Word is the Blues have sent D-man Brendan Bell down. The Blues have yet to expose Bell to waivers but could do so as early as tomorrow. He was told earlier this morning he will be placed on waivers.
Steve Wagner has been sent down to Peoria.
Word is Darryl Sydor was paired with Erik Johnson last night in Colorado. Feel free to read between the lies.
The Blues have also placed Lampman and Richmond on waivers. Fletcher and Cracknell cleared today.
Earlier Story....Sydor Closing In On Roster Spot?
Is anybody going to step up and separate themselves from the pack? That’s the question I have when looking at the Blues D-men in camp. So far that hasn’t happened. Is there reason to be concerned about the Blues defense? For some of these guys, this camp may be their best shot to make an NHL roster. You'd think we'd see some urgency on display here. The competition is extremely foggy because many of these guys have been equally unimpressive.
In reality Darryl Sydor has done very little to overwhelm me but his resume certainly does when you compare it to the other D-men vying for a roster spot on defense. When you talk to some key veteran players on the Blues they make it pretty clear that they want Sydor to stay and they believe he can help this hockey team.
Overall Sydor was just ok on Saturday night. He ran into the referee along the wall which forced a turnover that resulted in a Dallas goal. Believe it or not this game didn’t hurt his chances of making the team and many insiders felt his overall game was steady against his former mates. He won’t be in a position to command much money and I think the Blues see some real value in having him around a young D-core this season. Sydor may land a spot on the roster in part because the competition has done little to knock him off.
Brendan Bell took a step in the wrong direction vs. Dallas. If he played Saturday night the same way he did his previous game against Minnesota he’d be making a real strong push. He still has a chance to make a case but he’ll need a strong performance his next time out. I had Bell penciled in prior to Saturday night and the Blues will be looking for him to respond this week. It's not too late for Bell to get back on track.
Bell will need to clear waivers to go to Peoria, but this is a time of the year you can usually sneak a guy through. Most teams over value what they have coming out of camp and usually like thier roster. Bringing him back through during the season could be a different story.
Alex Pietrangelo has been fine for me thus far in the pre-season. He plays with slightly more fire than we’ve seen from him in the past but his game remains a little too nonchalant. His marshmallow passes won’t cut it in this league and little things like getting pucks in deep seem to be an issue for him at times. The positive for him is that he’s getting better and if the Blues elect to hang on to Sydor (which looks like a very strong possibility) it might make it easier for John Davidson and company to give Pietrangelo a longer look.
The Blues won’t hesitate to give the former 4th overall pick the minimum nine regular season games allowed before an official decision is made on this kid. Can he show a little more intensity? Is there another gear?
Tyson Strachan has been good at times this pre-season while just average at others. He’s going to need a couple of real strong games down the stretch to leapfrog some of the competition. Fighting is a part of his game that maybe separates him from the others but in reality fighting is the last thing he should be worried about. If he doesn’t stick out of camp there will be a time we will probably see him during the season. Strachan needs to get back to displaying his efficient passing ability and use his size to play strong and be hard to play against.
Steve Wagner has been just ok. The Blues would love to see a little more bite in his game than what he’s shown thus far. Has he shown enough to make the roster? Very, very doubtful. He kind of reminds me of Jeff Woywitka in the sense the Blues are always hoping he’s ready to take the next step each and every year but it just isn’t there. He’s a good player but he’s almost certainly headed to Peoria.
Jonas Junland has turned some heads this training camp. I thought he did last season as well. You can see he’s getting the attention from the Blues decision makers by the ways he’s competed in camp. I thought he was solid against Colorado and showed no issue with getting involved physically. He doesn’t back down in practice either. At some point the Blues are going to have to give this guy a chance. Doesn’t mean that time is now but he earning it with his play. He got some real tools to work with and has shown good hockey sense. He’s been playing against men for some time now going back to his time in the Swedish Elite League and he’s turned himself into a nice pro. His time will come one day, he’s in the final year if his contract with St. Louis and if he continues to elevate his game and compete level the Blues will look very hard at keeping him around. Right now he’s a depth guy, he scored 13 goals as a rookie in the AHL last season and there will be a lot of people evaluating his progression. The possibility of injury could land him some time in the NHL this season.
The main thing for guys like Strachan, Junland, Wagner, and possibly Bell is how they handle the assignment to Peoria if that time comes? If they go down all mad, upset, and pout it won’t do them any good. The better they play down there the better chance they’ll have in getting the call if need be.
I’d like to see Andy Murray find a D-partner for Erik Johnson sometime soon so they are able to establish some familiarity with one another. Carlo Colaiacovo would be a decent option for the coaching staff as I think their styles would compliment one another. Bell could be an option if he sticks but I don’t see him being a top 4 D-man which is what he would need to be to play with Johnson.
We will see the roster trimmed nearly all the way down this Monday.
Rink Rats!
That was an awfully hefty price for Brian Burke to give up to acquire Phil Kessel. There aren’t too many people around the league that has many good things to say regarding this kid. Giving up two 1st round picks and a 2nd for guy rehabbing from shoulder surgery, with a shady reputation, and is out of shape doesn’t necessarily fall in line with a team that is trying to “rebuild”. Burke is hoping to make up those picks in trades down the line. Kessel can score goals but I wouldn’t build my team around him.
Are the Leafs turning into “Americas Team” or what? Burke, Ron Wilson, Mike Komisarek, Jason Blake, Jimmy Hayes, and now Kessel.
I've said all along that the pressure from the fans and media in Toronto will not allow Burke to rebuild the franchise the right way.
Manny Legace is expected to get some game action this pre-season this week. Word is Kari Lehtonen isn’t close to returning from a back injury.
Grant Fuhr has been re-assigned in the Coyotes organization and will work closely with the goalie prospects in the organization. Former NHL goalie Sean Burke will replace Fuhr as Phoenix’s goalie coach.
Look for Chicago to try and trade either Corey Crawford or Finnish goalie Antti Niem once they decide on their roster.
Blues Clues!
Highly touted prospect Aaron Palushaj left the Scottrade Center in a walking boot after going hard into the boards Saturday night. No word on how much time he’ll miss.
I’m told Cam Janssen broke the orbital of Dallas forward Warren Peters Saturday night.
Brendan Bell has lost 4% body fat since the day he arrived in late July.
I thought Ryan Reaves looked good on Saturday as he used his strength well and displayed some strong acceleration in open ice while hunting down loose pucks. With that being said I was disappointed he didn’t fight Steve Ott when he had a chance to really get the team going. Instead he left that up to Janssen to ignite the club. Reaves better understand it’s that role that’s gong to potentially land him in the NHL one day. Can he give you some valuable minutes and handle himself when the gloves are off? If he proves he can he might have a future in this league.
There is a chance D.J. King returns to play next Thursday in Minnesota.
Brad Boyes has a slight strain that is not considered serious. I’m told if this was the regular season he would be playing.
I thought it was a great gesture By Andy Murray to reward Janssen by sending him out as the extra attaker when Chris Mason came to the bench late in the third period.
More to come,
Andy Strickland
[email protected] 
St Louis Blues Blogger •1380 ESPN • 
Join the Discussion:
»