The St. Louis Blues have been able to maintain a high level of consistency competing for the Stanley Cup while at the same time making the transition from a veteran-laden team that reached the Western Conference Final in 2016 to one infused with youth moving toward the future.
The Blues will continue their long-term plan of building from within by developing young players.
"I think we believe we're going in a different direction and a direction we're excited about, but we don't want to lose sight," general manager Doug Armstrong said. "Our goal is always to win and win a championship. I thought we did take a step forward [last season]."
The Blues acquired center Brayden Schenn in a trade from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 23 for center Jori Lehtera, a first-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft and a conditional first-round pick in 2018.
Schenn, 26, has three seasons remaining on the four-year, $20.5 million contract ($5.125 million average annual value) he signed with the Flyers on July 25, 2016. He had 55 points (25 goals, 30 assists) in 79 games last season and tied for the League lead in power-play goals (17) with Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.
On July 1, the Blues signed fourth-line right wing Chris Thorburn, 34, to a two-year, $1.8 million contract ($900,000 average annual value); forward Beau Bennett, 25, to a one-year, $650,000 contract; and forward Oskar Sundqvist, 23, to a one-year, $675,000 contract after acquiring the restricted free agent along with the No. 31 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft in a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 23 for right wing Ryan Reaves and a 2017 second-round pick (No. 51).
St. Louis signed defenseman Nate Prosser, 31, to a two-year, $1.3 million contract ($650,000 average annual value) on Aug. 3.
The Blues made a long-term commitment to restricted free agent defenseman Colton Parayko, 24, on July 20, signing him to a five-year, $27.5 million contract ($5.5 million average annual value). Parayko will be a primary part of their core with forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz, each 25; forward Robby Fabbri, 21, coming off a torn ACL sustained Feb. 4; defensemen Alex Pietrangelo, 27, and Joel Edmundson, 24; and goaltender Jake Allen, 27, whose four-year, $17.4 million extension ($4.35 million average annual value), signed July 1, 2016, begins this season.
Tarasenko led the Blues in scoring last season with 75 points (39 goals, 36 assists) and has scored 37 or more goals in three straight seasons.
There will be plenty of veteran leadership, including center Paul Stastny, 31, forward Alexander Steen, 33, and center Patrik Berglund, 29. Steen finished last season playing with a broken foot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and Berglund is expected to be out until December after dislocating his left shoulder in the offseason.
The Blues also signed forward Vladimir Sobotka, 30, who played for the Blues from 2010-14 before spending the past three seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League, to a three-year, $10.5 million contract ($3.5 million average annual value) on April 6.
"That's internal competition," Armstrong said, "and I think that's what makes an organization the strongest … and that's what we're trying to regain here."
Center Ivan Barbashev, 21, who had 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 30 games last season, and forward Zach Sanford, 22, who had eight points (four goals, four assists) in 39 games for the Blues and Washington Capitals, also are expected to contribute.
"I see a team that has Barbashev, a Sanford, a Fabbri in their lineup," Armstrong said. "We're excited about where we are going forward and really excited about some of these young players that we have coming."
Forward David Perron was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL Expansion Draft on June 21, forward Nail Yakupov signed a one-year, $875,000 contract with the Colorado Avalanche on July 4, and left wing Scottie Upshall remains an unrestricted free agent.
The Blues went 22-8-2 under coach Mike Yeo after he replaced Ken Hitchcock on Feb. 1 and advanced to the Western Conference Second Round (a six-game loss to the Nashville Predators). Yeo will begin his first full season as St. Louis coach with five new assistants. Craig Berube was promoted to associate coach after coaching Chicago of the American Hockey League last season, and David Alexander will be the goaltending coach, replacing Martin Brodeur, who returned to his full-time role as assistant GM.
"I think we believe we're going in a different direction and a direction we're excited about, but we don't want to lose sight," general manager Doug Armstrong said. "Our goal is always to win and win a championship. I thought we did take a step forward [last season]."
The Blues acquired center Brayden Schenn in a trade from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 23 for center Jori Lehtera, a first-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft and a conditional first-round pick in 2018.
Schenn, 26, has three seasons remaining on the four-year, $20.5 million contract ($5.125 million average annual value) he signed with the Flyers on July 25, 2016. He had 55 points (25 goals, 30 assists) in 79 games last season and tied for the League lead in power-play goals (17) with Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.
