News And Notes From St. Louis Blues Training Camp (Oct. 1)

MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. — The St. Louis Blues
practiced Wednesday with as much of their opening night lineup as
possible, with a few exceptions, and the purpose was to get it ready
with the regular season opener just over a week away on Oct. 9 at
home against the Minnesota Wild.

But
the first practice group will be one that is utilized on Thursday
when the Blues play the second-to-last preseason game, and last home
preseason game, against the Ottawa Senators.

“Not
definitively but like 95 percent of it, yes,†Blues
coach Jim Montgomery said.

Jake
Neighbours and Alexey Toropchenko each was left off the top group
with what Montgomery called general soreness. Neighbours in fact
skated with the extra group following the main group, but
Toropchenko, who toe-picked in the first period and fell hard
backside into the boards, did not skate.

“Weâ€ve
got to get the continuity of our lines and everybody being together,â€
Montgomery
said.
“The last two home games, we had the (Robert)
Thomas
power play unit playing and last game we had the (Dylan)
Holloway-(Jordan)
Kyrou
unit playing together and we wanted to give them both most of the
power play time and tomorrow night, weâ€ll do our usual one minute,
one minute. Weâ€re not getting a lot of power plays but that seems
to be the way the league is going.â€

Neighbours
would have been slotted alongside Brayden Schenn, but it was Mathieu
Joseph there on Wednesday, with Nick Bjugstad, a center by trade but
someone versatile to play either spot, on the right wing, a position
the Blues are eager to see someone grab.

“All
along, we were going to play him a couple games at center, a couple
games at wing,†Montgomery
said of Bjugstad.
“That was part of it. Weâ€ve been putting everybody there kind
of-sort of with Schenn and Neighbours; heâ€s a little sore today so
we didnâ€t put him out there, but he usually would be playing.â€

The
job seems wide open.

“Until
we find one,†Montgomery
said.
“I think players have had good moments, players have had off
moments, so to answer your question, I donâ€t think anyoneâ€s
clearly grabbed it, no.â€

Bjugstad,
signed to a two-year, $3.5 million contract on July 1, doesnâ€t mind
whatever spot the Blues put him.

“I
told them Iâ€m comfortable at either spot,†Bjugstad
said.
“It depends on how the lineupâ€s sitting, what the needs are
obviously from that standpoint. For me, Iâ€ve done enough of both at
this point. Center is the natural. Thatâ€s what I grew up playing
obviously and was drafted us, but I donâ€t know. Iâ€m indifferent
Iâ€d say on wherever Iâ€m at. Iâ€ll go wherever. I made that clear
Iâ€m just trying to help the team. Wherever that is, whatever that
fit is, Iâ€ll do it.â€

Bjugstad
has played in two preseason games, and although itâ€s been more
bottom of the lineup with younger linemates, there seemed to be more
offensive bite Wednesday.

“I
thought he was good out there,†Montgomery
said.
“I noticed a lot more offensive plays happening. Now maybe thatâ€s
because he was with Schenn, I donâ€t know. But it seemed like he was
involved with a lot more offensive opportunities.

“He
made a high-end pass on the one drill that we did where he
toe-dragged and went backhand to the backdoor to ‘Snuggyâ€. Those
are the kind of plays I hadnâ€t seen before, so it looks like heâ€s
pretty comfortable at right wing. I talked to him before training
camp began and he said heâ€s comfortable at center or right wing.â€

If
the Blues can get Bjugstad

Also
a versatile choice: Oskar Sundqvist, who has experience at either
center or wing. Sundqvist was centering Milan Lucic and Nathan Walker
on Wednesday.

“Heâ€s
an option,†Montgomery
said.
“We know he can play there. His defensive stick is so good down low
and he covers over for people. Itâ€s hard to get away from him being
there as a coach.â€

–
– –

Donâ€t
discount the seventh defensive spot being an open competition this
late into camp.

And
itâ€s Hunter Skinner thatâ€s making
things very interesting for Matthew Kessel, the assumed seventh D-man
heading into training camp.

“Everythingâ€s
a battle. Itâ€s training camp,†Montgomery
said.
“The people that go out and grab it, itâ€s like third-line right
wing, have we had someone grab it yet? No, so thatâ€s why weâ€re
continuing to look at people. We know what our top six is going to
look like. We know what our top eightâ€s going to look like.â€

As
for Kessel?

“Heâ€s
had some really good moments,” Montgomery
said.
“Last night, I thought he was good red line in. I thought red line
towards our net, there were sometimes he could have made more
assertive, more aggressive plays to end plays, and thatâ€s something
I feel has been Kesselâ€s issue, probably why heâ€s been in and out
of the lineup is because of that. Heâ€s a great kid, heâ€s working
on it and he continues to work hard. Heâ€s doing a good job.â€

We
know who will not be starting here. Not this season, anyway, is 2023
first-round pick (No. 29 overall) is Theo Lindstein, who is playing
in North America for the first time. The lefty will be
Springfield-bound at some point.

“This
is a tough situation,†Montgomery
said.
“When you come over for your first time, youâ€re in your first
(season), not only is he getting used to the pace of play and smaller
rink, but heâ€s getting used to living in North America for the
first time. So thereâ€s a lot going on. I think heâ€s had days
where heâ€s been really good and heâ€s had days where he looks, I
donâ€t know if overwhelmed is the right word, but he looks like a
deer in headlights at times because thereâ€s a lot being thrown at
him.â€

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