on the ice by head athletic trainer Ray Barile and went back to the locker room and not emerge again in concussion protocol.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When asked if Angello was alright, Berube said, "Not really. We'll have to evaluate him tomorrow."</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-19530747021187682472022-10-01T12:11:00.001-05:002022-10-01T18:41:52.277-05:00(10-1-22) Stars-Blues Preseason Gameday Lineup<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- First, <b>Marco Scandella</b>, and now with the potential of <b>Scott Perunovich</b> missing time because of injury, suddenly, it helps thrust those that were in the system higher up the ladder.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One skater to take advantage of the opportunity is <b>Tyler Tucker</b>, a seventh-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tucker, who will be in the lineup today when the Blues host the Dallas Stars at 7 p.m. in Independence, Mo. at Cable Dahmer Arena, home of the Kansas City Mavericks of the ECHL.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Going into training camp, the Blues, 4-0-0 in the preseason, felt they had been set at defense with their top eight, and even when Scandella went down and is going to miss at least six months after surgery on his right hip joint, Perunovich and <b>Niko Mikkola</b> were elevated into the six-seven mix.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perunovich suffered an upper-body injury Tuesday in Chicago, and the Blues are still evaluating the extent of the injury, but now the team, barring a trade, has been looking closely at those performing at the American Hockey League level.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tucker has impressed thus far in his stint during training camp.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I feel good," Tucker said. "Obviously coming in here, you're just trying to stay here as long as you can. For me to get a couple games under my belt has been nice and hopefully we can keep going along.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I feel pretty confident right now. We had a good year last year in Springfield. Just trying to build off that and keep going."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tucker will be paired with <b>Robert Bortuzzo</b> tonight and play in his third preseason game.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He had a great game," Blues coach <b>Craig Berube</b> said after Thursday's 4-2 home preseason win over Columbus. "Really confident with the puck I thought, moved it well, skated with the puck, defended well, was aggressive with his defending. He didn’t get gapped out, he was up tight on people. I thought he had a solid game.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think for me, he's up on people all the time, whether it's off the rush or in d-zone and he's a hard guy. He's going to be physical on you, he's a big guy. His aggressiveness for me, and the other part of it is he's using his feet to be aggressive. He's getting pucks and skating right away, which is important moving, moving his feet and making plays. (He's) very noticeable; he's doing a real good job.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's put in work. We really liked him as a kid when he came in here, and he's still a kid. He was raw, a lot to learn and improve upon. He's put in a lot of work. He's gotten himself in good shape. He's improving in the details of the game as a defenseman. He's doing a great job. He's battling here and showing us what he can do and very noticeable."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tucker had 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) in 72 regular-season games and had a goal and an assist in 18 games when the Thunderbirds went on their run to the Calder Cup Final.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We played some good hockey down there," Tucker said. "There's some good players. We came up short, but I mean the experience and stuff was good for this, and obviously the confidence is high coming in here.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think my skating over the years have come a long way. If I can just keep working on that, I think things will be headed in the right direction for sure.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Obviously it's a fast league, so you've got to move it quick. Even just in the American League last year, stepping into that, that's obviously a faster league than junior was. It just keeps getting faster and if I can keep doing the puck quick, that'll be good for me."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Chances are highly likely the 6-foot-1, 204-pound Thunder Bay, Ontario native will start the season there but he's definitely leaving a lasting impression.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Obviously just keep working hard," Tucker said. "That's the biggest thing for me, just trying to get better every day and keep bringing the same competitiveness and details that I bring to the game every day. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Obviously there's opportunity. You've just got to go in and take it, right? If I can keep doing what I'm doing, hopefully I'll get my shot one day.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"You come in with the expectation to make the team. Obviously I fell short a couple years now, but you come in with the same expectation every year and try and make the team."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Pavel Buchnevich</b>, who missed practice on Friday after going to the eye doctor to clear up a potential infection, was back on the ice Saturday morning and will be in the lineup tonight, playing alongside linemates <b>Vladimir Tarasenko</b> and <b>Robert Thomas</b>.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Klim Kostin</b> took part in both training sessions today and was an insurance policy in case Buchnevich wasn't available.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Vladimir Tarasenko</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Brandon Saad-Ivan Barbashev-Josh Leivo</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Zachary Bolduc-Logan Brown-Will Bitten</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Matthew Highmore-Nikita Alexandrov-Anthony Angello</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Calle Rosen-Matthew Kessel</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Tyler Tucker-Robert Bortuzzo</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Joel Hofer</b> will start in goal; <b>Vadim Zherenko</b> will be the backup.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Stars' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Mason Marchment-Wyatt Johnston-Logan Stankoven</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Riley Tufte-Riley Damiani-Marian Studenic</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jacob Peterson-Mavrik Bourque-Joel Kiviranta</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Fredrik Karlstrom-Oskar Back-Fredrik Olofsson </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Joel Hanley-Collin Miller</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Thomas Harley-Alexander Petrovic</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Ryan Shea-Will Butcher</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Jake Oettinger</b> will start in goal; <b>Remi Poirier</b> will be the backup.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-31621578105688200862022-09-29T23:15:00.001-05:002022-09-30T01:18:11.466-05:00Tarasenko, Thomas, Buchnevich debut in 4-2 preseason win over Blue Jackets<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">ST. LOUIS -- For Vladimir Tarasenko, Pavel Buchnevich and Robert Thomas, it's not a question of if they'll get their chemistry and mojo back, it's when.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">It's all about timing. That's it. Nothing more.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1YHre1ogHLUYopH0zW8ewOn8CNDKorDpq1LGanen-QczvTGyi7kzlT11zaXZGTIG_jDH31hRnzMogi1ZxnBNp8boGJLTWlZaLZXxn2NceZoW9j-7V12b52-MJ82YC1nJsjamDGSXQiXufRSwFuuFgzuRo88B0XtdtUSsK1xDdBc62-SNweuwWEwH/s813/cut.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1YHre1ogHLUYopH0zW8ewOn8CNDKorDpq1LGanen-QczvTGyi7kzlT11zaXZGTIG_jDH31hRnzMogi1ZxnBNp8boGJLTWlZaLZXxn2NceZoW9j-7V12b52-MJ82YC1nJsjamDGSXQiXufRSwFuuFgzuRo88B0XtdtUSsK1xDdBc62-SNweuwWEwH/w400-h266/cut.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Blues center Robert Thomas (18) debuted on Thursday in the preseason</div><div style="text-align: left;">against the Columbus Blue Jackets. </div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The trio took the ice for the first time Thursday as a line in a 4-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the preseason home opener at Enterprise Center.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Admittedly, it wasn't as if they could just pick up their sticks and start whipping the puck around on a string, making tic-tac-toe plays right off the hop. The Blues, 4-0-0 in the preseason, actually didn't make many plays in the first period, including that top line, but thanks to another solid outing from goalie Thomas Greiss, who played two periods and made 23 saves on 25 shots, the Blues only trailed 1-0.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But then the chemistry and began to formulate, things started to click and the players jelled.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Buchnevich finished with a goal and an assist, Tarasenko had an assist and Thomas didn't have any points, but his playmaking abilities were on cue and his pinpoint passes started to come back again.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was one of the more dangerous lines in the NHL last season, and it's expected to be one again. Thursday was a step in that direction.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We gelled well together and we moved the puck pretty well in the O-zone and have some fun, now it's just about getting the puck to the net and not stick-handling and passing it around," Thomas said. "So I thought we did a pretty good job tonight. We had some good looks and I had a couple open nets I would have liked to score."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Buchnevich had a power-play goal that got the Blues on the board after falling behind 2-0 and it was clear what his linemates were wanting to do as the game progressed: get as many reps as possible to be as ready for the season-opener against Columbus on Oct. 15.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I don't think there's any excuses, just get used to playing a game," Tarasenko said. "It's the first game, need some time to adjust. I think we'll be better in the future.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I don't think we think like that, that it's the preseason, we don't have to try hard or something like that. Just find that chemistry again, play for each other and enjoy our time together. I don't think it matters, like I said before, what kind of game it is. It's a chance for us to go out there together and make some plays, enjoy the game of hockey."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Buchnevich, who had career highs in goals (30), assists (46) and points (76) last season, his first in St. Louis, said things will come.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It felt better after the first period," Buchnevich said. "The first period’s tough for us. We didn’t create anything. Second period, power play gave us momentum and we started creating something. First game’s always tough.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3iY2NxIBY5hjvBAQqKIFGuXtYi0s16D7gOu1DRE-f1teLtDLL81dwLSGp9bPiDbfSjDz5KO7EiA1So_PpBZ487BEHsG7iffSV7glnBHvmksDKo_iFZc88mrhddYQ3BzeK57jgJLnHBdvlkXV5GYiGe0SRgeR1AgC0LnzSykpiH_vTpnkGXWKT54K/s813/cut%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN3iY2NxIBY5hjvBAQqKIFGuXtYi0s16D7gOu1DRE-f1teLtDLL81dwLSGp9bPiDbfSjDz5KO7EiA1So_PpBZ487BEHsG7iffSV7glnBHvmksDKo_iFZc88mrhddYQ3BzeK57jgJLnHBdvlkXV5GYiGe0SRgeR1AgC0LnzSykpiH_vTpnkGXWKT54K/w400-h266/cut%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Vladimir Tarasenko (left) and Pavel Buchnevich debuted for the Blues on</div><div style="text-align: left;">Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, a 4-2 win, at Enterprise Center.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Just a couple games and we’ll be fine. The first games, it’s always boom-boom-boom. Everybody dumps the puck or tries to backcheck and make the lineup – like hit you. People run around when you don’t expect it, and it’s always hard. I think a couple games we’ll be fine."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Tarasenko, Buchnevich and Thomas line produced 235 points and each was over a point a game player, including Buchnevich, who had his 76 points in 74 games, Tarasenko led the trio with 82 points (34 goals, 48 assists) in 75 games and Thomas with 77 points (20 goals, 57 assists) in 72 games.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think mostly unselfishness when we play," Tarasenko said. "If something open maybe, we try to pass too much, but it's very important to enjoy the game when you play and enjoy through the hard work and create the chances for each other. We have to learn to be happy for your teammates when he score goals so I think that's what make us successful. No one cares who is scoring, just enjoy the game and try to play for each other."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">They'll try and replicate that again this season.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-18464023060007137722022-09-29T12:09:00.005-05:002022-09-29T17:25:12.558-05:00(9-29-22) Blue Jackets-Blues Gameday Lineup<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- A group that was projected to have some depth now may be faced with an early-season challenge.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Blues coach <b>Craig Berube</b> didn't have any new news to report, but it doesn't appear that <b>Scott Perunovich</b> will see any game time in the near or foreseeable future after the defenseman left Tuesday's 4-1 win at Chicago in the first period with an upper-body injury to the hand/wrist area.