Sources tell me you can expect Chris Chelios to sign with the AHL's Chicago Wolves if he is unsuccessful in landing an NHL contract in the next week.
At 47 years of age it appears the chances of him signing an NHL deal is slim at best.
The Wolves open up camp next week and there is a very strong chance Chelios arrives shortly thereafter. It makes sense for the veteran D-man to stay in Chicago where he's surrounded by family including his son who plays for the the Chicago Steel in the USHL.
Brad Boyes left practice early today but word is he's fine.
Lars Eller feels 100% and could play in pre-season game next week.
Earlier Story....
A tough question floating around the Blues front office nowadays is whether or not it makes sense to send promising D-man Alex Pietrangelo back to Niagara for his 4th season in the OHL.
Many will tell you sending Pietrangelo back makes absolutely no sense. It didn’t hurt other top prospects that arrived ahead of schedule such as David Perron.
At the end of the day the Blues will need to determine what is best for the club moving forward. Do they want to have the ability to monitor his progress on a daily basis or are they willing to put him on hold for another year?
It isn’t always this easy.
Andy Murray and the rest of the coaching staff aren’t paid to babysit guys, they want players who can help the team win hockey games period.
In order for Pietrangelo to land in the NHL this season he needs to prove he’s capable of playing in his own zone. The club already knows what he’s capable of doing in the offensive end. They are perfectly aware of his ability to make plays and think the game on the offensive side of the ice. They aren’t surprised when he makes plays like we’ve seen in the training camp scrimmages. They already know he’s really good when it comes to that area of his game and the rink.
Can they trust him defensively?
Pietrangelo shouldn’t be concerned with being the best player on the ice because he doesn’t have to be. Can he keep things simple and make the right plays defensively?
It’s critical for Pietrangelo to be strong on his stick, make sure he’s sound positionally, make a good first pass, engage himself physically, win puck battles, play on the defensive side, protect the front of the net, and most importantly not worry about everyone else he’s competing with for an NHL job.
I’m told Pietrangelo was stellar in Traverse City and the club took notice with more than just how he played. His ability to show leadership and take control of the young prospects went a long way with the decision makers in the organization not to mention his hockey IQ is off the charts.
Now he needs to find a way to transition that play to NHL ice.
It won’t be easy when you consider the experience the Blues have brought in to compete with the Blues top prospect. Darryl Sydor, Brendan, Bell, Steve Wagner, and Tyson Strachan all have a leg up on him when it comes to NHL experience. Jonas Junland is also in the mix and has looked very smooth thus far.
Pietrangelo committed himself to training in St. Louis this summer and it certainly has paid off for the kid. Last summer he was unable to train for the majority of the off-season thanks to a bout with mono. It goes without saying being able to train for four months this summer compared to one month a year ago has worked to his advantage.
If he can play strong defensively and use his improved strength and maturity to trust that he belongs it’s a no-brainer to keep him in St. Louis. On the flipside I don’t believe in handouts and he’s going to have to make a strong case for himself. I see little reason why he shouldn’t get plenty of opportunities this pre-season to do just that.
Stay tuned…
Rink Rats!
The Vs network and DirecTV have resumed talks as they strive to find a resolution in hopes of making the network available to the satellite carrier’s subscribers.
A source with Vs who has firsthand knowledge of the negotiations tells me this is not a cost issue but rather a carriage issue. I’m told Vs asked DirecTV to pay the network what they pay other networks available on DirecTV. Word is Vs has an issue with DirecTV’s plans of placing six million households on a separate tier in which individuals wanting Vs would be forced to pay an additional fee.
Apparently DirecTV rival Dish Network has made Vs available to everyone for free for the next three months.
Blues Clues!
Yo Mama!
David Perron has his mom to thank for helping him get faster this summer. While in his native Quebec, Perron received the keys to a local rink and would skate early in the morning three times a week working on improving his skating. His mom would join him and record his times and log them to allow Perron to track his improvement. The third year Rink Rat! would skate from 6-7 in the morning twice a week doing sprints while practicing other skills on the other day.
As I wrote the other day Perron recorded the fastest time during the on-ice sprints portion of the testing.
Speaking of Rink rats! How long will it be before Aaron Palushaj is playing in the NHL? He already skates and competes like and NHL player and has more skill than most. The kid just loves to play and is drawing comparisons to Perron from that standpoint. I would like to see Palushaj receive as much exhibition action as possible. The rookie out of the University of Michigan finished 7th overall in strength testing among all players in Blues camp. I have already written the top 5, D.J. King finished 6th.
D.J. King has a sore thumb and did not dress for the Blues pre-season opener.
Word is Darryl Sydor finished very close to last during strength testing. Does this mean he’s out of shape or that testing is overrated considering he’s had a very productive NHL career?
Speaking of Sydor, I see the Blues have given out Chris Pronger’s #44.
Congrats to Alexander Steen and his wife on the birth of their son Kaspian.
Look for some of the CHL players to be sent back to their Junior teams by this weekend. I know Portland is hoping to have impressive D-man Brett Ponich back by the weekend. This kid brings poise and is a very strong first pass D-man.
Blues scouts play an interesting game during the season in an effort to promote good health. During camp a draft takes place where the organization’s scouts are divided into two separate teams. Former NHL D-men Al MacInnis and Rob Ramage draft members of the Blues scouting staff to create two teams. Each scout is weighed and tested during camp and then tested once again in June at the NHL draft. The team that adds the least amount of pounds and gains the most muscle during the season is crowned the winner. These guys are the hardest working people in the organization and receive the least amount of credit. They are constantly on the run and have little time to exercise or eat a healthy meal considering the time they sit while driving and watching hockey. Put down that burger!
The plan for newly hired goaltending consultant Ed Belfour is to have him spend one week per month in Peoria to work with Hannu Toivonen and Ben Bishop. Belfour will also spend lots of time in Montreal with highly regarded prospect Jake Allen during his junior season. Belfour originally called Blues exec. Doug Armstrong looking for a contract but landed a consulting gig instead.
The Blues are very happy with what they see in 2009 draft pick Tyler Shattock who was recently named Captain of the Kamloops Blazers in the WHL.
Good to hear Cam Janssen has taken it upon himself to entertain several of the Blues young prospects in camp. Janssen has taken many of them out to dinner and shown them around town.
How nice it must be for Blues fans to see both Erik Johnson and Paul kariya on the ice.
Easy decision for the Blues to excercise the option on Head Coach Andy Murray for next season. The guy deserves as much credit as anyone in the organization for where the Blues are today vs where they were when he arrived. The bottom line is he cares about his players and gives them opportunity. He doesn't care how long you've been in the NHL or what you've done in the past, if you perform for him you will be rewarded. Is there any better example than Brad Winchester who found himself going from Peoria to landing on the power play last season?
How good was Derek Armstrong on Tuesday night?
More to come,
Andy Strickland
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