Blues leave 2018 NHL Draft with no trades, five more picks

Reports that St. Louis not on Tavares' list of teams 

center will speak with; other deals never came to fruition

By LOU KORAC
It turned out to be a quiet weekend as far as trades were concerned for the Blues, who had five picks on Saturday at the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong used the weekend to speak with fellow GM's, perhaps setting the parameters of something in the near future or down the line, or perhaps the Blues will focus on free agency a little more if the trade front doesn't work out the way they had hoped.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Blues GM Doug Armstrong came away from the 2018 NHL Draft in Dallas

without making any moves.

There are multiple reports that the Blues are not among the teams that pending free agent center John Tavares will speak with during the free agency period beginning Sunday that allows other teams to speak to pending UFA's, and so it appears the Blues will have to look elsewhere for immediate help.

With trade possibilities including Buffalo center Ryan O'Reilly, who TSN's Bob McKenzie reported was being courted by the Blues and Montreal among others, Carolina's Jeff Skinner is also in play and would be a fit for the Blues' scoring needs.

So with Blues fans, obviously the question is how quickly will something happen, but the better question is when will something happen?

But as Armstrong pointed out when reached on Thursday, "I think that question can be answered with more clarity on Aug. 1 than July 1 because I just don't know what the market's going to bear at the draft and from the talking period Sunday through the middle of July."

Other options via free agency could include James Neal and former Blue David Perron of Vegas, former Blues center Paul Stastny, Toronto forwards James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak, Oakville native Pat Maroon and perhaps New Jersey Devils teammate Michael Grabner, among others. Boston's Riley Nash is an intriguing player also after coming off a 41-point season making only $900,000.

As for their draft choices, the Blues mixed it up with three forwards, two defenseman and a goalie in the fourth round among their six picks, including right wing Dominik Bokk, who they picked with the 25th pick in the first round after trading up four spots with the Toronto Maple Leafs that included giving up their third-round pick Saturday.

"This one was a tough one," Blues director of amateur scouting Bill Armstrong said. "There was a lot of strategy on our part trying to get the most value out of the draft. This one was a little more complex. ... We're happy with our selections and we wrapped it up today."

The Blues went with 5-foot-9, 172-pound defenseman Scott Perunovich of NCAA champion Minnesota-Duluth with their second-round pick and 45th overall.

Perunovich, who turns 20 on August 18, had 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 42 regular-season games his freshman season, is a native of Hibbing, Minn. and part of his third draft after not being picked the past two years; he was called a "late-bloomer" and a puck-moving defenseman on the NHL Network by analysts. 

Perunovich was the NCAA rookie of the year award winner who really got noticed at the World Junior Championship for Team USA, where he had a goal and two assists in seven games.

An interesting tidbit is that Perunovich's uncle, Doug Terrell, was drafted with the 66th pick by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1987 NHL Draft.

Perunovich's bio: http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=103029.

Without a third-round pick, the Blues had to wait until the fourth round, where they selected goalie Joel Hofer, who was a backup last season with Western Hockey League champion Swift Current.

Hofer, 17, played in 19 games with the Broncos and was 8-3-1-1 with a 2.61 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.

At 6-3, 160, the Winnipeg native Hofer was rated as the No. 7 North American goalie by NHL Central Scouting.

Hofer's bio: http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=3&dpid=114560&sort=finalRank&year=2018.

In the fifth round, the Blues went with 5-8, 170-pound Western Michigan left wing Hugh McGing, a Chicago native who finished his sophomore season playing for former Blues coach Andy Murray's Broncos.

McGing, 19, played in 36 games this past season and was named the Rob Hodge co-MVP, finishing with 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists).

McGing has 51 points (23 goals, 28 assists) in 60 games playing for Cedar Rapids of the United States Hockey League.

McGing's bio: http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=102933.

With their sixth-round pick, the Blues dipped into the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and selected 6-1, 175-pound right wing Mattias Laferriere of Montreal. 

Laferriere, who turns 18 on Wednesday, had 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists) in 67 games for Cape Breton, his second season there.

Laferriere's bio: http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=111616.

And with their final pick if the 2018 NHL Draft, the Blues grabbed Tyler Tucker, a 6-1, 203-pound defenseman out of Longlac, Ontario, in the seventh round with pick No. 200.