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Perunovich was retrieving the puck behind his net when he was bumped from behind and slumped over after bracing himself with his left hand on the glass. He left the game and did not return.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Just being evaluated still," Berube said Thursday morning prior to the preseason home opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m.). "We'll know more tomorrow or maybe the next day. He's still being looked at. I can't give you any real information on it right now. He's still being looked at.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's been tough for him. He worked hard all summer and came ready to prove himself. Unfortunate incident. ... It was great he got to play some playoff games for us at the end last year, did a good job. Worked hard this summer to be a permanent player, find a spot. Now he's got to wait."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">With Perunovich down and <b>Marco Scandella</b> (right hip joint surgery) out for a minimum of six months, a suddenly deep group has become a bit thin. It vaults <b>Robert Bortuzzo</b> and <b>Niko Mikkola</b> into the mix as the third defensive pair, and the Blues are good with that, but now the depth falls into the lap of next skaters up, which would be veterans <b>Calle Rosen</b> and <b>Steven Santini</b>.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But it also now casts an eye on some of the younger, drafted players, and <b>Tyler Tucker</b> (seventh round pick, 2018) and <b>Matthew Kessel </b>(fifth round, 2020) have been a couple of the players that have caught the eye of the coaching staff.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I really liked Tucker's game last game," Berube said. "I thought he was engaged. When we were down to five D, he was out there a lot, played a lot. The thing with Tucker for me, we all know he's a physical, big guy, but I thought he did a good job when he got the puck and was skating right away and moving it and moving the puck, did a good job. That's what stood out for me with him. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"You'd say maybe he needs some more time, whatever, but if a guy plays well enough and he proves himself, then he's obviously ready, but who knows, we've still got a ways to go here in camp.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Kessel's got the ability to obviously skate, he's got good feet, good size, strong. He's got the NHL qualities to play. He's just got to go do it."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But Berube cautioned that there's still plenty of time to determine how the d-unit plays out.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Training camp's still going on so there's going to have to perform at a high enough level that we feel are capable enough of getting a spot or being one of the guys in the group here," he said. "It's a little early for that.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"There's a spot available there maybe and there's probably more than those two guys (Rosen and Santini) fighting for it."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perunovich can't seem to catch a break. This is his third injury since 2020, including wrist surgery last season and a shoulder injury that sidelined him the entire 2020-21 season.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"There's a lot of players that are injury-prone, whatever you want to call it and unlucky at the same time," Berube said. "This kid worked hard all summer and was in great shape. That had nothing to do with it. It was just kind of an unlucky play."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues are fortunate that they have a top four of <b>Colton Parayko</b>, <b>Justin Faulk</b>, <b>Torey Krug</b> and <b>Nick Leddy</b> that if need be, they can hoard plenty of minutes on a nightly basis if need be.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"That helps a lot for sure, those guys can play a lot of minutes," Berube said. "I love puck play and the skating out of those four guys. They get up the ice, they move it well. They all have that capability to do that, which is important."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Along with Bortuzzo, the Blues (3-0-0 in the preseason) will trot out a top line of <b>Pavel Buchnevich</b>, <b>Robert Thomas</b> and <b>Vladimir Tarasenko</b> for the first time.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Get going. These games you've got to find your legs, find your timing, things like that," Berube said. "Do it within the system. It's important to play the right way in these exhibition games so that when we start the season, we're good to go. We made some changes, just play the right way. Like the third period in Chicago, we finally started to skate and work. That's the key. You get a puck, skate with it, make plays, skate and work, and when we do that, we're find, and when we don't do it like the second period, you sit in your own end the whole period."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Brayden Schenn</b>,<b> Jordan Kyrou </b>and <b>Jake Neighbours</b>, playing in his third preseason game already, will be featured as the next set of top six forwards.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For Neighbours, it's been a rock solid start to the preseason; he did not participate for Team Canada in the World Juniors to rest after a long and extended season with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League. Neighbours, a first round pick in 2020, did play in the Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Mich. and had two goals and an assist in the preseason opener in a 5-4 win against the Arizona Coyotes in Wichita, Kan.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think the most important thing is just playing the right way," Neighbours said. "Obviously any time you can find the scoresheet, that's a bonus. But I thought with the changes we've made so far this year in terms of structure, I was good in those areas and good in areas I need to be. I think that's what led to success on the sheet (in Wichita).</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think at that point in time, it was time to shift my focus into becoming a St. Louis Blue and becoming an NHLer essentially. World juniors was just not in the timeline for me as far as what my body needed. I needed to be in the gym building muscle and strengthening myself. I think any time you make a long playoff run like that, into the finals of the (Memorial) Cup, it's a long season and you don't necessarily get a lot of workouts. I think I lost a lot of muscle mass and this summer was just about putting that back on. I felt really good, and I've been feeling good so far."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Another forward who will get a third look this preseason is <b>Klim Kostin</b> (first round, 2017). Kostin, who had an assist in Chicago Tuesday, is on a one-year, one-way contract ($750,000) and is in a crowded room as far as players trying to vie for time in the bottom six.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's got to do more," Berube said. "He's got to show us a little bit more, he's got to get engaged more in the games. I'm not seeing enough yet."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Jackets (2-0-1) are bringing a raw lineup to St. Louis for tonight's game, but it will include O'Fallon, Mo. native <b>Josh Dunne</b> and veteran <b>James Neal</b>, who made the Blues roster last season after coming in on a professional tryout. Neal, 35, who helped the Springfield Thunderbirds reach the Calder Cup Final last season, is in Columbus' camp on a PTO this season</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Vladimir Tarasenko</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Jordan Kyrou</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Nathan Walker-Noel Acciari-Tyler Pitlick</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Zachary Bolduc-Hugh McGing-Klim Kostin</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Torey Krug-Justin Faulk</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Niko Mikkola-Robert Bortuzzo</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Tyler Tucker-Brady Lyle</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Thomas Greiss</b> will start in goal and is expected to play two periods; <b>Colten Ellis</b> will be the </span><span style="font-family: arial;">backup and likely play the third period.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blue Jackets' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Gustav Nyquist-Victor Rask-Yegor Chinakhov</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">James Malatesta-Brendan Gaunce-James Neal</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Justin Danforth-Josh Dunne-Jordan Dumais</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Mathieu Olivier-Owen Sillinger-Cole Fonstad</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake Bean-Marcus Bjork</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Gavin Bayreuther-Billy Sweezey</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Tim Berni-Cole Clayton </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Pavel Cajan</b> is projected to start in goal; <b>Nolan Lalonde</b> would be the backup.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-22941110622425637292022-09-27T13:21:00.005-05:002022-09-27T13:21:37.625-05:00(9-27-22) Blues-Blackhawks Preseason Gameday Lineup<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- The Blues are starting to trickle out the top guns for preseason games.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Tuesday night in Dallas, a 4-0 win to run their record to 2-0, the Blues implemented defenseman <b>Colton Parayko</b> and <b>Torey Krug</b>. Today at 7:30 p.m. against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center, <b>Ryan O'Reilly</b>, <b>Brandon Saad</b>, <b>Jordan Kyrou</b>, <b>Brayden Schenn</b>, <b>Justin Faulk</b> and <b>Nick Leddy</b> will each make his preseason debut.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For the Saad, O'Reilly, Kyrou line, it's a look at what could potentially be a top line when the regular season opens. Coach <b>Craig Berube</b> has used Saad, Schenn and <b>Jake Neighbours</b> up there through the first week of camp and is trying to find the right combinations as we go along here leading up to the start of the regular season.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Tonight, it will be Saad.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think that whether it's Saad or Schenn up there on left wing, they've all played together," Berube said. "I've just got to see how the third line, other lines are shaping up. As of right now, that's kind of where we're at.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It could be something where they're together."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Neighbours will get a look with Schenn tonight, a spot where he played last year when he played nine games to begin his NHL career.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It will be Neighbours' second preseason game after scoring twice in Wichita, Kan. Saturday in a 5-4 win over Arizona. Oh, he also had a jarring check in the third period.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's feeling good, he's playing really well for sure," Berube said of Neighbours. "He finds a way to get things done, whatever way you want to shape it. He's involved physically, he's around the net and makes little plays all over the ice, a very highly competitive player. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"That's a good hit, it's a clean hit. That's what I mean, he's not going to shy away from that stuff. He doesn't care if guys go after him or whatever at the end of the game. It doesn't bother him."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Josh Leivo</b> gave his thoughts Saturday on trying to crack a tough lineup; the forward had two goals and an assist Monday and now it'll be guys like <b>Matthew Highmore</b> (two-way contract) and <b>Tyler Pitlick</b> (professional tryout) looking to make another impression on the coaching staff tonight.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pitlick, 30, split last season with Calgary and Montreal, played in 39 games due to injury and had a goal and four assists; he has familiarity with Leddy and Faulk being a Minnesota native and was a teammate of Leddy's in their younger days of triple-A </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's definitely interesting. It's something I'm not used to," Pitlick said of the PTO. "It's a little bit of an uncomfortable feeling not having a job right now, but all I can do is come in, do what I do and play hard, show all the things I do well and hope that things work out well. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"They invited me and kind of laid out how things were shaking out. It seemed like a good opportunity for me to come and try to win a job so I'm here.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think I've just got to keep showing my speed, get in on the forecheck and making the other team's life miserable. Just get on the puck, get the pucks, make some plays, be physical, good defensively, show that I can be trusted out there, that when I'm in the game, they've got nothing to be worried about. They know what they're going to get.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I know I didn't have a great year and I had the injury, just didn't get in a lot of games. I think a guy that's been around for a while would get something, but it is what it is. A lot of teams want to give their young guys a shot and that was kind of the consensus that I kept hearing from teams, that they want to see what the young guys had. We'll see how that goes. Sometimes it doesn't work out how they think and jobs open up later on, so we'll see."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For the 26-year-old Highmore, who signed a one-year, $750,000 NHL/$400,000 AHL contract, a familiarity of playing against the Blues as a member of the Blackhawks (2017-21) and the past season and a half with the Vancouver Canucks along with word through the grapevine that this could be a good fit enabled the Halifax, Nova Scotia native to make his way to St. Louis.