On July 1, the Blues signed fourth-line right wing Chris Thorburn, 34, to a two-year, $1.8 million contract ($900,000 average annual value); forward Beau Bennett, 25, to a one-year, $650,000 contract; and forward Oskar Sundqvist, 23, to a one-year, $675,000 contract after acquiring the restricted free agent along with the No. 31 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft in a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 23 for right wing Ryan Reaves and a 2017 second-round pick (No. 51).
St. Louis signed defenseman Nate Prosser, 31, to a two-year, $1.3 million contract ($650,000 average annual value) on Aug. 3.
The Blues made a long-term commitment to restricted free agent defenseman Colton Parayko, 24, on July 20, signing him to a five-year, $27.5 million contract ($5.5 million average annual value). Parayko will be a primary part of their core with forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz, each 25; forward Robby Fabbri, 21, coming off a torn ACL sustained Feb. 4; defensemen Alex Pietrangelo, 27, and Joel Edmundson, 24; and goaltender Jake Allen, 27, whose four-year, $17.4 million extension ($4.35 million average annual value), signed July 1, 2016, begins this season.
Tarasenko led the Blues in scoring last season with 75 points (39 goals, 36 assists) and has scored 37 or more goals in three straight seasons.
There will be plenty of veteran leadership, including center Paul Stastny, 31, forward Alexander Steen, 33, and center Patrik Berglund, 29. Steen finished last season playing with a broken foot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and Berglund is expected to be out until December after dislocating his left shoulder in the offseason.
The Blues also signed forward Vladimir Sobotka, 30, who played for the Blues from 2010-14 before spending the past three seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League, to a three-year, $10.5 million contract ($3.5 million average annual value) on April 6.
"That's internal competition," Armstrong said, "and I think that's what makes an organization the strongest … and that's what we're trying to regain here."
Center Ivan Barbashev, 21, who had 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 30 games last season, and forward Zach Sanford, 22, who had eight points (four goals, four assists) in 39 games for the Blues and Washington Capitals, also are expected to contribute.
"I see a team that has Barbashev, a Sanford, a Fabbri in their lineup," Armstrong said. "We're excited about where we are going forward and really excited about some of these young players that we have coming."
Forward David Perron was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL Expansion Draft on June 21, forward Nail Yakupov signed a one-year, $875,000 contract with the Colorado Avalanche on July 4, and left wing Scottie Upshall remains an unrestricted free agent.
The Blues went 22-8-2 under coach Mike Yeo after he replaced Ken Hitchcock on Feb. 1 and advanced to the Western Conference Second Round (a six-game loss to the Nashville Predators). Yeo will begin his first full season as St. Louis coach with five new assistants. Craig Berube was promoted to associate coach after coaching Chicago of the American Hockey League last season, and David Alexander will be the goaltending coach, replacing Martin Brodeur, who returned to his full-time role as assistant GM.
The St. Louis Blues continue to have high expectations despite transitioning to a younger, faster team.
Their opening night roster likely will include at least 10 players 25 years old or younger, and those players will have an impact on the success of the immediate and long-term future of the Blues.
1. Will the young players make an impact?
The return of forward Robby Fabbri, 21, who had 29 points in 51 games before tearing his left ACL on Feb. 4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, will provide a scoring boost. Forwards Ivan Barbashev, 21, Dmitrij Jaskin, 24, Zach Sanford, 22, and Oskar Sundqvist, 23, and defensemen Colton Parayko, 24, Joel Edmundson, 24, and Jordan Schmaltz, 23, will get important roles to complement young but veteran players Vladimir Tarasenko, 25, Jaden Schwartz, 25, and newly acquired Brayden Schenn , 26.
"I think this game is built with speed, I think it's built with skill, I think that it's built with youth, and I think it's transcending," general manager Doug Armstrong said.
2. Can Jake Allen elevate his game to the next level?
Allen went 16-7-2 with a .938 save percentage in 25 games after Mike Yeo took over as coach on Feb. 1 and was a big reason the Blues were able to eliminate the Minnesota Wild in five games in the Western Conference First Round, going 4-1 with a 1.48 goals-against average and .956 save percentage in the series. He didn't play poorly in the second round, but St. Louis lost to the Nashville Predators in six games.