Tucker, who turned 18 on March 1, skated with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League this past season and recorded 23 points (three goals, 20 assists) in 59 games, his second season with the Colts.

Tucker's bio: http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=111593.

Blues trade up to select German-born right wing Bokk

Trade with Maple Leafs had St. Louis move up from No. 29 to 25, 

yield this year's third-round pick (No. 76); Tkachuk taken by Senators

By LOU KORAC
The Blues were expected to be busy as the 2018 NHL Draft unfoled through perhaps player movement or even pick movement.

There was some talk of moving perhaps into the top five but it would take a pretty good haul of picks to do so.

The Blues moved up from No. 29 in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs to No. 25 and giving up their third-round pick (No. 76) in this year's draft at American Airlines Center in Dallas to pick German-born right wing Dominik Bokk of Vaxjo Jr. of the Swedish Jr. League.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

First-round pick Dominik Bokk poses for a photo after donning the Blues

jersey for the first time after being drafted on Friday in Dallas. 

Moving up to grab a specific target is always a sign of good nature for the player, and Bokk feels no differently here.

"I had a meeting with them yesterday," Bokk said of the Blues. "They told me they really want to say my name (at the draft podium). They also told that they might trade up to draft me, so I already knew about this yesterday. It's a great feeling and I'm so happy.

"I didn't know going into the day that I was going to be a Blue, but I had a good feeling when they picked."

Bokk, listed at 6-foot-1, 176 pounds, finished with 14 goals and 27 assists in 35 games with Vaxjo Jr. last season. 

Among the picks believed to be there for the Blues included Bokk and centers Ryan McLeod of Mississauga and Akil Thomas of Niagara. Center Joseph Veleno, who was projected by Central Scouting as the eighth-ranked North American skater, was surprisingly also on the board for the Blues, who chose to go with Bokk.

More on Bokk: http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=111680&sort=finalRank&year=2018 

The Blues were originally supposed to have the 14th pick but that went to the Philadelphia Flyers to complete the trade for center Brayden Schenn at last year's draft.

The 29th pick originally was acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in a trade deadline deal for center Paul Stastny.

As far as local ties, St. Louisan Brady Tkachuk, brother of Calgary Flames' Matthew Tkachuk (the sixth pick in 2016) and son of former Blue Keith Tkachuk, was picked by the Ottawa Senators with the fourth pick.

Tkachuk had eight goals and 31 points in 40 games at Boston University and had three goals and nine points in seven games for USA at the World Junior Championship.

"It’s a huge honor," said Brady Tkachuk, a AAA Blues alumni. "St. Louis has now become a hockey hot spot because of the people that have stayed and created that organization, guys like Al MacInnis, Chris Pronger, Jeff Brown and my dad. There’s others that I’m not naming. There’s people that help out so much."

Tkachuk becomes teammates with former AAA Blue and another St. Louisan Logan Brown, son of Jeff Brown who was selected by the Senators with the 11th pick in 2016.

"You’re going to see a lot more kids from St. Louis coming up and it’s so exciting to see because the market in St. Louis, everybody loves their hockey there," Tkachuk said. "The Blues are doing well and there’s going to be a lot more kids coming up."

Concerning player movement via trades, the only deal consummated was Colorado acquiring goalie Philipp Grubauer and veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik from Washington for a second-round pick (No. 47) on Saturday. 

There has been lots of smoke regarding major names potentially moving and they still could, but on Friday, it was a smokeless night as far as transactions were concerned.

Barring any other deals, the Blues will have picks in the second, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds on Saturday, which begins at 10 a.m. (CT).  

Blues 2018-19 season schedule

Seven-game homestand early in season, stretch of 

22 of 30 road games among notable stretches of games

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- The NHL released its full regular-season schedule on Thursday, and for the Blues, there are a lot of similarities to the schedule fans are quite used to.

The Blues open the season with a three-game homestand, beginning Oct. 4 against the Winnipeg Jets and play their first road game in Chicago against the Blackhawks on Oct. 13. Speaking of the Blackhawks, the Blues play the Blackhawks in four of their first 16 games.

The Blues are top-heavy on home games in the first half of the season and play eight home games in November and December but do play a stretch of 22 of 30 road games from Jan. 12-March 17.