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"You know that this team always competes, always has a chance every year," Highmore said. "I've heard a lot of good things before I got here regarding the coaching staff, players, camaraderie and how much everybody cares for each other and ultimately wanting to win. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">That's the most important thing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I'm still learning it here as we go during training camp. A little bit different than what I'm used to so still trying to get used to it. I think once you start reading and reacting instead of thinking out there, I think it's going to be a pretty good fit and everything works out. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I'm just going to try and get in on the forecheck and create energy. When you do those things, you end up creating chances and chances for others. That's what I want to bring and continue to get better as we go through camp here and ultimately we'll see where that ends up."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Players like Highmore, Leivo, Pitlick, <b>Martin Frk</b>, <b>Nathan Walker</b>, and <b>Klim Kostin</b>, who will play tonight, are trying to leave those favorable impressions, and they can by doing the little things, such as be heavy on the forecheck and creating energy.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"That's a big part of the game, especially if you're not <b>Robert Thomas</b> or (<b>Vladimir</b>) <b>Tarasenko </b>or (<b>Pavel</b>) <b>Buchnevich </b>who ... these guys are highly-skilled players who can make plays off the rush and do things," Berube said. "These other guys, they're trying to find a role. It always impresses a coach when you see a player forecheck hard, finish his checks, gets in there, fight for loose puck battles, win those puck battles and create offensive zone time. That's an important part of the game.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"They've played well, all of them. They're doing what they're supposed to do. It's just going to come down to decisions and we still have lots of games left for them to prove themselves and look at them."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Berube said Frk and <b>Mathias Laferriere</b>, each who sustained a lower-body injury in Dallas Monday, are "banged up." Neither skated on Tuesday.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Berube said Laferriere has a chance to play in the home preseason game Thursday against Columbus; he's not sure on the status of Frk as of Tuesday afternoon.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Junior-eligible players were not part of practice Tuesday and it's likely that they are the first cuts of camp and will be assigned to their junior teams. They include defensemen <b>Tyson Galloway</b>, <b>Michael Buchinger</b> and <b>Marc-Andre Gaudet</b>, forward <b>Landon Sim</b> and goalie <b>Will Cranley</b>. That would reduce the Blues' camp roster down to 48.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Brandon Saad-Ryan O'Reilly-Jordan Kyrou</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Klim Kostin</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Matthew Highmore-Nikita Alexandrov-Tyler Pitlick</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Brayden Guy-Dylan McLaughlin-Nathan Todd</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Scott Perunovich-Justin Faulk</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Nick Leddy-Matthew Kessel</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Tyler Tucker-Griffin Luce</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Jordan Binnington</b> will start in goal; <b>Vadim Zherenko</b> will be the backup and play.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blackhawks' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Andreas Athanasiou-Max Domi-Patrick Kane</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Taylor Raddysh-Jonathan Toews-Tyler Johnson</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Buddy Robinson-Cole Guttman-Colin Blackwell</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Samuel Savoie-Josiah Slavin-Michal Teply</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Alex Vlasic-Seth Jones</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Kevin Korchinski-Connor Murphy</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Caleb Jones-Ethan Del Mastro</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Petr Mrazek</b> will start in goal; <b>Alex Stalock</b> will be the backup.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-85569380301941771832022-09-26T23:20:00.005-05:002022-09-26T23:20:34.088-05:00With Scandella down, opportunity knocks for Mikkola, Perunovich<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Defensemen get chance to thrive, earn more opportunity </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">on Blues' </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">blue line with veteran out for at least next six months due to injury</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- For the Blues, a situation has presented itself where someone's bad fortune turns out to be opportunity for another.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In the case -- or cases -- of defensemen Niko Mikkola and Scott Perunovich, opportunity knocks, and it all stems from the injury to veteran Marco Scandella.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjso2ErWFU7FdXbHa9G74OW29RJonHllMkln-N4FfMszMwxpgUcfotiCo2mpQ9EuYqNkEcnpDd3cmUPBoi9l0CQQqA_6gQdnF1dYmvgUhIqAgjLrtOO3RkslCP5EbDhNzaWUu39PcSOK7qlU6EfgiQK-8IbBDF9Ojy0r-HrDkhBU3HS7fzUKlczgCTm/s813/cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjso2ErWFU7FdXbHa9G74OW29RJonHllMkln-N4FfMszMwxpgUcfotiCo2mpQ9EuYqNkEcnpDd3cmUPBoi9l0CQQqA_6gQdnF1dYmvgUhIqAgjLrtOO3RkslCP5EbDhNzaWUu39PcSOK7qlU6EfgiQK-8IbBDF9Ojy0r-HrDkhBU3HS7fzUKlczgCTm/w400-h266/cut.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Blues defenseman Niko Mikkola (second from left) defends a play Monday in</div><div style="text-align: left;">an exhibition game at Dallas, a 4-0 Blues win.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When the Blues announced Sept. 20 that Scandella would miss at least the next six months after surgery on his right hip joint stemming from a training incident, it thrust Mikkola and Perunovich into the spotlight.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mikkola already put himself on the map of the Blues' defensive corps with his coming out party last season, but he's in line to be even a bigger force, all 6-foot-4, 209 pounds of him, and Perunovich has been touted as the next big -- well not in size terms but for his play -- offensive weapon after winning the Hobey Baker Award in 2020.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And take it from someone who got the very same chance to thrust himself into the foray and forge an NHL career for himself, as defenseman Torey Krug did with the Boston Bruins late in the 2011-12 season when Adam McQuaid was injured late in the season. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Unfortunate timing for one could be good timing for another.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"To be honest, that's how I started my career," Krug said. "Any time you something like that happen, you feel for the guy that goes down. Scandy's a big part of this locker room, for this team and you don't want to see that, but now it's a chance for someone to step up and get more ice time and create a spot for themselves in this league. That's how I got my start and try to help those guys through that."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mikkola, who played big minutes last season and averaged 16:59 in 54 regular-season games playing mostly with Colton Parayko in a shutdown role, really asserted himself in the postseason against Minnesota and Colorado and played an average of 15:39.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The coaching staff didn't hesitate putting the big Finn on the ice against the likes of Kirill Kaprizov, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's a bit of confidence when you can see you play like pretty good hockey against top teams in the playoffs like Minny and Colorado," Mikkola said. "I felt good in the playoffs. That was good for me for this season. It's still just a memory right now and I would like to do it all over again and get right back at it.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"There's one D less now and we hate to see it too. It would be nice to get Scandy back to the lineup too, but it's of course opportunity to get more ice time for me too and maybe more PK time. Try to take it and work hard."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mikkola was a solid penalty killer on a Blues unit that was fifth in the NHL last season; he had 81 blocked shots on the season and 109 hits using his strength to play a more physical role to provide in an area the Blues used to be exemplary in.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think he has been improving year to year," Blues coach Craig Berube said of Mikkola. "I think the development for me is just puck play, coming out of your own end, making plays, breakout plays, things like that, seeing the ice a little bit better. He actually does a good job offensively in the offensive zone. He attacks at the right time, gets his shot through, things like that. Coming out of his own end, he can work on it just improving his puck play there, making subtle, little plays and things like that.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He was a good penalty killer for us with his stick and big body. He's aggressive. He takes time and space away from opponents. Every time he goes at somebody, you know you're going to get hit. He finishes his checks hard and he's difficult to play against. That's what it boils down to."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What it boils down to for Perunovich is a matter of staying healthy. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Since the Blues drafted him in the second round in 2018, Perunovich has been relegated to just 19 regular-season games due to a shoulder injury in that forced him to miss the 2020-21 season, then he missed a large chunk of last season after having wrist surgery before returning to the playoffs.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Very frustrating. I didn't really have any real injuries in my career, but these two injuries just kind of happened," Perunovich said. "It's definitely frustrating, but you learn from these things and that's life and that's what happens in this business. You'd just like to take as much as you can from it and learn to be better and stronger now and hopefully you take care of your body more so that stuff doesn't happen.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I feel 100 percent. I've had a lot of good trainers and rehabilitation during this whole time, so I'm feeling great and hopefully I can stay that way. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"For sure you always want to come in 100 percent and give yourself a chance in camp and not really take anything for granted and do the best you can and set yourself up to be successful."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The intention going in before the Scandella news for the Blues was to perhaps carry eight defenseman on the opening night roster, including Krug, Parayko, Justin Faulk, Nick Leddy, Robert Bortuzzo, Scandella, Mikkola and Perunovich. Two would sit on any given night if everyone was healthy.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">They could always still carry eight d-men, which would vault Calle Rosen as the likely eighth defenseman into the mix, but Mikkola and Perunovich are now considered Nos. 6 and 7 in no particular order, and depending on if they perhaps each are in the lineup, could be Nos. 5 and 6.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It opens a job up," Berube said. "Obviously you don't like to lose the player right before training camp, but it is what it is and someone else is going to get an opportunity."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Mikkola hopes to continue to ascend as a strong, physical and even chip in on the offensive side making the plays in smaller areas of the ice. That's where he will make his strides.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I feel like I'm still pretty young," Mikkola said. "I don't feel like I'm too old for this sport. Every year I try to be better and come prepared for the camps and the next season. That's my goal every year and try to get more ice time, more a place on the team.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"The first couple passes and just a simple game. I think my defense is there. There's some areas like when you don't have that much space, you need to make good a first pass. I think that's about it. Maybe I can do a little bit more on offense too."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And for Perunovich, who had six assists in 19 regular-season games last season and another four helpers in seven playoff games as a power-play specialist quarterbacking that unit, the goal is to improve and develop more of a 5-on-5 game to show the coaching staff he can handle all situations, despite being smaller in stature at 5-10, 175.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"That was my main focus, more 5-on-5 and d-zone positioning-wise," Perunovich said. "I'm working with someone here too, going over film and kind of fixing some holes in my game. That's starting in the offensive zone that helped me transition into my d-zone game. I think's definitely going to be a different year 5-on-5 and I'd like to contribute more and affect the game.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Just gap control, skating forward. If I can close on a gap 10 feet earlier, than maybe I can create a turnover earlier and get a puck going in the offensive direction. If I just basically play better coming out of the zone, I can create more offensive and play less defense.