It's up to Allen, who will work with new goaltending coach David Alexander, to elevate his game following a season when he had an NHL career-high 33 wins.
"I need to make a case for myself," Allen said. "I still want to get better every year. I want to be one of the best in the League. I still got a ways to go, but I feel like every season, when I've looked back on it, I've gotten better in different ways. It's my objective."
3. Will Brayden Schenn have a bigger role in St. Louis?
The Blues acquired Schenn from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 23 for center Jori Lehtera and a first-round NHL Draft pick in 2017 and 2018. Yeo will give Schenn, who had 55 points (25 goals, 30 assists) in 79 games last season, a chance to play center on one of the top two lines.
"We want to really give him a good chance there," Yeo said. "That's where he feels most comfortable, that's his natural position, so we definitely want to give him a real good look there at training camp."
Schenn played mostly wing for the Flyers, who had a plethora of centers last season. He thrived on the power play, scoring 17 goals to tie Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov for the League lead, but wants to be a more well-rounded player.
"The 5-on-5 numbers obviously need to rise and I'm going to do everything possible to do that," Schenn said. "... I think getting in the middle and playing a natural position for me should help that."
1. Will the young players make an impact?
The return of forward Robby Fabbri, 21, who had 29 points in 51 games before tearing his left ACL on Feb. 4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, will provide a scoring boost. Forwards Ivan Barbashev, 21, Dmitrij Jaskin, 24, Zach Sanford, 22, and Oskar Sundqvist, 23, and defensemen Colton Parayko, 24, Joel Edmundson, 24, and Jordan Schmaltz, 23, will get important roles to complement young but veteran players Vladimir Tarasenko, 25, Jaden Schwartz, 25, and newly acquired Brayden Schenn , 26.
"I think this game is built with speed, I think it's built with skill, I think that it's built with youth, and I think it's transcending," general manager Doug Armstrong said.
2. Can Jake Allen elevate his game to the next level?
Allen went 16-7-2 with a .938 save percentage in 25 games after Mike Yeo took over as coach on Feb. 1 and was a big reason the Blues were able to eliminate the Minnesota Wild in five games in the Western Conference First Round, going 4-1 with a 1.48 goals-against average and .956 save percentage in the series. He didn't play poorly in the second round, but St. Louis lost to the Nashville Predators in six games.
It's up to Allen, who will work with new goaltending coach David Alexander, to elevate his game following a season when he had an NHL career-high 33 wins.
"I need to make a case for myself," Allen said. "I still want to get better every year. I want to be one of the best in the League. I still got a ways to go, but I feel like every season, when I've looked back on it, I've gotten better in different ways. It's my objective."
3. Will Brayden Schenn have a bigger role in St. Louis?
The Blues acquired Schenn from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 23 for center Jori Lehtera and a first-round NHL Draft pick in 2017 and 2018. Yeo will give Schenn, who had 55 points (25 goals, 30 assists) in 79 games last season, a chance to play center on one of the top two lines.
"We want to really give him a good chance there," Yeo said. "That's where he feels most comfortable, that's his natural position, so we definitely want to give him a real good look there at training camp."
Schenn played mostly wing for the Flyers, who had a plethora of centers last season. He thrived on the power play, scoring 17 goals to tie Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov for the League lead, but wants to be a more well-rounded player.
"The 5-on-5 numbers obviously need to rise and I'm going to do everything possible to do that," Schenn said. "... I think getting in the middle and playing a natural position for me should help that."
1. Shorthanded success
The St. Louis Blues continue to be among the best penalty-killing teams in the NHL. They were third in the League last season (84.8 percent), on par with their six-season average of 85.0 percent, the best in the NHL.
Some teams kill penalties by limiting the number of shot attempts, and others rely on great goaltending. According to Natural Stat Trick, St. Louis was solid in each area last season. The Blues allowed an average of 89.93 shot attempts per 60 minutes and had a team save percentage of .889 while shorthanded, ranking fifth in each category.
2. Vladimir Tarasenko among elite scorers
Tarasenko scored 116 goals in 239 NHL games the past three seasons, second in the League behind Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin, who scored 136 in 242 games.