There are two sets of back-to-back games against the Nashville Predators (Nov. 21-23 and Feb. 9-10), a New Year's Eve home game against the New York Rangers and the long-awaited return of former Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.

The Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals and T.J. Oshie visit St. Louis on Jan. 3.

There's a season-long seven-game homestand Oct. 25-Nov. 11, six afternoon weekend home games this season and the Blues finish the regular season at home on April 6 against the Vancouver Canucks.

Here is the Blues' schedule, including seven preseason games, in full:

2018-19 ST. LOUIS BLUES SCHEDULE
PRESEASON
SEPTEMBER
18 -- at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.
19 -- vs. Minnesota at Des Moines, Iowa, 7 p.m.
21 -- COLUMBUS, 7 p.m.
23 -- at Columbus, 2 p.m.
25 -- WASHINGTON, 7 p.m.
28 -- DALLAS, 7 p.m.
30 -- at Washington, 2 p.m.

REGULAR SEASON
OCTOBER
4 -- WINNIPEG, 7 p.m.
6 -- CHICAGO, 7 p.m.
11 -- CALGARY, 7 p.m.
13 -- at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.
14 -- ANAHEIM, 6 p.m.
17 -- at Montreal, 6 p.m.
20 -- at Toronto, 6 p.m.
22 -- at Winnipeg, 7 p.m.
25 -- COLUMBUS, 7 p.m.
27 -- CHICAGO, 7 p.m.

NOVEMBER
1 -- VEGAS, 7 p.m.
3 -- MINNESOTA, 7 p.m.
6 -- CAROLINA, 7 p.m.
9 -- SAN JOSE, 7 p.m.
11 -- MINNESOTA, 2 p.m.
14 -- at Chicago, 7 p.m.
16 -- at Vegas, 9 p.m.
17 -- at San Jose, 9:30 p.m.
19 -- LOS ANGELES, 7 p.m.
21 -- at Nashville, 7 p.m.
23 -- NASHVILLE, 7 p.m.
24 -- WINNIPEG, 6 p.m.
28 -- at Detroit, 6 p.m.
30 -- at Colorado, 8 p.m. 

DECEMBER
1 -- at Arizona, 7 p.m.
5 -- EDMONTON, 7 p.m.
7 -- at Winnipeg, 7 p.m.
9 -- VANCOUVER, 2 p.m.
11 -- FLORIDA, 7 p.m.
14 -- COLORADO, 7 p.m.
16 -- CALGARY, 2 p.m.
18 -- at Edmonton, 8 p.m.
20 -- at Vancouver, 9 p.m.
22 -- at Calgary, 3 p.m.
27 -- BUFFALO, 7 p.m.
29 -- PITTSBURGH, 7 p.m.
31 -- N.Y. RANGERS, 6 p.m.

JANUARY
3 -- WASHINGTON, 7 p.m.
5 -- N.Y. ISLANDERS, 7 p.m.
7 -- at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.
8 -- DALLAS, 7 p.m.
10 -- MONTREAL, 7 p.m.
12 -- at Dallas, 8 p.m.
14 -- at Washington, 6 p.m.
15 -- at N.Y. Islanders, 6 p.m.
17 -- at Boston, 6 p.m.
19 -- OTTAWA, 6 p.m.
21 -- at Los Angeles, 3 p.m.
23 -- at Anaheim, 9 p.m.

FEBRUARY
2 -- at Columbus, 6 p.m.
5 -- at Florida, 6 p.m.
7 -- at Tampa Bay, 6:30 p.m.
9 -- NASHVILLE, 1 p.m.
10 -- at Nashville, 11:30 a.m.
12 -- NEW JERSEY, 7 p.m.
14 -- at Arizona, 8 p.m.
16 -- at Colorado, 2 p.m.
17 -- at Minnesota, 2 p.m.
19 -- TORONTO, 7 p.m.
21 -- at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.
23 -- BOSTON, 3 p.m.
24 -- at Minnesota, 6 p.m.
26 -- NASHVILLE, 7 p.m.