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"These guys are the fastest and best players in the world. I think I've gotten away with it throughout my career just with my offensive ability, but that's not the case anymore. I'm learning that more and more and trying to make that a staple of my game."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKbh1wwac0FICIoszui286pQ-bN1K7mkMKx4NcSCgjNrtAHSzHDvHr_JSmQLHo4-u9AIINjQorC-YSO0fylHAyAd3-5-opKj7iFhRvquL3rv1DbW1r4_9pDZXkx3tpPx971X7EfZxZm7nBhKazbty8UdK4UOVhihuecvlQl521BLGj16prMe0iZmT/s813/cut%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKbh1wwac0FICIoszui286pQ-bN1K7mkMKx4NcSCgjNrtAHSzHDvHr_JSmQLHo4-u9AIINjQorC-YSO0fylHAyAd3-5-opKj7iFhRvquL3rv1DbW1r4_9pDZXkx3tpPx971X7EfZxZm7nBhKazbty8UdK4UOVhihuecvlQl521BLGj16prMe0iZmT/w400-h266/cut%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues photo)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Defenseman Scott Perunovich (middle) moves the puck up ice last season</div><div style="text-align: left;">during the second round of the playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Scandella will be reevaluated in six months, and there's no telling or guarantee he will even return in the regular season or postseason. If Mikkola and Perunovich want to make a mark on this franchise, the opportunity presented to them here will be as big a chance as any.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Health is obviously important for (Perunovich)," Berube said. "He's had some bad luck, but definitely he's one of the guys that we're looking at closely. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's done a good job on the power play, and I think he's done a good job moving the puck 5-on-5. From a defensive standpoint, he's a young guy that got here, it's a big adjustment coming from college and playing in the minors than playing in the NHL. He's not an overly big guy, so he's got to use his brains and his stick, try to break plays up that way. He's improving, but again, the health thing got in the way a few times for him and it's unfortunate. He needs to stay healthy and I thought he had a good first day today.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think Mikkola did make a lot of progress last year. He's in the playoffs playing in significant minutes and doing a good job for us."</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-45383274504105254832022-09-26T12:30:00.000-05:002022-09-26T12:30:10.250-05:00(9-26-22) Blues-Stars Gameday Lineup<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- <b>Noel Acciari </b>wants no part of the conversation anymore.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">And for the record, he said he was tripped by <b>Tyler Bozak</b> in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final while with the Boston Bruins playing against the Blues in 2019.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Sure, Acciari has answered the question multiple times when he was with the Bruins afterwards and probably during his past three seasons with the Florida Panthers, but the Blues' newest free agent signing (signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract on July 13) wanted to set the record straight.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For those that can't recall, don't remember or simply have no clue what transpired, it was in the third period of Game 5 and the Blues holding onto a 1-0 lead. Acciari was upended by Bozak, no call was made, much to the dismay of the TD Garden crowd and probably everyone else in the building, the Blues would to on to get a goal from David Perron seconds later to take a 2-0 lead and win the game 2-1 to take a 3-2 series lead, eventually winning the Cup in seven games.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"This will probably be the last time I want to answer this, but I do think he did," Acciari said Monday morning. "Honestly when I hit my head, I don't remember coming to until later on the bench. It's over with, you can't go back. I want to get back there with these guys now. ... Now that I'm with them, we want to get back there together."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Acciari was brought in to help forge an identity on the fourth line, something he'll get the chance to do with the Blues.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's a good player, plays hard, gritty, battles, penalty killing and checking and things like that," Blues coach <b>Craig Berube</b> said. "He drives that side of the game.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's going to give some identity in that situation. He's going to be used as a penalty killer and go out and check."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Acciari, who scored 20 goals for the Panthers in 2019-20, is likely to be paired with <b>Ivan Barbashev</b> on the fourth line and whoever else steps into that role and wins a job. <b>Alexey Toropchenko</b>, who is rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery, is a likely candidate but there are a host of others to battle for the position.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But after spending the past three seasons with the Panthers, Acciari couldn't help beat the Blues three years ago, so he felt like the next best thing will be to join them.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Acciari, 30, will make his Blues debut today at 7 p.m. when they play against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think what made a good fit for me signing here was the style of play that they play," Acciari said. "I think that fits how I play. I had a lot of experience with this team and just seeing how relentless and how strong and good they are, I love joining it.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We're going to play hard every shift. We're going to finish every check. We want to hem guys in their zone, whether it's their first line. If we keep them in their d-zone, they're not scoring. If we get that matchup, we want to be hard to play against and make them not want to come out against us.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I want to score whenever I can. When it's there, I want to put it home. Every night I want to be effective in one spot, whether it's on the scoreboard, in our d-zone, whether it's blocking shots, finishing hits. I just want to make sure I do something every night for them."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember the identity the fourth line of Barbashev, Alexander Steen and Oskar Sundqvist created en route to winning the Cup? Perhaps that's an element that's been missing and the Blues would like to get it back again.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think it's nice to have an identity down there with those guys, your bottom-six type players on what we need on a given night to be successful," Berube said. "Those guys, they drive the culture. hard forechecking and physical play and penalty killing and checking and things like that. They're important guys to have."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forward <b>Martin Frk</b> will get a second look in a preseason game tonight.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Frk, who signed a one-year, two-way contract ($750,000 NHL/$500,000 AHL) after scoring 40 goals for the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League last season, is one of the forwards battling for a bottom-six roster spot.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"There's a lot of guys fighting for spots," Berube said. "He's just got to do what he does best. He shoots the puck really well obviously. He's going to get a chance to do that again tonight on the power play or 5-on-5. He's just got to keep playing and working hard. He's got to play 200 feet of hockey. That's the most important thing. It's tough to have just specialty guys to play the game. You've got to be good defensively and need to play the right way."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forward prospect <b>Keean Washkurak</b> will have surgery on his left wrist and the Blues, who announced it on Monday, said the 2019 fifth-round pick will be reevaluated in 4-6 weeks.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Washkurak played in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Arizona Coyotes in Wichita, Kan. on Saturday but the injury did not occur then.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I don't think so," Berube said. "I think it's been an ongoing issue. He gives you 100 percent, goes hard all over the ice and finishes checks. He's noticeable that way."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Also making his Blues debut tonight will be goalie <b>Thomas Greiss</b>, who was signed to a one-year, $1.25 million contract to back up <b>Jordan Binnington</b>.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 36-year-old spent the past two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and will split tonight's game with 2019 third-round pick <b>Colten Ellis</b>.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"He's played that role before," Berube said of Greiss. "Our conversation with him is he's going to play games. We need him to win games and play good games for us. He's going to be used. The way we use our goalies here, so-called backups, they've played a lot of amount of games."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Nathan Walker-Noel Acciari-Josh Leivo</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Ivan Barbashev-Logan Brown-Martin Frk</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Landon Sim-Hugh McGing-Will Bitten</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Andrei Bakanov-Mathias Laferriere-Anthony Angello</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Torey Krug-Colton Parayko</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Tyson Galloway-Niko Mikkola</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Marc-Andre Gaudet-Steven Santini</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Thomas Greiss</b> will start in goal; <b>Colten Ellis</b> will be the backup and play.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">- - -</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Stars' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jacob Peterson-Roope Hintz-Joe Pavelski</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jamie Benn-Ty Dellandrea-Wyatt Johnston</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Matej Blumel-Mavrik Bourque-Logan Stankoven</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Riley Tufte-Riley Damiani-Marian Studenic</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Esa Lindell-Nils Lundkvist</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Thomas Harley-Jani Hakanpaa</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Artem Grushnikov-Joseph Cecconi</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Jake Oettinger</b> will start in goal; <b>Anton Khudobin</b> will be the backup.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-233901116687875832022-09-24T12:03:00.001-05:002022-09-26T20:19:01.538-05:00(9-24-22) Blues-Coyotes Preseason Gameday Lineup<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- After two days of training camp skating, the Blues hit the ice running -- or skating -- with preseason game action.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">They'll take on the Arizona Coyotes to kick off the preseason today at 7 p.m. at WINTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It will be a very raw group for the Blues, who are taking none of their core players aside from goalie <b>Jordan Binnington</b>, who is expected to play at least the first period, if not half of the game. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The lineup will be filled with plenty of hopefuls, guys that are on the fringe of making the opening night roster and guys like local native <b>Logan Brown</b>, who could open the season slotted in as a third-line center and is being given looks in an offensive role thus far in training camp.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Just play hockey again and getting back out there, competing against other teams, getting back in the flow of things," Brown said. "We've had a good couple days here at camp and just trying to carry that hard work we did in the summer into the first preseason game."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues signed a number of skaters to one-year contracts, whether they're one-way deals or two-way deals, that will be competing tonight, including <b>Josh Leivo</b>, who they brought in on a one-year, $750,000 one-way contract.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 29-year-old Leivo, a third-round pick by Toronto in 2011, just wrapped up a season with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League, the Carolina Hurricanes' affiliate, and won a Calder Cup.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leivo went up against a number of skaters in Blues camp currently because the Wolves defeated the Blues' affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, in five games in the Cup Final.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">"It was definitely fun, what a group we had," Leivo said. "Obviously they had a good group too to go that far. Coming into it, didn't know what to expect, but everyone's been positive, a lot of jokes. I guess they said I had a better summer than them. They went so far without winning, but it's been a good little transition here and happy to continue it."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leivo, who had 46 points (22 goals, 24 assists) in 54 games with the Wolves and a goal and two assists with the Hurricanes in seven games last season, had 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 18 games for the Wolves in the playoffs.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I had that big injury in Vancouver (fractured kneecap in 2019), it set me back, took me a while to get back into the offensive mind I've always known I can do. Obviously getting down there and playing a lot, having a long run, it always gives you confidence coming into the next season. That's what I'm coming into this camp and expecting to produce and to help make the team."