MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. — It’s
time to get a look at the big boys for the St. Louis Blues.
A
number of them will make their preseason debut on Saturday when the
Blues (0-1-1) play their preseason home opener against the Chicago
Blackhawks (0-1-0) at 6 p.m. (stlblues.com, Blues app, ESPN
101.1-FM).
Brayden
Schenn, Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich, Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler,
Jake Neighbours, Oskar Sundqvist and Mathieu Joseph each among those making his
preseason debut for the Blues.
“We’re
going to start getting more of our veteran players in,” Blues coach
Jim Montgomery said. “So we want to start seeing structure, we want
to start seeing the habits and details that give us success, building
towards our team identity.”
The
Blues’ two games against the Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets
have seen a number of youthful players getting strong looks,
including Justin Carbonneau, a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft
(No. 19 overall) playing in his third game in as many days.
“(Otto)
Stenberg has really caught my eye, (Hunter) Skinner’s caught my eye,
(Jakub) Stancl’s caught my eye, (Juraj) Pekarcik just coming in has
caught my eye, obviously the other two young first-rounders (Dalibor
Dvorsky and Carbonneau) have caught my eye,” Montgomery said.
“And
then the other guy is (Adam) Jiricek. He’s been really, really
dynamic. He’s going to be a good one for us.”
Why
Jiricek, a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Dtaft (No. 16 overall)?
“He
plays the game, doesn’t matter if it’s a practice or a game, he
plays it like he’s having fun,” Montgomery said. “He loves
being out there. That’s just that youthful energy. The poise he
has, he reminds me of (Sergei) Zubov. The energy he has, I can’t
pinpoint the defenseman right now, but he plays it more like a
forward. He’s excited. He wants the puck. He wants to be a
difference maker. And that’s fun to watch as a coach.”
Pekarcik,
a 2023 third-round pick, he’s had some catching up to do this past
week after missing the start of camp with a shoulder injury sustained
at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase but has caught on quickly.
“I
feel really good right now,” Pekarcik said. “A little injury in
my shoulder, but now it’s perfect and I’m ready to go.
“I
feel really good on the ice. I’m trying to do my best every single
day, I’m trying to improve and get something from the older guys.
I’m trying to work hard every day.”
It
should be a youth line with Pekarcik, who has played in one preseason
game previously past season, with the left winger on a line with
Dvorsky and Carbonneau.
“I’m
very excited for that game; it’s going to be with ‘Dali’ and
‘Carbo,’” Pekarcik said. “I feel like we’re going to be
dynamic and really good on the puck, trying our best.
“We
need to play a complete game, forecheck, details, good stick on
pucks. These small details make (a) big difference.”
“Pekarcik
was a little banged up there to start camp, so this is an
opportunity,” Montgomery said. “He’s been good this week in
practice and then Carbonneau and Dvorsky, it’s another opportunity
for them to show us … throughout camp, best players get better
through camp. The ones that don’t, don’t end up making the team.
We’re starting to see that a little bit, not with those two in
particular, but we’re starting to see the difference between the
guys who played and the guys who didn’t last year.”
–
– –
Blues
Projected Lineup:
Pavel
Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud
Jake
Neighbours-Brayden Schenn-Mathieu Joseph
Juraj
Pekarcik-Dalibor Dvorsky-Justin Carbonneau
Nathan
Walker-Oskar Sundqvist-Matt Luff
Cam
Fowler-Colton Parayko
Corey
Schueneman-Logan Mailloux
Michael
Buchinger-Adam Jiricek
Jordan
Binnington will start in goal and play two periods; Will Cranley will be the backup and play the third period and beyond, if necessary
–
– –
Blackhawks
Projected Lineup:
Colton
Dach-Ryan
Greene-Oliver
Moore
Nick
Lardis-Jackson
Cates-Lukas
Reichel
Ilya
Mikheyev-Jason
Dickinson-Sam
Lafferty
Dominic
Toninato-Martin
Misiak-Gavin
Hayes
Kevin
Korchinski-Nolan
Allan
Matt
Grzelyck-Louis
Crevier
Ethan
Del
Mastro-Connor
Murphy
Ashton
Cumby is an extra defenseman
Spencer
Knight
is
projected to start in goal; Stanislav Berezhnoy is projected to be
the backup.
