MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. — After three training
camp practices, the St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars kick off the
preseason slate with the first matchup on Saturday at 6 p.m. from
American Airlines Center in Dallas (stlblues.com, blues app, ESPN+).
“Once
you get into game action, it’s a big difference,” Blues coach Jim
Montgomery said. “Practice is set up, you know what the drill is
you know what the purpose is. And we expect them to execute. If
they’re not executing what we’re giving them, that’s a real
fire alarm for us. But the in-games, now we see instincts, and now we
see the guys that can make plays offensively, guys that are getting
what we want in the structure without the puck.”
The
Blues will get their first looks from a number of players, including
defenseman Logan Mailloux, acquired from the Montreal Canadiens on
July 1 for Zack Bolduc.
Mailloux
will be paired on defense with Philip Broberg as the featured unit
for the visitors as well as quarterback the first power play unit.
“I’m
excited; he skates extremely well,” Mailloux said of Broberg. “It’s
definitely something I’m looking forward to, kind of get out there,
play with him and feel it out.
“I’m
ready to get going here tonight. It’s always good to get back after
it after the summer, especially a new place, so I’m excited. …
I’m focused on getting here, making an impact, whatever way that
is.”
Montgomery
said they want to get Malloux running so they can process what
information to relay after seeing him in games since this will be his
Blues debut.
“We’ve
got to get him up and running, we’ve got to get him playing in our
systems so we can give him feedback and start doing video with him,”
Montgomery said. “So then the things that we like, ‘This is what
we like, this is what you’re doing, and here’s areas that we want
to do this in our structure.’”
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The
featured Blues line will include 2023 first-round pick Dalibor
Dvorsky centering a line with 2020 first-round pick Dylan Holloway
and 2025 first-rounder Justin Carbonneau.
It’s
a continuation of early camp where the younger first-round picks get
looks with older, more established NHL players.
“It’s
an opportunity for them to play with a high-end player in the NHL and
see if they can think and play at the same pace as him,” Montgomery
said.
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Defenseman
Theo Lindstein, also a 2023 first-round pick (No. 29) will make his
Blues debut as well and be paired with Matthew Kessel.
Montgomery’s
thoughts seem to be a little mixed through the first three days.
“Really
poised with the puck,” the coach said. “Kind of plays the game in
a rocking chair. We’d like to see a little more playing on his
toes, killing plays defensively.”
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The
Blues held their first scrimmage of the preseason prior to the game
group going on the ice, and it finished 1-0 for Team White over Team
Blue on a goal by defenseman Michael Buchinger.
The
teams played a 30-minute game.
Montgomery
said there was plenty to like.
“Really
liked the pace, and I saw players making plays offensively and
defensively, especially defensively,” Montgomery said. “That’s
the hardest part of your game to get down because guys are skating
all summer and they’re all skating and playing with the puck and
trying to make plays offensively. But defensively getting the
structure back in, getting back on pucks, I was really happy with.”
As
for any players that stood out?
“I
thought [Dylan] Peterson and [Jakub] Stancl of non-(roster players)
that played last year, they jumped out,” Montgomery said. “I
think of the vets, [Jimmy] Snuggerud caught my eye quite a bit, [Pius
Suter] caught my eye a bit, [Nick] Bjugstad, especially in the
defensive end doing good stuff.”
There
was one instance where Mathieu Joseph getting in the way and blocking
a shot from the left point drew stick taps and cheers from teammates
of the White team.
“Guys
are already sacrificing, playing to a Blues identity that we think is
our blue collar work ethic,” Montgomery said. “I’m glad you
brought him up because I thought he was really good out there today.”
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Blues
Projected Lineup:
Dylan
Holloway-Dalibor Dvorsky-Justin Carbonneau
Alexey
Toropchenko-Nathan Walker-Aleksanteri Kaskimaki
Simon
Robertsson-Matthew Peca-Nikita Susuev
Antoine
Dorion-Adam Jecho-Matt Luff
Philip
Broberg-Logan Mailloux
Theo
Lindstein-Matthew Kessel
Lukas
Fischer-Will McIsaac
Jordan
Binnington is projected to start in goal; Colten Ellis is projected
to be the backup.
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Stars
Projected Lineup:
Adam
Erne-Radek Faksa-Nathan Bastian
Colin
Blackwell-Sam Steel-Mavrik Bourque
Oskar
Back-Justin Hyrckowian-Kole Lind
Emil
Hemming-Antonio Stranges-Arttu Hyry
Vladislav
Kolyachonok-Nils Lundkvist
Trey
Taylor-Alexander Petrovic
Kyle
Capobianco-Gavin White
Remi
Poirier is projected to start in goal; Antoine Bibeau is projected to
be the backup.
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MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. — Don’t
mistake Dylan Holloway the wrong way. The St. Louis Blues forward is
beyond grateful to be healthy and skating 100 percent for the first
time since what turned out to be an ugly injury that derailed a
fantastic first season in the Gateway City.