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Why were the Blues a good fit? Well, a one-way contract for one is not a bad place to start, but also because, "I like the older group, their mentality," Leivo said. "I've played against them, I kind of knew the system, knew how these guys play, played them a lot when I was in the West. I think they've always had some interest. It was always in the back of my head and then when they called, just got it done and happy to be here."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Also in the lineup tonight are <b>Matthew Highmore</b>, who signed a one-year, one-way contract after spending last season with the Canucks; <b>Martin Frk</b>, who scored 40 goals with the Los Angeles Kings' affiliate, the Ontario Reign, last season, and <b>Tyler Pitlick</b>, who is the lone skater this year on a professional tryout.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think it'll be exciting, a bunch of guys fighting for spots," Brown said. "We're going to go out, play hard and start the preseason off right."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Blues No. 1 draft picks, <b>Jake Neighbours</b> (2020) and <b>Zachary Bolduc </b>(2021), will also be in the lineup, as will 2017 first-round pick <b>Klim Kostin</b>, who is fighting for a roster spot in the bottom six.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues' projected lineup:</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Zachary Bolduc-Nikita Alexandrov-Josh Leivo</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Jake Neighbors-Logan Brown-Martin Frk</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Matthew Highmore-Nathan Todd-Klim Kostin</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Landon Sim-Keean Washkurak-Tyler Pitlick</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Scott Perunovich-Matthew Kessel</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Calle Rosen-Brady Lyle</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Michael Buchinger-Luke Witkowski</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Jordan Binnington </b>is expected to start in goal; <b>Joel Hofer</b> will play and be the backup.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-2098422111470211582022-09-22T17:01:00.000-05:002022-09-22T17:01:16.982-05:00Blues open training camp with expectations, veteran lineup that didn't change much<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Minimal additions to squad that was 49-22-11 last season, </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">made it to </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">second round of playoffs looked upon make bigger push moving forward</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Craig Berube was already in midseason form, barking at the Blues during the first day of training camp, which opened Thursday at Centene Community Ice Center.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbOw9s0xmbL7Nj1i2wZ2Vc7TCeRaNM9zqjPBI70qbeOv_JIl7c0157dGOFuaVnn3EGq-1zLER16JMZVnfXfJGsEDC2ilfWww7v_5cKP0njQqJPOBuomd6LdkkdXNKnKAd3PlOxTa2F6YfFMdrUfayP2ZxL7B5eyZR_PKk0YRDIRn6cvCsX-_PBqPX/s2500/FdSUsvtWYAIDPvP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1406" data-original-width="2500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbOw9s0xmbL7Nj1i2wZ2Vc7TCeRaNM9zqjPBI70qbeOv_JIl7c0157dGOFuaVnn3EGq-1zLER16JMZVnfXfJGsEDC2ilfWww7v_5cKP0njQqJPOBuomd6LdkkdXNKnKAd3PlOxTa2F6YfFMdrUfayP2ZxL7B5eyZR_PKk0YRDIRn6cvCsX-_PBqPX/w400-h225/FdSUsvtWYAIDPvP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Goalie Jordan Binnington faces a shot during the first day of training</div><div style="text-align: left;">camp on Thursday at Centene Community Ice Center.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues coach, opening his fourth full season guiding the ship behind the bench, was on top of a group of skaters that included 54 skaters that began the process for the 2022-23 season.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">With the first preseason game on Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Arizona Coyotes in Wichita, Kan., it's time to hone in on fine-tuning the game.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Since I've been here, we've had good camps and practices," Berube said. "The first days have been good, good pace. Guys worked hard trying to accomplish some stuff. The pace was good.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"You've got to prepare. Guys start in the offseason with their training and coming into camp in good shape. You take camp and you take the next step preparing for the regular season. Obviously there's some players fighting for some jobs and young guys and things like that, but as a team, you're trying to prepare your team to play a certain way and a certain style and make sure they're ready to go."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues made minimal changes to the roster, most notably losing David Perron (free agency) and Ville Husso (trade) each to the Detroit Red Wings. They added forward Noel Acciari (free agent, Florida), goalie Thomas Greiss (free agent, Detroit) and resigned defenseman Nick Leddy and are bringing back a veteran cast that pushed the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season in the second round before falling in six games. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's always exciting to be back out with the guys," said center Robert Thomas, who signed an eight-year, $65 million extension July 13, which was the richest contract in Blues history before . Always an exciting time of year and feels like hockey's coming around the corner.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We're pretty much the same team. We've got young guys pushing for spots and a lot of other guys pushing for spots that are really good players. I like the way our direction's going. I think we were so close last year. A couple bounces and it's a different end to the season. We're right there. Happy we've got pretty much everyone back and I feel like we're going to be right there again and we're pushing for it.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Everyone's chasing Colorado. We all got to get better and match their level. We feel like we've got a good chance of doing that."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There will be some battles for spots, albeit very limited, but there are veterans in camp, such as veteran forwards Josh Leivo (free agent, Carolina), Matthew Highmore (free agent, Vancouver), Martin Frk (free agent, Los Angeles) and Tyler Pitlick (professional tryout, Calgary) in to battle for bottom forward spots, and high-end draft picks in forwards Jake Neighbours (first round, 2020) and Zach Bolduc (first round, 2021) battling for jobs.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"There's jobs," Berube said. "There's some jobs available there that guys are going to be fighting for, which is a good thing. We want a competitive camp.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Jake Neighbours last year really proved himself in camp coming in here and playing extremely well in exhibition games. He's a hard-working guy. I thought he did a really good job and that's why he made the team. He didn't last, but he made the team and he's going to have to do the same thing. You've got to work, you've got to compete and you've got to play at a high level and prove yourself, same as Bolduc and other guys. Bolduc didn't get as many games last year with injury and stuff like that, but I thought that he played well the games he played."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 30-year-old Acciari, who the Blues faced when they defeated the Boston Bruins in seven games in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, was brought in on a one-year, $1.25 million contract to supplant the loss of Tyler Bozak, who remains unsigned.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"From obviously coaching against him in that series against us, he's the type of guy that goes out there, checks hard, he's physical, he's hard to play against, smart player defensively," Berube said of Acciari. "Obviously he has some touch. He scored 20 goals two years ago. Pretty good. We're excited to have him."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 36-year-old Greiss replaces Husso, who was traded to the Red Wings before signing a three-year contract worth $4.75 million per season. Greiss, who spent the past two seasons with the Red Wings, got a one-year deal for $1.25 million to be Jordan Binnington's backup.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We're going to need good hockey out of him, we're going to need games," Berube said of Greiss, whose best seasons were with the New York Islanders 2015-20. "If you look at the past, our backup goalie or whatever you want to call him, he's played significant amount of hockey and won us hockey games. We're going to need the same thing.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Pretty consistent. He knows where he's at and where he stands with us. This league is tough. We need two goalies. Not every team uses two goalies as much as we do, but that's where we're at."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Forward Alexey Toropchenko skated with both groups on Thursday, showing signs of quick healing from offseason shoulder surgery he said he played with for much of last season, including in Springfield of the American Hockey League.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I'm working hard. I've been here all summer," Toropchenko said. "I just went after surgery for like couple weeks for vacation because I couldn't do anything still. I came back here earlier in July and I was working out. ... I feel better every day. Still no contact yet, but very soon. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Just happened earlier in the season when I was in Springfield. I was hoping that I don't need the surgery but the doctor said I need to do that. I was playing with a brace for like half of last season. After that, they did an MRI and x-ray and they say it will not heal by itself so you need to do surgery. It was a good time to have it done."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The original prognosis was for Toropchenko to be out until mid-December, but that process appears to be on track for a much sooner return date than that.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I can tell you it will be very soon, very soon. I don't know the date exactly, but it will be soon," Toropchenko said. "... I already like skate for a month. I'm shooting, passing, dribbling, everything is fine. I need more time to have bone heal 100 percent to get ready."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s2PPDroaJfYAmgMS6RNgUqcE4NFYCWFalzScx4jNpYjtl9-BxqY4g1IHzrH5pP4RHa80bU30Tg8Tsf19vRnofMtgNT8OOLLdADF4u2LMf7A67MlxEr7xg9YoE8mI0sPTeYf5ck4Uxt7S2snkRMbfOs-Dyjqw5OO0F79ACvTjgAYt3QD0obF7gTV1/s1946/FdRplthX0A4gaLZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1557" data-original-width="1946" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s2PPDroaJfYAmgMS6RNgUqcE4NFYCWFalzScx4jNpYjtl9-BxqY4g1IHzrH5pP4RHa80bU30Tg8Tsf19vRnofMtgNT8OOLLdADF4u2LMf7A67MlxEr7xg9YoE8mI0sPTeYf5ck4Uxt7S2snkRMbfOs-Dyjqw5OO0F79ACvTjgAYt3QD0obF7gTV1/w400-h320/FdRplthX0A4gaLZ.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Jake Neighbours (left) will be one of the younger players to watch out for at</div><div style="text-align: left;">Blues training camp this season. </div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Binnington skated in full after the left knee injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the playoffs stemming from the collision in the first period of Game 3 of the second round against the Avalanche with forward Nazem Kadri and Blues teammate Calle Rosen, and defenseman Torey Krug was a full participant after missing the final nine postseason games last season due to a lower-body injury sustained in Game 3 of the first round against the Minnesota Wild.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">And finally, the Blues will have a closer, more broadened look at their blue line due to veteran Marco Scandella to miss a minimum of six months following right hip joint surgery.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That means lefties Niko Mikkola and Scott Perunovich, who were already in the mix for the top eight, will get even more extended looks.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It's always tough when a teammate goes down," Perunovich said. "'Scandy' has always been unbelievable to me and all the younger guys, kind of takes us under his wing. You never want to see that happen and you feel for the guy, but he'll have a good recovery and be back stronger and better, but obviously that means the spot's open and you want to try and capitalize on it and have a good camp and see what happens."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>* NOTES -- </b>Friday's practice sessions will be at 10 a.m. for Group B and noon for Group A at Centene, and both sessions are free and open to the public.</span><br /></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-61136941206338543122022-09-13T12:05:00.002-05:002022-09-14T13:26:48.953-05:00Blues extend Kyrou with eight-year contract for $8.125 million per season<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Contract equals what team signed Robert Thomas for two </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>months ago, making each the richest in franchise history</i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>By LOU KORAC</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">ST. LOUIS -- Move over Robert Thomas; you have company.</span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtsjpEy8s23cuU6fOI2jgu0yDNnT66f-zDElVmn3hOzzPoFGB-1mWmk-byK_-SNwVJ8zNoUUWx-_riDTh_M9CPC3x_73eQgaVgCniKrHQatw-a7uK1ErQaKr4Vb_sUPhkUNwquWlhftEtlig0IAaMsvLDxPdh_g7L1aFvEf6rEGmHCY8ggilMiZq8/s168/8479385.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGtsjpEy8s23cuU6fOI2jgu0yDNnT66f-zDElVmn3hOzzPoFGB-1mWmk-byK_-SNwVJ8zNoUUWx-_riDTh_M9CPC3x_73eQgaVgCniKrHQatw-a7uK1ErQaKr4Vb_sUPhkUNwquWlhftEtlig0IAaMsvLDxPdh_g7L1aFvEf6rEGmHCY8ggilMiZq8/s16000/8479385.