MARCH
1 -- at Carolina, 6:30 p.m.
2 -- DALLAS, 7 p.m.
6 -- at Anaheim, 9 p.m.
7 -- at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m.
9 -- at San Jose, 3 p.m.
12 -- ARIZONA, 7 p.m.
14 -- at Ottawa, 6:30 p.m.
16 -- at Pittsburgh, noon
17 -- at Buffalo, 4 p.m.
19 -- EDMONTON, 7 p.m.
21 -- DETROIT, 7 p.m.
23 -- TAMPA BAY, 7 p.m.
25 -- VEGAS, 7 p.m.
29 -- at N.Y. Rangers, 6 p.m.
30 -- at New Jersey, 6 p.m.

APRIL
1 -- COLORADO, 7 p.m.
3 -- at Chicago, 7 p.m.
4 -- PHILADELPHIA, 7 p.m.
6 -- VANCOUVER, 3 p.m.

Blues are open for business as draft looms Friday

Armstrong laying caution to the wind as far as immediate activity, 

said Blues will implement all avenues to make necessary additions

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- As the 2018 NHL Draft is set to get underway Friday through Saturday at American Airlines Center in Dallas, 31 teams will begin the process of putting in place their initial plans for the upcoming season.

As far as the Blues are concerned, it's all systems go, whether it's using all seven of their picks, including the 29th pick of the first round (acquired from Winnipeg in the Paul Stastny trade), or getting involved in pulling the trigger on a trade(s) as they did last season in acquiring Brayden Schenn and Klim Kostin while dealing away Ryan Reaves and Jori Lehtera.

Blues GM Doug Armstrong

The Blues could go anywhere from picking 29th or perhaps using that pick as a trade chip to acquire an impact center/winger or even packaging the pick with other current picks/future picks to move up in the draft.

"I don't think you go into the draft looking to fill needs because it's an 18-year-old draft and you're always looking for the best available player," Armstrong said via phone on Thursday afternoon. "Unless you're probably picking in the top two or three and there's a centerman or a defenseman that can help your team immediately, your roster's going to change a lot from today to where the guy that we're going to draft is going to enter the league or make an impact in 3-5 years."

As far as the potential prized free agent goes, New York Islanders center and captain John Tavares, the Blues will most certainly be all-in on a potential franchise impact player is concerned. Armstrong didn't want to comment on the specific player for fear of tampering, but he did say the Blues are in a good spot from a cap standpoint should they delve into the free agent market. But should Tavares hit July 1, and teams can begin talking to potential UFA's beginning Sunday, the Blues will definitely be all-in on the player.

"I don't want to use John's name specifically for tampering rules, but whether it's a centerman, a winger or defenseman, goalie, when there's premier players out there, we're incumbent to talk to them and find out the level of interest they may have on our team," Armstrong said. "We have the cap space, so we're situated correctly if we do decide to get into the free agent market."

Free agent winger Ilya Kovalchuk is another player mentioned as a possible destination for St. Louis after playing the past five seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League with SKA St. Petersburg in Russia. 

It's been rumored that the Blues have reached out to Kovalchuk's camp but to what extent those conversations went is not known.

"We're always looking to talk to unrestricted free agents that we think can help us," Armstrong said. "It's different than a restricted player or making a trade where the player follows his contract now. As an unrestricted free agent, the team's desire has to meet the player's desire to be on that team. You just have to go through the process."

There's been lots of chatter outside the lines, but Armstrong said there hasn't been as much talk as the smoke from the media indicates.

Names thrown out in the loop include Ryan O'Reilly of the Buffalo Sabres, Wayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers, Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens, Milan Lucic and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers, among others. 

"Quite honestly, I haven't followed much of the media lately, so I'm talking to the managers and there doesn't seem to be as much conversation as there have been in past drafts," he said. "That could change, but it's actually been pretty quiet this week."

Armstrong feels the Blues are set in goal with Jake Allen, who is under contract for three more seasons at a $4.35 million cap hit, and have spoken with Carter Hutton, who can become a UFA July 1, about the possibility of coming back but are open to understanding that he can very well leave; Armstrong likes the Blues' defensive corps but acknowledges that up front is where improvements need to be made.

"I think when you look at our group, our goaltending is set with Jake. We have to find a partner for him," Armstrong said. "We have two options in that area. We've talked to Carter Hutton. If he hits the market, we can either find a veteran No. 2 or we can go with a really good guy that can compete with [Ville] Husso and have those guys as our 2-3 in sharing duty. We're in an interesting position because we really like where Husso is and what he's done and knowing he's on the doorstep. It puts us in a good spot with a future goalie. 

