Norm Sanders on the Blues blueline:
As much as part of me would like to see Pietrangelo stay up, I really think it makes more sense for him to head to juniors another year. From early returns he doesn't seem to look out of place on the ice, but given the fact we probably won't be making the playoffs this year (if experts are to be believed) I think I'd rather focus on Polak, Wagner, Woywitka and Junland. We need to find out which of these can really be top six d-liners on this team. Given where he was drafted, we can assume that Pietro is going to be a top six guy one of these days, so he really doesn't need to be evaluated at this level at this time.
Pietrangelo staying up merely as a result of Johnson's going down doesn't strike me as good enough. Now, if he plays his way on, that can be a different story, but we would need it to be a situation where Murray will not just stop playing the kid come mid-season. Under Murray, I really cannot imagine such a situation coming about, thus I'd like to see him sent back to juniors.
Sorry to say it Blues fans, but the future is not now.
Losing Erik Johnson on defense for an entire season because of knee surgery has a ripple effect on the entire Blues organEYEzation.
The team was counting on Johnson to be its cannons shot from the point on the power play, the puck-moving defenseman the Blues have lacked ever since the team decided to allow Chris Pronger to leave via free-agency. He also was another source of offense on a team that needs all the goals it can get.
After making another round of roster cuts Tuesday, the Blues were left with 28 players. Three of those are injured (Johnson, Jeff Woywitka and Jonas Junland), so there are just 25 healthy skaters.
Johnson's injury opened up an opportunity for several players within the Blues' system, most notably Steve Wagner, Roman Polak, Jef Woywitka and Jonas Junland. Wagner and Junland are both offensive defensemen, while Polak has captured the coaching staff's attention with his skating speed, strength and decent offensive skills.
Woywitka was lost for at least a month with a cracked bone in his foot, the result of a blocked shot last Friday against Atlanta. It's the latest chapter in the team's incredible run of injuries on defense.
“What are you going to do?” Blues President John Davidson said. “It’s just part of sports and we’ve got to deal with it. It’s opportunity for other people — and we’ll see what they’ll do with that opportunity.”
Then there's the two wild cards to the equation — making a trade for an established power-play defenseman, or making a decision on whether or not to use 18-year-old recent No. 1 draft pick Alex Pietrangelo.
The Blues are taking a long, hard look at the talented rookie. Because of his age and status, Pietrangelo either would have to be kept on the NHL roster for at least a nine-game trial, or returned to his junior team.
As much as part of me would like to see Pietrangelo stay up, I really think it makes more sense for him to head to juniors another year. From early returns he doesn't seem to look out of place on the ice, but given the fact we probably won't be making the playoffs this year (if experts are to be believed) I think I'd rather focus on Polak, Wagner, Woywitka and Junland. We need to find out which of these can really be top six d-liners on this team. Given where he was drafted, we can assume that Pietro is going to be a top six guy one of these days, so he really doesn't need to be evaluated at this level at this time.
Pietrangelo staying up merely as a result of Johnson's going down doesn't strike me as good enough. Now, if he plays his way on, that can be a different story, but we would need it to be a situation where Murray will not just stop playing the kid come mid-season. Under Murray, I really cannot imagine such a situation coming about, thus I'd like to see him sent back to juniors.
Sorry to say it Blues fans, but the future is not now.
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