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jordan Kyrou</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Two months to the day after signing Thomas to the richest contract in Blues history, the team announced on Tuesday they've accommodated Jordan Kyrou in the same fashion by signing the winger to an eight-year, $65 million extension that will pay the 24-year-old $8.125 million per season.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The contract will kick in for the 2023-24 season and run through 2030-31.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"</span><span style="font-family: arial;">Pretty cool feeling. It's definitely awesome," Kyrou said Tuesday. "It's like a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm super grateful for sure. ... Growing up as a kid, it's something you dream of, right? This is it. Now it's just time to focus on getting better, getting stronger, faster, working on my game and how I can improve my game."</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Kyrou, the 35th pick (second round) in the 2016 NHL Draft, had his breakout season in the NHL last year with 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) in 74 games. He is entering the final year of his current contract that pays him $2.8 million before he could have been a restricted free agent after the upcoming season.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"</span><span style="font-family: arial;">We're excited to have a player of his caliber locked up for the meat of his career," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. "Coming in as a high draft choice, what he did as a junior hockey player, Ontario player of the year, won a World Championship, came in and was a good player in the American (Hockey) League and he honed his craft coming here last year and being a over a point a game player. We're excited to have that done with Robert Thomas. We're playing for today and building for the future. Having those two guys signed long-term is the cornerstone of what we're trying to accomplish moving forward. It's great news for the organization, great news for the city, great news for the players obviously themselves."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The two sides spoke around the draft and the Blues made it a priority to get their two young cornerstone players locked up to contracts before the season started.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"I talked to both players at the end of last year and I told them they were going to be our priority this summer," Armstrong said. "Both players, I don't want to say played ball, but they took bridge deals and our cap situation is our cap situation with the flat cap. They took two-year contracts and with the understanding that if they did their job, we would do our job and within a year, I realized they were doing their job being players on our team at 22, 23. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"When you look at the other players around the league that are signing these deals maybe coming out of entry level, there's more prove-it to their contracts than our contracts. Our guys have proved it. When you look at all the guys that have signed for $7.5-$8.5, none of them are a point a game players or very few are point a game players. They're on the if-come and hope. We have a little bit of that with our guys but less than I think with some of those other contracts, and that's why I think these bridge deals are important for us is to get a little bit more information. But when you're coming out of a bridge deal, you have to make that decision if you want to commit long term. If not, they're just a year or two away from free agency and all the leverage certainly changes to the players knowing that in a year, I can see what 31 other teams think of me and I can always come back, but we wanted to get ahead of that and they wanted to be a part of our team now moving forward."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Per cap friendly, Kyrou gets a full no-trade clause from 2025-26 through 2029-30, then has a modified no-trade clause for the 3030-31 season in which he has a 15-team no-trade list. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The salary breakdown for Kyrou, which includes no performance or signing bonuses is $9 million in 2023-24, $10.9 million in 2024-25, $10.5 million in 2025-26, $8.25 million in 2026-27, $6.6 million in each of 2027-28, 2028-29 and 2029-30 and $6.55 million in 2030-31.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Kyrou contract is down the very same details as that of Thomas, so the Blues not only hold each player in high regards as their future but also that as equal players.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"</span><span style="font-family: arial;">Obviously it's nice to get something done and just kind of not have to worry about that," Kyrou said. "Now I can just go focus on playing hockey and working on my game and working on what I need to do to be at the peak of my game. I think for me, it just gives me this whole year to continue and work on my game and just get better and not even focus on any of the contract talk and any of the stuff like that.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"Sometimes you wait a week, you wait two weeks to hear something. You're kind of just sitting there waiting, waiting for that call right? But at the same time, it's obviously the summer time and I'm just focusing on training and focusing on getting myself on getting better and getting stronger."</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Kyrou completed his second full season last year but played in 16 games in 2018-19 and 28 more in 2019-20; he has 122 points (46 goals, 76 assists) in 173 regular-season NHL games and 10 points (eight goals, two assists) in 21 Stanley Cup playoff games.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"</span><span style="font-family: arial;">You've got room to improve every year and I think every summer you've got to go back and train hard and work hard," Kyrou said. "It's going to pay off during the year."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Armstrong worked on similar parameters of that with Alex Pietrangelo and Vladimir Tarasenko, each who got long-term contracts (Pietrangelo seven years, $45.5 million and Tarasenko eight years, $60 million) when they were in their early 20s.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"Both of those were a little bit different because they were out of entry level," Armstrong said. "They were I think second-team All-Stars. They were just more advanced than these two players coming out of entry level and they got those deals without the bridge. This is more like the 'Schwartzy' deal (Jaden Schwartz) with the bridge and then signing them after. But these are cornerstone players for us. You don't have an ownership willing to commit that type of money if there's not a belief that these guys can grab the flag and lead the charge."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Is there risk in doing these deals? Sure. But history says the Blues have made good calls on them. They're hoping to add to the list with Thomas and now Kyrou.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"Well, I think there is risk. There's always risk," Armstrong said. "But when you look at the number of players that are getting extended like this after two years of service or three, these guys have four years of service so there's less risk than other teams are taking, but there's always risk. There's risk of injury, there's risk of poor play, there's risk of not getting along with the manager, not getting along with the coach. There's always risk out there, but there's a belief that I have in these two players that they're going to be the pillar of what we build around."</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-43971747531532544792022-09-08T00:36:00.003-05:002022-09-08T00:59:11.800-05:00Blues announce 2022 NHL Prospect Tournament roster, schedule<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Neighbours, Bolduc highlight annual trip </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>to </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">Traverse City, Mich. that begins Sept. 15</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">ST. LOUIS -- Hockey is around the corner, and for the Blues, the first order of business revolves around their prospects and the 2022 NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Mich.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6EZLhj0JzXF_YO3WRSecV6smKhILKu6N2FeYnd9AzxH_f-AwtXPf-88yFmTtfc18MnX8O07tyXTN3SdwMpupmaaFe33wD0rO8C_L4nuoFEzYnuNGYmR_dfdpLd_h6FNrcC2UdY8mXF41IGGdy3GOcczfdCHEFaysQq9fExzgk-JjD09s55aAVGgF/s320/blues-logo-e1538760361134.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6EZLhj0JzXF_YO3WRSecV6smKhILKu6N2FeYnd9AzxH_f-AwtXPf-88yFmTtfc18MnX8O07tyXTN3SdwMpupmaaFe33wD0rO8C_L4nuoFEzYnuNGYmR_dfdpLd_h6FNrcC2UdY8mXF41IGGdy3GOcczfdCHEFaysQq9fExzgk-JjD09s55aAVGgF/w200-h200/blues-logo-e1538760361134.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Louis Blues</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues announced their roster for the annual tournament and includes forwards Jake Neighbours (26th pick in 2020) and Zachary Bolduc (17th pick in 2021). The team will include a number of the Blues’ 2022 draft picks, including defensemen Michael Buchinger (88th pick) and Marc-Andre Gaudet (152nd) and forward Landon Sim (184th). </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues, who will hold an open practice on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at Centene Community Ice Center at 10 a.m. that will be free and open to the public, will play pool games against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. (CT), followed by games against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sept. 16 at 5:30 p.m. (CT) and Sept. 18 against the Dallas Stars at 10 a.m. (CT) before playing a cross-over game for first, third or fifth place on Sept. 19.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Along with Neighbours, Bolduc, Buchinger, Gaudet and Sim, this year's roster includes forwards Nikita Alexandrov, Andrei Bakanov, *Davis Codd, Brayden Guy, *Michael Horth, *Theo Hill, Mathias Laferriere, Hugh McGing, *Maxime Pellerin, *Jakin Smallwood and Keean Washkurak; defensemen Tyson Galloway, Matt Kessel, Griffin Luce, Brady Lyle, *Roberto Mancini and Tyler Tucker; goalies include Will Cranley, Colten Ellis and Vadim Zherenko. (</span><span style="font-family: arial;">* On tryout.)<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues will stream each and every one of their games live on the team's TouTube channel at: </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/stlouisblues" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: white; color: #0563c1; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank"><span face="sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px;">www.youtube.com/stlouisblues</span></a><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 13px;"><span face="sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px;">. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-size: 13px;"><span face="sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>* NHL announces national TV schedule for TNT -- </b>The NHL announced its 62-game schedule for the 2022-23 season and will feature the Blues six times.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues televised schedule of games is as follows (all times Central):</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wednesday, Oct. 19 at Seattle, 9 p.m.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wednesday, Nov. 16 at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Friday, Nov. 25 at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wednesday, March 15 vs. Minnesota, 8:30 p.m.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sunday, April 2 vs. Boston, 2:30 p.m.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wednesday, April 12 vs. Dallas, 7:30 p.m.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Along with the ESPN TV Networks, which includes ABC, the Blues have 14 scheduled nationally televised games:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>Thursday, Oct. 27 at Nashville, 7 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu)</div><div>Sunday, Dec. 11 vs. Colorado, 2 p.m. (ESPN)</div><div>Thursday, Jan. 19 vs. Nashville, 8 p.m. (ESPN)</div><div>Saturday, Jan. 28 at Colorado, 2 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu)</div><div>Thursday, Feb. 16 vs. New Jersey, 8 p.m. (ESPN)</div><div>Saturday, Feb. 25 vs. Pittsburgh, 2:30 p.m. (ABC/ESPN+)</div><div>Saturday, April 8 at Minnesota, noon (ABC/ESPN+)</div><div>Thursday, April 13 at Dallas, 7 p.m. (ESPN)</div></span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-40388728845341570042022-07-15T00:52:00.002-05:002022-07-15T00:52:59.483-05:00Nick Leddy: "It was a place I really wanted to be"<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Defenseman signed four-year, $16 million contract on opening day </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">of free </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;">agency, wanted to stay in St. Louis after being traded to Blues late last season</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">ST. LOUIS -- Twenty-nine games was enough for Nick Leddy to know that he wanted to make St. Louis home.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWWNC8G04U6HSwJGsTgBIg1cYHNQQzVGvIUOuRHMuF1OhV4Ub3T5iNQPqygegBYoZ9v24_ISFyvgsJlS5JJDTAc83u9KbJKvV2Fhl9Yq0Wn3ptItLvVbrc9be02rz_XqhnUc7DwI56yIqVpS56xEOiAe-f0lPs-OzY3UNBOftQ_o6vRs2pk5ws1UE/s813/cut%20(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWWNC8G04U6HSwJGsTgBIg1cYHNQQzVGvIUOuRHMuF1OhV4Ub3T5iNQPqygegBYoZ9v24_ISFyvgsJlS5JJDTAc83u9KbJKvV2Fhl9Yq0Wn3ptItLvVbrc9be02rz_XqhnUc7DwI56yIqVpS56xEOiAe-f0lPs-OzY3UNBOftQ_o6vRs2pk5ws1UE/w400-h266/cut%20(4).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues photo)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Nick Leddy (right) wanted to return to the Blues and signed a four-year,</div><div style="text-align: left;">$16 million free agent contract on Wednesday.