"On defense, we have all of our seven players that ended last season under contract and we will get [Jordan] Schmaltz under contract at some point, so there's not a lot of necessity to focus in on that area. I would say up front is an area where we have the ability to move some of the guys we've used on the wing back into the middle and find wingers or look at centermen. You always have to have an eye looking to the outside to improve your team, but the reality is on trades or via free agency, teams have options on trades and players have options via unrestricted free agency, so you have to be prepared to go with the group you have and if we go that direction, I'm excited obviously. It creates such an opportunity for probably multiple players like Kostin, [Jordan] Kyrou, [Robert] Thomas, [Tage] Thompson, and [Sammy] Blais."

When it comes to how many of these young prospects can be relied upon to make impacts in the NHL this season and how many players need to be brought in from the outside can't necessarily be answered immediately.

"I think that question can be answered with more clarity on Aug. 1 than July 1 because I just don't know what the market's going to bear at the draft and from the talking period Sunday through the middle of July," Armstrong said.

As far as the first round goes Friday, it wouldn't be a surprise of the Blues used multiple picks to try and move up. One intriguing possibility is to perhaps move up to as high as the No. 4 pick with the Ottawa Senators and getting the opportunity to grab hometown kid Brady Tkachuk. That however can change should the Montreal Canadiens take Tkachuk at No. 3 and makes such a trade option a risk but one worth monitoring as an option. 

The Blues have a number of injured players on the mend this summer, from Vladimir Tarasenko (dislocated shoulder), Jaden Schwartz (shoulder), Jay Bouwmeester (hip), Carl Gunnarsson (torn ACL) and Robby Fabbri (torn ACL) are all on target for training camp.

"I talked to our medical staff last week, and everybody's doing well, healing and scheduled to be ready for camp," Armstrong said. "They're all performing well, getting clearances from doctors and training to be prepared for camp."

Blues release 2018-19 preseason schedule

Games against Stars, Wild, Blue Jackets and defending 

Stanley Cup champion Capitals highlight seven-game slate

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Many NHL teams have been slowly releasing their preseason schedules in the past few days, and the Blues disclosed theirs on Friday.

The regular-season schedule is slated to be unveiled on Thursday at 4 p.m. (CT), but the Blues will play a seven-game preseason schedule beginning Sept. 18 at Dallas.

They will play home-and-home games against the Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets and Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals along with a neutral site game on Sept. 19 in Des Moines, Iowa against the Minnesota Wild, the home of the Wild's American Hockey League team, the Iowa Wild.

The Blues will play three games at newly-named Enterprise Center, Sept. 21 against the Blue Jackets, Sept. 25 against the Capitals and Sept. 28 against the Stars. All home game times are set for 7 p.m.

The final preseason date against the Capitals is set for a 5 p.m. puck drop but that time is subject to change.

Regular-season home openers for all 31 teams will be announced Wednesday at noon (CT).

2018-19 ST. LOUIS BLUES SCHEDULE
PRESEASON
SEPTEMBER
18 -- at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.
19 -- vs. Minnesota at Des Moines, Iowa, 7 p.m.
21 -- COLUMBUS, 7 p.m.
23 -- at Columbus, 2 p.m.
25 -- WASHINGTON, 7 p.m.
28 -- DALLAS, 7 p.m.
30 -- at Washington, 5 p.m.

Blues to hold prospect camp June 26-29

Camp will take place at Ice Zone inside St. Louis Outlet Mall, 

feature players such as Thomas, Kyrou, Kostin, Fitzpatrick, others

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- The Blues will hold their prospect camp June 26-29 at the Ice Zone inside St. Louis Outlet Mall this year.

All on-ice sessions are free and open to the public.

It will give fans a chance to see potential future Blues. Among some of the headline names 2017 first-round pick, Ontario Hockey League champion and playoff MVP, center Robert Thomas; 2016 second round pick and this season's OHL most outstanding player, right wing Jordan Kyrou; 2018 Canadian Hockey League Memorial Cup champion, goalie Evan Fitzpatrick, a second round pick in 2016, and 2017 first-round pick Klim Kostin, who played at San Antonio of the American Hockey League last season will be there.  