Tarasenko's 39 goals were tied with Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand for fourth in the League last season behind Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (44), Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (40) and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (40).
A player's goal-scoring totals can be inflated by getting a lot of ice time, especially on the power play. But even when adjusting for such factors, Tarasenko remains the second-best goal-scorer in the League.
Based on calculations that forwards scored an average of 0.69 goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, 1.57 at 5-on-4, and 0.39 at 4-on-5, an average forward with Tarasenko's ice time would have scored 59.6 goals during the past three seasons. Tarasenko's actual goal total of 116 is 94.4 percent higher than that League average. He trails only Ovechkin (98.3 percent) among players who have scored at least 50 goals during that time.
3. Alexander Steen's shot-based struggles
Steen had solid shot-based metrics for most of his NHL career. From 2010-11 through 2014-15, the Blues outshot their opponents 4,256-3,345 with Steen on the ice. That's a shot attempts percentage (SAT%) of 55.99, compared to 51.2 percent without him.
But in the past two seasons, the Blues were outshot 1,792-1,716 at 5-on-5 with Steen on the ice. That's a 48.92 SAT%, down from 51.3 percent when he wasn't on the ice.
The St. Louis Blues will continue their long-term plan of building from within by developing young players in hopes of winning the first Stanley Cup championship in their history. For that plan to work, it's imperative for their top NHL Draft picks to develop accordingly, including two first-round selections in the 2017 NHL Draft, center Robert Thomas (No. 20) and Klim Kostin (No. 31).
1. Ivan Barbashev, C
How acquired: Selected with No. 33 pick in 2014 NHL Draft
Last season: St. Louis: 30 GP, 5-12-17; Chicago (AHL): 46 GP, 19-18-37
Barbashev, 21, had his breakout season with Chicago of the American Hockey League last season under coach Craig Berube, now the Blues associate coach. When promoted to the NHL, Barbashev impressed enough to be trusted to play alongside top-line players, including forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz.
Barbashev (6-foot, 180 pounds), who had no points in six Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, had 65 points (29 goals, 36 assists) in two AHL seasons and gives the Blues a combination of skill and strength with the ability to play the wing when called upon, as he did last season.
Projected NHL arrival: This season
2. Zach Sanford, LW
How acquired: Trade with Washington Capitals on Feb. 27, 2017
Last season: St. Louis: 13 GP, 2-3-5; Washington: 26 GP, 2-1-3; Hershey (AHL): 25 GP, 11-5-16
Sanford, 22, was the prime acquisition in the trade that sent defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk to the Capitals. Sanford (6-4, 203) was given a chance to showcase his skill last season and played in four playoff games with no points.
The Blues are hoping Sanford can fill a power forward role that was a void last season after the departures of David Backes to the Boston Bruins and Troy Brouwer to the Calgary Flames following the 2015-16 season. Sanford's speed and strong puck-possession play is what the Blues covet, and he will fight for a top-nine role.
Projected NHL arrival: This season
3. Jordan Kyrou, C
How acquired: Selected with No. 35 pick in 2016 NHL Draft
Last season: Chicago (AHL): 1 GP, 0-0-0; Sarnia (OHL): 66 GP, 30-64-94
Kyrou, 19, rapidly climbed the organizational depth chart after his 30-game point streak (17 goals, 35 assists) with Sarnia of the Ontario Hockey League last season. Kyrou (6-0, 175) is quick and has poise with the puck, modeling his game after former Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk.
"I try to take away [Datsyuk's] smarts and his skills and try to add that to my game," Kyrou said during Blues development camp in June. "The NHL's becoming a faster game."
Kyrou, who attended Canada national junior team development camp Aug. 3-7, had 181 points (60 goals, 121 assists) in 194 games over three OHL seasons.
Projected NHL arrival: Next season
4. Jordan Schmaltz, D
How acquired: Selected with No. 25 pick in 2012 NHL Draft
Last season: St. Louis: 9 GP, 0-2-2; Chicago (AHL): 42 GP, 3-22-25
Schmaltz, 23, got a taste of the NHL for the first time last season and played in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round against the Minnesota Wild.