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">While it may be temporary for the Eden Prairie, Minnesota native to make the Gateway to the West his temporary home, a signed, sealed and delivered four-year, $16 million contract on the first day of the free agency period on Wednesday was the final stamp of approval that the 31-year-old wanted to continue to build upon his 20-game regular-season and nine-game postseason Blues resume.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Obviously a lot of excitement, first and foremost," Leddy said by phone Friday. "I think the biggest thing is I'm really excited to have a full season with the guys and actually a few more years.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"... I think the comfort factor was there right away. Obviously I felt welcomed immediately and knowing some of the guys really well, Brandon (Saad) and Justin (Faulk) right off the start helped out exponentially."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leddy, acquired from the Detroit Red Wings along with Luke Witkowski for Oskar Sundqvist, Jake Walman and a 2023 second-round pick at last season's NHL Trade Deadline, scored twice and had six assists during the regular-season and another goal and four assists during the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Blues but just completed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract signed with the New York Islanders in 2015 after winning a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leddy was thought to have played his final game with the Blues when they were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in the second round of the playoffs; he carried a $5.5 million average annual value on his previous contract and was thought to be seeking somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 million in his next contract, and with the Blues pressed up against the salary cap ceiling and not much wiggle room, Leddy was thought to be on his way elsewhere and did draw interest elsewhere.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Obviously there was some communication between 'Army' and my agent, some back and forth," Leddy said of Blues general manager Doug Armstrong and agent Neil Sheehy. "But overall, it was a place I really wanted to be.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think I'm just glad to get a deal done and excited for the next four years."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was no secret the Blues wanted to bolster the left side of their defense again, to go with Torey Krug, Niko Mikkola and Scott Perunovich, who signed a one-year, one-way contract on Friday, and staying in-house was the choice they made, and for all intents and purposes, left no cap space and money to re-sign forward David Perron, who signed a two-year, $9.5 million free agent contract with the Red Wings on Wednesday.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think solidifying our top four on defense was very important for us," Armstrong said. "I was very comfortable with the seven D that we had last year before we got Nick and became a little bit better balanced team with Nick and we're happy to have him back too. It's a jigsaw puzzle that's always moving. You have to make hard decisions and this is the most uncomfortable time as a manager is making hard decisions. I date myself back to my Dallas days and it was a lot better for me as a manager and a lot worse as the owner when there was no budget because I could just say 'yes' all the time. Now I have to make more decisions.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We expected (Leddy) to come in here and just based on his history, he was a 22-minute player in the playoffs with a very good Islanders team. He went to an organization ... the Islanders moved him along for cap reasons and he went to an organization that was in a different part. We looked at him as someone who we believed could come in here and solidify. He's at a proper age now with our other guys. This is an indication in the next three or four years, we're going to try and continue to build as stay as competitive as possible."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leddy, who averaged 21:25 ice time last season, was set to go through a process with free agency if needed but preferred to get a deal done as quickly as possible and after playing for a contender, why not try and help finish the job?</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think that's part of it. I think you've got the good side of you can kind of look around and know where you want to be, but I think the other side of it too, you know at this point in my career, I know places that I feel I would like and the teams I really like to be around," Leddy said. "Obviously St. Louis is that team.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"That's the goal every year obviously to be a contender. You look up and down on this roster, you have a lot of skill on the ice and a lot of hard-working guys. Off the ice, a lot of great people. I think that's a huge part of it as well."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leddy helped stabilize a top four defensive unit that was needing an upgrade as the season went, playing mainly alongside Colton Parayko and fellow Minnesota buddy Faulk.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCI2GNrSzABjTFAVeZi1vBakJp1S_f7kgJp7zL3Zuc9dm6jVY5STEF1No53QczQLPuXLKgi46WzCTK6-iRyGKeoPpTcD96-hVTBtP13rmP8YqnJmS11SPOn8LHhyf4xLznMeEAJ48pMW8OVCiqyyNv2aPlJWRJSUaLZcvfyarv0OepnMYvZqd7B1vr/s813/cut%20(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCI2GNrSzABjTFAVeZi1vBakJp1S_f7kgJp7zL3Zuc9dm6jVY5STEF1No53QczQLPuXLKgi46WzCTK6-iRyGKeoPpTcD96-hVTBtP13rmP8YqnJmS11SPOn8LHhyf4xLznMeEAJ48pMW8OVCiqyyNv2aPlJWRJSUaLZcvfyarv0OepnMYvZqd7B1vr/w400-h266/cut%20(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Nick Leddy (4) returns to the Blues to help stabilize a defensive unit</div><div style="text-align: left;">that improved after his arrival last season.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think you create chemistry over time and I think that'll be a big thing moving forward," Leddy said. "Always looking to keep building on and off the ice."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Leddy's not sure when he will get back to St. Louis, but the thought of getting in early and continuing the acclimation process may be something that will help him here.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think that would be more of a kind of a game time decision," Leddy said. "I work out and skate with Justin Faulk so maybe I'll just talk to him and see when he's coming in and seeing what his plan is closer to that date. Getting there early and getting acclimated, that's definitely a very good idea."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>* NOTES -- </b>Not only did the Blues sign Perunovich, who was a restricted free agent, but they also gave one-year contracts to forwards Nathan Walker, Anthony Angello, Matthew Highmore, Josh Leivo and Dylan McLaughlin.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Walker, 31, was given a one-year, one-way contract extension that will kick in with the 2023-24 season; Leivo, 29, who was the American Hockey League's playoff MVP this past season with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 18 games with the Chicago Wolves, signed a one-year, one-way contract; Highmore, 26, who played 46 games with the Vancouver Canucks last season (five goals, seven assists), the 26-year-old Angello and McLaughlin each inked one-year, two-way contracts. </span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-84975531317418850232022-07-13T20:44:00.001-05:002022-07-13T20:48:05.455-05:00Blues plans don't include Perron, who signs free agent contract with Red Wings<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Cap crunch leaves forward on outside looking in </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>again, </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">gets two-year, $9.5 million contract with Detroit</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- With additions come subtractions, and the loss of veteran forward David Perron, who signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday, has not gone over well with the Blues fan base.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues elected to give Robert Thomas a massive extension, sign Nick Leddy, Thomas Greiss and Noel Acciari to free-agent contracts but elected not to sign the 34-year-old Perron, who was one off a career-high in goals in a season after scoring 27 last season and finishing with 57 points in 60 games.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPURH8ksYII3mQHCR4CnkYB6aHNHlbHKXF6ANEA6pfOe-SNt7HMdyCcE7dGpvqdmbxu2zZ1w3-l7v8mJm_5CBrH2lvg8I84iPSxS5I_7RMo_JMHfd8WhyMnRth5AIJhPBp_K_-8IjOyqgDHwn-w3sbDOBQsmbFWncIxbnuVkvrwJP16HCV-5pJpxt/s813/cut%20(2).jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="813" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPURH8ksYII3mQHCR4CnkYB6aHNHlbHKXF6ANEA6pfOe-SNt7HMdyCcE7dGpvqdmbxu2zZ1w3-l7v8mJm_5CBrH2lvg8I84iPSxS5I_7RMo_JMHfd8WhyMnRth5AIJhPBp_K_-8IjOyqgDHwn-w3sbDOBQsmbFWncIxbnuVkvrwJP16HCV-5pJpxt/w400-h266/cut%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues photo)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">David Perron (57) leaves the Blues organization for a third time, this time</div><div style="text-align: left;">after signing a two-year, $9.5 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Knowing that Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou are due for large salary increases moving forward (Thomas signed an eight-year, $65 million extension Wednesday), the hope to re-sign Ryan O'Reilly, who enters the final year of his contract, the likely option of keeping Vladimir Tarasenko and the final year of his $7.5 million average annual value contract, wanting to upgrade the left side of their defense and having to sign their own restricted free agents, Perron was on the outside looking in.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Again.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Yeah, this is projecting out a flat cap or a cap that could go up by a million dollars this year, next year and the year after knowing that the bridge deals of Thomas and Kyrou are at two-eight," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. "We don't expect them to play anywhere near that amount of money after next year. There's other players that are going to be unrestricted free agents that we like. We really love David too, but a year ago on a situation like that, when you trade for (Pavel) Buchnevich and you acquire (Brandon) Saad, the hard part is you can't participate every trade deadline and every summer with a flat cap. That's sort of how that situation unfolded.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"... It's a money situation that we'd have to work on. As I've said, everyone knows how I feel about David. I don't need to rehash that. Great player, great Blue, been back, gone, been back, gone, been back, gone, been back but regardless of what happens, he's always going to be known as a great Blue and someone that this organization is going to hold fondly well past his retirement days, which I think are a long way away. Again, it's just what we have to do with some of our internal players that make it harder to go out a greater distance."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A flat cap that will only go up by a million to $82.5 million for the upcoming season and the Blues short $1 million of it due to bonus overages paid out to Tyler Bozak, there was no money left to sign the durable Perron, who has turned himself into a complete two-way player. He led the second-ranked Blues' power-play with 11 goals and 26 power-play points.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We were trying to make it work for a while with the Blues, but it didn't work out," Perron said via Zoom Wednesday. "I'm excited to be with the Red Wings."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perron, drafted by the Blues with the 26th pick in the 2007 NHL Draft who finished out a four-year, $16 million contract this past season, will be leaving the Blues for the third time. He was traded to Edmonton in 2013, signed with the Blues as a free agent in 2016 and was left unprotected for Vegas in the 2017 Expansion Draft, then signed with the Blues again in 2018 before leaving again on Wednesday.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He will join a up with a Blues reunion group that includes Oskar Sundqvist, Robby Fabbri, Ville Husso, who was traded to the Red Wings last Friday for a third-round pick and signing a three-year, $14.25 million contract and Jake Walman.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"First of all, the moment you get a call from Steve Yzerman, it catches your attention right away," Perron said of the Red Wings GM. "Obviously I had several options that was bouncing around in my head, with my agent (Allan Walsh), with my family, with everyone, but I think the Red Wings are a team with obviously some of the signings that happened today too, I think they're ready to take the next step in the evolution as a team and I wanted to be a part of that.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I've played with Husso, Sundqvist, Fabbri, Walman. Those are guys I exchanged text messages with already and obviously looking forward. Any time you've got familiar faces to join a group, some of us won together there in St. Louis and would like to bring some of that success to Detroit."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perron wanted to remain with the Blues and retire here. That's no mistake. He's played in 973 regular-season games (673 with the Blues) and has always called this his second home. He would never admit it publicly, but it was evident Perron wasn't happy to play through the past season with no contract extension in hand and no further commitment from the Blues moving forward. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When asked if he felt the Blues' cap crunch was the reason for his departure, it was evident of his displeasure.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"That's not for me, that question," Perron said. "You can ask the other guy."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That other guy would be Armstrong, who separated Batman (O'Reilly) and Robin (Perron).