Also in attendance will be forward Erik Foley, who was acquired by the Blues from the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 26 in the Paul Stastny trade; defenseman Mitch Reinke, who was signed by the Blues as a free agent out of Michigan Tech on Mar. 25 along with forward Nolan Stevens (2016 fifth-round pick).

A full list will come out after the NHL Draft, which will take place June 22-23 in Dallas, when the Blues make their picks from the 2018 class and are expected to participate in prospects camp, but the immediate list includes (with denomination of what overall pick the player wad chosen):

F – Ty Amonte (invite)

D – Anton Andersson (206th, 2017)

D – Trenton Bourque (175th, 2017)

G – Evan Fitzpatrick (59th, 2016)

F – Erik Foley (drafted by WPG, 78th, 2015)

F – Filip Helt (211th, 2016)

F – Tanner Kaspick (119th, 2016)

F – Klim Kostin (31st, 2017)

F – Nikolaj Krag (209th, 2016)

F – Jordan Kyrou (35th, 2016)

D – David Noel (130th, 2017)

G – Luke Opilka (146th, 2015)

F – Austin Poganski (110th, 2014)

D – Mitch Reinke (signed as a free agent)

F – Austin Rueschhoff (invite)

F – Nolan Stevens (125th, 2016)

F – Jared Thomas (invite)

F – Robert Thomas (20th, 2017)

F – Alexey Toropchenko (113th, 2017)

Camp will consist of off-ice workouts, on-ice skills sessions, and scrimmages each day. On-ice skills sessions will begin at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, while the players will undergo on-ice testing beginning at 1 p.m. on Thursday.  Four-on-four and three-on-three scrimmages will start at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, while Thursday’s scrimmages will begin at 3 p.m.  In addition, goalies will take the ice for individual skill work starting at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. 

The on-ice schedule is as follows, with times subject to change:

Tuesday, June 26

·         10:15 a.m. – On-ice skills (group one)

·         11:15 a.m. – On-ice skills (group two)

·         1 p.m. – Goalies on-ice skills

·         2 p.m. – Scrimmages (4x4 and 3x3)

Wednesday, June 27

·         10:15 a.m. – On-ice skills (group one)

·         11:15 a.m. – On-ice skills (group two)

·         1 p.m. – Goalies on-ice skills

·         2 p.m. – Scrimmages (4x4 and 3x3)

Thursday, June 28

·         1 p.m. – On-ice testing

·         3 p.m. – Scrimmages (4x4 and 3x3)

Friday, June 29

·         10:15 a.m. – On-ice skills (group one)

·         11:15 a.m. – On-ice skills (group two)

·         1 p.m. – Goalies on-ice skills

·         2 p.m. – Scrimmages (4x4 and 3x3)

Blues name Bannister coach at San Antonio

Former coach of Sault Ste. Marie to guide American Hockey League 

team after leading Greyhounds to best regular-season record in OHL 

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Now that the Blues are the sole affiliation with the American Hockey League's San Antonio Rampage, settling on a new coach was a top priority, one that was finalized on Tuesday morning.

The Blues announced that former Sault Ste. Marie coach Drew Bannister will take over as coach of the Rampage this season.

Drew Bannister

The 44-year-old Bannister spent the past three seasons coaching the Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League and led the Soo to franchise records in both wins (55; they were 55-7-6) and points (116) en route to capturing the franchise's fifth Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the OHL regular season champion before being eliminated in the OHL Final in six games against Robert Thomas and the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Bannister won the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL coach of the year and Janes Brian Kilrea Award as Canadian Hockey League's coach of the year.

"I'm incredibly appreciative of the opportunity that the Blues and Rampage have afforded me," Bannister said in a statement. "I want to express my gratitude to all of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhound staff members, players and ownership. I look forward to instilling a winning culture in San Antonio as we continue to develop the young and talented players in the St. Louis system."

Prior to joining Sault Ste. Marie, Bannister began his coaching career as an assistant coach for three seasons with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack.

"We are very excited to have Drew join our organization,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said in a statement. "He has proven himself over the past few seasons in the OHL and will be a perfect fit as we continue to develop our prospects through our affiliation with San Antonio."

Bannister was a second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992 and played six seasons in the NHL with the Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers; he had 30 points in 164 regular season games.