On the first day of Blues training camp, the alignment of a trio of key prospects sent a message that the organization will put the youngsters in positions to succeed during training camp.
Zack Bolduc, Zach Dean and Dalibor Dvorsky each hope to make the NHL roster out of training camp for the first time in their careers, and each one practiced on a line with established NHL forwards on Thursday morning.
Bolduc was on the left wing with Robert Thomas at center and Jordan Kyrou at right wing. Dvorsky centered Jake Neighbours to his right and Brayden Schenn to his left. Dean was between bottom-six guys Alexandre Texier and Alexey Toropchenko.
鈥淒vorsky, his natural position is center, so early on, we want to put him at center and put him with some veteran guys to give him an opportunity,鈥 Blues coach Drew Bannister said. 鈥淏olduc can play either right or left wing, and he鈥檚 playing with two of our top players. Dean, we put him at center where he鈥檚 comfortable, and if he鈥檚 going to make a push for a spot on this team, that鈥檚 where he鈥檚 going to play.鈥
Some years, the line combinations on the first day of training camp are harbingers of what鈥檚 to come. Last year, for example, there was one singular change to Craig Berube鈥檚 forward lines from the first day of camp until opening night. Those lines were constructed with the NHL鈥檚 regular season in mind.
This year, they seem to be constructed in order to give bubble players a chance to prove themselves worthy of an NHL roster spot. In addition to the young players auditioning, Scott Perunovich was alongside Colton Parayko on Thursday, and Kasperi Kapanen skated on a line with Pavel Buchnevich and Brandon Saad.
The new acquisitions from Edmonton, though, might have found their starting points in St. Louis. Dylan Holloway, Radek Faksa and Mathieu Joseph formed a line of newcomers that could stick when the season opens Oct. 8 in Seattle. Philip Broberg, meanwhile, paired with Justin Faulk, a duo that could remain together in camp.
The Blues will also begin the season with Buchnevich at center, an experiment they tried at the end of both 2022-23 and 2023-24. This will be the first time that Buchnevich will begin a season at center.
鈥淚 thought we had some success towards the end of the year and thought (Buchnevich) played very well and certainly strengthened our group having him there,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淲e have the ability to move him to the wing, but right now ... we鈥檙e going to do what鈥檚 best for the team and for the player. They want to win hockey games, so I don鈥檛 think it really matters to them what position they play.鈥
Personnel notes
Nikita Alexandrov was on the ice Thursday on a professional tryout as he remains an unsigned restricted free agent. General manager Doug Armstrong said Wednesday that the Blues are currently at the maximum of 50 contracts and cannot sign Alexandrov until they send some of their players back to junior hockey.
鈥淲e鈥檙e working on getting something that he鈥檚 comfortable with under contract when our junior players go back, those things open up,鈥 Armstrong said. 鈥淗e wants to be in camp, he wants to push for a roster spot. He and I and his agent are working behind the scenes to make sure that gets done. He鈥檒l come in on a PTO now, and we鈥檒l take care of that now as the camp progresses.鈥
Teenagers who are signed to contracts but playing junior hockey or in Europe do not count against the 50-contract limit. That would apply to players like Otto Stenberg, Theo Lindstein, Quinton Burns, Adam Jiricek, Jakub Stancl, Juraj Pekarick and Dvorsky (if he鈥檚 sent back to the OHL instead of the AHL).
Jiricek was on the ice Thursday but is not expected to play in preseason games as he rehabs a knee injury.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to keep him here through camp, and when he gets back to junior, he鈥檒l be ready to play,鈥 Armstrong said. 鈥淢y understanding and my experience with junior teams is when they get these guys back, he鈥檚 not going to get back and ease into games. He鈥檒l go play three in three nights, and he鈥檒l probably play 28 minutes a night.
鈥淲e want to make sure he鈥檚 ready for that. But he鈥檚 added some muscle mass. He鈥檚 worked hard this summer. We鈥檙e going to continue to get him as strong as possible, and then we鈥檒l get him off the junior hockey.鈥
Jiricek鈥檚 rights are owned by Brantford in the OHL, but the Bulldogs have not officially announced any news regarding Jiricek.
St. Louis Blues captain and forward Brayden Schenn shared how the new players will become closer with the team by the start of the season. (Vi…
New Blues forward Dylan Holloway visits with associate coach Steve Ott during the opening day of training camp Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, at Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights.