NHL - Blues - Ann Arbor Practice

Ann Arbor Practice
The Blues made a significant change to their forward combinations Sunday, practicing with what potentially could be their lines in Thursday’s regular-season opener against Edmonton. The top line of Alexander Steen, Paul Stastny and Vladimir Tarasenko will be together against the Oilers. The change involved the next two lines, swapping Robby Fabbri and Troy Brouwer and flipping Jaden Schwartz and Dmitrij Jaskin to the other wing. So with just four days before the puck drops, the lines now feature Jori Lehtera centering Fabbri on left wing and Schwartz on right wing, and David Backes centering Jaskin on the left and Brouwer on the right. Hitchcock noted that the swap of Fabbri and Brouwer could continue depending on whom the Blues are facing and whether they’re home or away. The fourth line has seen a rotation of Scottie Upshall, Steve Ott, Kyle Brodziak and Ryan Reaves.
“To me, the Stastny line is the Stastny line. We really like where they’re at, we really like how they play. I think we want to look at what the combinations look like now rather than do it at the start of the season. I really liked Lehtera’s line, they looked very dynamic off the rush. And Backes’ line looked like they could control the game. So what I saw today, I really liked. The twosomes are staying the same, Jaskin with Backes, Lehtera with Schwartz. But I think it’s going to depend on the opponent. We’re not going to get our way on the road and we’re going to have to adapt a little bit. So I would say that those two positions, Fabbri and Brouwer, might interchange as we move forward. Brodziak has a lot of different linemates but because Reaves missed so much time, other guys stepped up to the plate here and took advantage of it. Ryan has to play catchup here, he’s got to get his pace going. We’re going to work our tail off with him to get his pace up.” Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said.

Tkachuk

Members of the under-17 United States national team development program, based in Plymouth, Mich., attended Sunday’s practice. in Ann Arbor. The group included head coach Don Granato, a former assistant with the Blues, and forward Brady Tkachuk, the son of former Blue Keith Tkachuk.
“It’s an awesome experience. Always miss the Bluenote.” Brady, 16, said.
Matthew Tkachuk, 17, Brady’s brother, spent two seasons with the program before joining London of the Ontario Hockey League. He has two goals and eight points in three games with the Knights this season.
“Matthew was outstanding in the way he progressed over the course of two years to where he’s at now, projected to be a top-five NHL pick. Brady knows our program well, so he’s coming in with some real good experience and confidence and he’s got talent too.” Granato said.
Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who spent two seasons with the program, visited the team and took pictures Sunday. The 2005 AAA Blues also stopped by Sunday’s practice, after taking second place in the Elite Showcase tournament in Michigan.