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But Perron leaves a Stanley Cup champion, won with the Blues in 2019.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Definitely a tough loss," Thomas said of Perron. "He's a guy that loved being in St. Louis, loved being a Blue. He's a great leader on and off the ice. He competed hard every night and was a huge factor in past seasons and playoffs. ... I wish him nothing but the best if he doesn't come back but definitely a tough loss for us."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Along with losing Perron, depth forward Dakota Joshua signed a free agent contract with the Vancouver Canucks, netting himself a two-year deal, and Charlie Lindgren, who was in the running to get the backup role behind Jordan Binnington, also chose free agency and inked a three-year, $3.3 million contract with the Washington Capitals.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Armstrong indicated each was offered one-way contracts but elected to go to market.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335637250978749697.post-68057081577563876562022-07-13T19:46:00.000-05:002022-07-13T19:46:58.560-05:00Blues extend Thomas to richest contract in franchise history<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Center inks right-year extension for 65 million ($8.125M AAV); team </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>signs backup goalie Greiss, veteran forward Acciari on first day of free agency</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By LOU KORAC<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- A busy day for the Blues culminated with some key additions and one investment that will go down in history.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">First, the signings, and the biggest was the Blues signing cornerstone center Robert Thomas to an eight-year, $65 million extension, the richest contract in franchise history that carries an average annual value of $8.125 million.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpwcXaKpLW2Mh2T-uOkk4qcck4iFHpalz1Iq18_BY3h7wgtnlojgK7E1wIsZ2g6V41T5UsF3U8P7kxCxGOjiKUnmrXN4utAlNLde_z9p_X4iVvcqdndRhfyKbwMAp6qMjQ2VSShvGPnuRn3Br80bgn05onFs3NBvsHO0ddz77c4X4IcAIRJm8wCA0/s1024/cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpwcXaKpLW2Mh2T-uOkk4qcck4iFHpalz1Iq18_BY3h7wgtnlojgK7E1wIsZ2g6V41T5UsF3U8P7kxCxGOjiKUnmrXN4utAlNLde_z9p_X4iVvcqdndRhfyKbwMAp6qMjQ2VSShvGPnuRn3Br80bgn05onFs3NBvsHO0ddz77c4X4IcAIRJm8wCA0/w400-h225/cut.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues photo)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Robert Thomas signed an eight-year, $65 million extension, the largest</div><div style="text-align: left;">contract in Blues history, on Wednesday. </div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The 23-year-old, who set career highs in goals (20), assists (57) and points (77) last season and was heading into the final year of a bridge contract that paid him an AAV of $2.8 million.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Yeah, I think it's pretty cool. I think being able to be in St. Louis for eight more years is so exciting," Thomas said Wednesday. "From the minute I got there, I loved St. Louis, I was welcomed by the Tkachuk family. I think that's a good family to be welcomed by. Ever since then, I've loved playing for the Blues. I love the city, I love the people and just so excited about that.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I would say the decision kind of took a little bit. I think the main things were just how much I've loved playing in St. Louis, how much I love being a Blue. So that was a huge factor for me. This deal was able to get me there for ... I've got nine years left. That was something really important to me and my family and just that comfort level of being in one place that you and your family love is so important."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues were going to have to pony up the salary for Thomas, who along with Jordan Kyrou are the next generation of players the team will build its core around.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">General manager Doug Armstrong was going to have to cross this bridge at some point and did it now.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">"Obviously we look at him as the centerpiece of our organization moving forward," Armstrong </span><span style="font-family: arial;">said. "You look at his point total as a 22-year old, I think I might have been the most points by any 22 or under player in the league last year, if not very close. It reminds me quite a bit of actually signing (Alex) Pietrangelo and (Vladimir) Tarasenko, both coming off their age 22, we signed them to long term deals, we felt they were cornerstone players and we feel that’s Robert.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Everybody assumes risk when you do it like this and on both sides. We talked about that. Our hope is the expectation his game continues to grow and that's his too but there's also a sense that, that's a lot of money and he's got security. He's going to be able to, by signing this term at this age, he's going to be able to get back there. Now that's a million years on the way or actually nine, but he's going to have another opportunity and I know his focus is on being the best player he can be. When you look at how Craig (Berube) used him from a year ago to last year, he touches every part of our game. He's a 5-on-5 player, both sides of special teams. I think his ice time was the second most ice time of our forward group and that's all at 22. So that's only going to elevate. You look at young players that have signed at 21 or 22, mostly 22, this puts him right in that ballpark of other top young players and we think he is a top young player and because he started at 19, we were able to do a bridge deal with him too. So we have a little bit more information. A lot of these guys started at 20. He started at 19. So it gave us a chance and he's walked into a difficult situation as far as being competitive team and having to claw and fight for his own ice time. Sometimes when you're a top pick going into a different situation, you're given ice time he's had to earn it. And that's where I thought he did a fabulous job last year earning his ice time."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It's not an out with the old (Ryan O'Reilly, Tarasenko -- well, maybe?) or the guys that helped win the Stanley Cup three years ago, a team Thomas played an important role in as a 20-year-old but ushering in the next generation, as Armstrong did with Pietrangelo and Tarasenko and not all that tough to get done.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"It was relatively quick when we started to talk. But they're always difficult because … I think that the flat cap got everyone's attention," Armstrong said. "A pandemic got everyone's attention that it might not always be growing, but there's also the hope you when you hear the commissioner talk about the revenues never been better and we're hoping the world gets back to normal and continues to grow. So I think there's risk and reward on both sides. But at the end of the day, I'm not sure … money has a huge effect on this but I think it's more our organization talking about, let's put the money aside, how we think of Robert, how we think we're going to use him, where we think he fits in on the future of this franchise and over my career as a manager, you sort of step up on young players, we stepped up as I said in Dallas, I stepped up on Marty Turco at a young age, switching from Eddie Belfour to him, haven't done that in a long time and then I got here and I did it to Alex Pietrangelo and Vladimir Tarasenko coming out of that same age 22 (season), feeling that they were players you can build your franchise around. It's a lot of pressure to put on Robert, a lot of expectations. I think he appreciates that and he's ready for that challenge."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The term on the contract will take Thomas into his early 30s (32) when he can become an unrestricted free agent for the first time, and the Blues will take Thomas' prime UFA years out of the equation. But the comfort factor and long-term stability was something Thomas didn't think he could pass up.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think a bit of both. I felt really comfortable being here for a long time," Thomas said. "I think the most important thing to me is winning. Every year I've been with the Blues, I've felt like we've had a great chance of winning and we've been so close. I feel like we have many, many more years to come where we're going to be in that exact situation. I think that's why it's so easy to commit to eight years."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Kyrou, who at 24 is next in line for a big contract. He, like Thomas, will be entering the final year of a $2.8 million bridge deal and will get a big increase in pay; he also set career highs in goals (27), assists (48) and points (75). </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"Yeah, I really believe and, I've told both of those players that … we haven't talked to Jordan on this yet … but moving forward, Robert and Jordan they are and they're becoming more and more the alpha males and the game is trending towards that," Armstrong said. "I think Kyrou, you saw what he did last year, heeds to be a top player for us, to be a top franchise. The question might be well, why Robert before Jordan, like the old analogy, like how do you get the horses back in the barn? One at a time. So we got one horse back in the barn and now we'll go to work."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues, who are strapped by the flat salary cap that increased by $1 million to $82.5 million this season, felt they had to solidify their defense, particularly the left side, stayed within and re-signed Nick Leddy to a four-year, $16 million ($4 million AAV) contract.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues, who acquired Leddy and Luke Witkowski at last year's trade deadline from the Detroit Red Wings for Oskar Sundqvist, Jake Walman and a 2023 second-round pick, hit the free agent market at 11 a.m. Wednesday after finishing off a seven-year, $38.5 million contract signed with the New York Islanders in 2015. But the 31-year-old chose to remain in St. Louis, where he had two goals and eight assists in 20 regular-season games down the stretch and a goal and four assists in nine playoff games.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I think solidifying our top four on defense was very important for us," Armstrong said. "I was very comfortable with the seven D that we had last year before we got Nick and became a little bit better balanced team with Nick and we're happy to have him back too. It's a jigsaw puzzle that's always moving. You have to make hard decisions and this is the most uncomfortable time as a manager is making hard decisions. I date myself back to my Dallas days and it was a lot better for me as a manager and a lot worse as the owner when there was no budget because I could just say 'yes' all the time. Now I have to make more decisions.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"We expected him to come in here and just based on his history, he was a 22-minute player in the playoffs with a very good Islanders team. He went to an organization ... the Islanders moved him along for cap reasons and he went to an organization that was in a different part. We looked at him as someone who we believed could come in here and solidify. He's at a proper age now with our other guys. This is an indication in the next three or four years, we're going to try and continue to build as stay as competitive as possible."</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUAP6Y-Qv6-DIDKZF-0IXOQoze_dsi__MZQfC-ZrBhb6TvlNJ1n_gLrtYqAgIq_MMGQlxMfcT7R0_O7hFSwTnG-DO71uaoMUEo23h9ZUkKow-jY0ObleZLt7IpWCgSpwRLuk73zFuZ4-j8KjkeJxyqxKuS06ZidPX-egrKXKEyVm15goS-nsRh3dW/s812/cut%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="812" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUAP6Y-Qv6-DIDKZF-0IXOQoze_dsi__MZQfC-ZrBhb6TvlNJ1n_gLrtYqAgIq_MMGQlxMfcT7R0_O7hFSwTnG-DO71uaoMUEo23h9ZUkKow-jY0ObleZLt7IpWCgSpwRLuk73zFuZ4-j8KjkeJxyqxKuS06ZidPX-egrKXKEyVm15goS-nsRh3dW/w400-h268/cut%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">(St. Louis Blues photo)<br /><div style="text-align: left;">Nick Leddy (middle) remained with the Blues on Wednesday when the</div><div style="text-align: left;">defenseman inked a four-year, $16 million contract.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Blues made three additional signings, including adding veteran goalie Thomas Greiss from the Detroit Red Wings on a one-year, $1.25 million contract plus bonuses, veteran forward Noel Acciari of the Florida Panthers on a one-year, $1.25 million contract and forward Will Bitten, acquired from the Minnesota Wild last season, signed a two-year, two-way contract.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Greiss, 36, spent the past two seasons with the Red Wings. He has played in 347 career games with Detroit, the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks and has a career goals against average of 2.72, a record of 155-120-37 and a save percentage of .912.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Acciari, 30, spent the past three seasons with the Florida Panthers and played against the Blues in the Stanley Cup Final in 2019 while with the Boston Bruins; he had 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists) during his three seasons with the Panthers and was on the receiving end of a controversial non-call in Game 5 against the Blues that led to a 2-1 win over the Bruins.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bitten played in 45 games for Springfield of the American Hockey League last season and recorded 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists). In the 2022 AHL playoffs, Bitten played in all 18 games and recorded and team-leading 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in leading the Thunderbirds to the Calder Cup Final.</span></div>lkorac10http://www.blogger.com/profile/15098928744732527181noreply@blogger.com0