Schmaltz (6-2, 190) has a shot at making the opening night roster as the seventh defenseman but will face competition from Nate Prosser, who the Blues signed to a two-year, $1.3 million contract ($650,000 average annual value) on Aug. 3. Schmaltz had 61 points (nine goals, 52 assists) in 113 AHL games the past two seasons.
Projected NHL arrival: This season
5. Tage Thompson
How acquired: Selected with No. 26 pick in 2016 NHL Draft
Last season: Chicago (AHL): 16 GP, 1-1-2; Connecticut (NCAA): 34 GP, 19-13-32
Thompson, 19, completed a strong two-year run at the University of Connecticut but experienced some growing pains during a short stint in the AHL at the end of last season.
The Blues feel Thompson can benefit from a full year in the AHL, but they like his big body (6-5, 185) and ability to be a strong two-way center with solid puck-handling tendencies.
Projected NHL arrival: Next season
How acquired: Selected with No. 33 pick in 2014 NHL Draft
Last season: St. Louis: 30 GP, 5-12-17; Chicago (AHL): 46 GP, 19-18-37
Barbashev, 21, had his breakout season with Chicago of the American Hockey League last season under coach Craig Berube, now the Blues associate coach. When promoted to the NHL, Barbashev impressed enough to be trusted to play alongside top-line players, including forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz.
Barbashev (6-foot, 180 pounds), who had no points in six Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, had 65 points (29 goals, 36 assists) in two AHL seasons and gives the Blues a combination of skill and strength with the ability to play the wing when called upon, as he did last season.
Projected NHL arrival: This season
2. Zach Sanford, LW
How acquired: Trade with Washington Capitals on Feb. 27, 2017
Last season: St. Louis: 13 GP, 2-3-5; Washington: 26 GP, 2-1-3; Hershey (AHL): 25 GP, 11-5-16
Sanford, 22, was the prime acquisition in the trade that sent defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk to the Capitals. Sanford (6-4, 203) was given a chance to showcase his skill last season and played in four playoff games with no points.
The Blues are hoping Sanford can fill a power forward role that was a void last season after the departures of David Backes to the Boston Bruins and Troy Brouwer to the Calgary Flames following the 2015-16 season. Sanford's speed and strong puck-possession play is what the Blues covet, and he will fight for a top-nine role.
Projected NHL arrival: This season
3. Jordan Kyrou, C
How acquired: Selected with No. 35 pick in 2016 NHL Draft
Last season: Chicago (AHL): 1 GP, 0-0-0; Sarnia (OHL): 66 GP, 30-64-94
Kyrou, 19, rapidly climbed the organizational depth chart after his 30-game point streak (17 goals, 35 assists) with Sarnia of the Ontario Hockey League last season. Kyrou (6-0, 175) is quick and has poise with the puck, modeling his game after former Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk.
"I try to take away [Datsyuk's] smarts and his skills and try to add that to my game," Kyrou said during Blues development camp in June. "The NHL's becoming a faster game."
Kyrou, who attended Canada national junior team development camp Aug. 3-7, had 181 points (60 goals, 121 assists) in 194 games over three OHL seasons.
Projected NHL arrival: Next season
4. Jordan Schmaltz, D
How acquired: Selected with No. 25 pick in 2012 NHL Draft
Last season: St. Louis: 9 GP, 0-2-2; Chicago (AHL): 42 GP, 3-22-25
Schmaltz, 23, got a taste of the NHL for the first time last season and played in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round against the Minnesota Wild.
Schmaltz (6-2, 190) has a shot at making the opening night roster as the seventh defenseman but will face competition from Nate Prosser, who the Blues signed to a two-year, $1.3 million contract ($650,000 average annual value) on Aug. 3. Schmaltz had 61 points (nine goals, 52 assists) in 113 AHL games the past two seasons.
Projected NHL arrival: This season
5. Tage Thompson
How acquired: Selected with No. 26 pick in 2016 NHL Draft
Last season: Chicago (AHL): 16 GP, 1-1-2; Connecticut (NCAA): 34 GP, 19-13-32
Thompson, 19, completed a strong two-year run at the University of Connecticut but experienced some growing pains during a short stint in the AHL at the end of last season.
The Blues feel Thompson can benefit from a full year in the AHL, but they like his big body (6-5, 185) and ability to be a strong two-way center with solid puck-handling tendencies.
Projected NHL arrival: Next season
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