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There are two more players expected to be sent to Springfield who will require waivers to go to the AHL: defenseman Hunter Skinner and goaltender Colten Ellis.

Among the cuts Sunday were first-round picks Justin Carbonneau and Adam Jiricek, who were each sent back to their respective junior hockey teams.

Carbonneau, an 18-year-old forward and 2025 first-round pick, was sent back to Blainville-Boisbriand in the QMJHL. He played in three NHL preseason games and had one goal and one assist. He will not be eligible to play in the NHL or the AHL until Blainville-Boisbriand’s season is over.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery said the club wanted Carbonneau “to gain that next-play speed.”

“What I mean by that is when the puck transitions offense to defense that he gets above it,” Carbonneau said. “Anyone that’s been a scorer all their life, they hang and hope for a turnover so they’re in a better offensive position. But they also aren’t in as good a defensive position. When you get above pucks, now you’re skating into the goalie instead of being at the same level of the goalie, especially in the offensive zone. That’s what we talked to him (about).

“Watch (Connor) McDavid, watch (Nathan) MacKinnon, watch (Sidney) Crosby, watch these guys, (Sebastian) Aho, watch our players that just naturally (do it). When he was on the ice with our players, he naturally was the last guy coming back into our end every time. That’s just next-play speed. It’s just getting used to playing: ‘I’ve got to do this. I’ve got to do that.’ It just happens.”

Jirieck, a 19-year-old defenseman and 2024 first-round pick, was returned to Brantford in the OHL. Jiricek was eligible to be sent to the AHL (because he was drafted out of Europe), but the Blues opted instead to have him play junior hockey.

Before training camp, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said he’d spoken with Jiricek’s agent, Allan Walsh, about where the defenseman should play this season.

“The likelihood of junior is probably the greatest only because putting his feet somewhere and growing,” Armstrong said. “Talking to Allan, he made some really good points that I took to heart. If you don’t think he’s going to be in a certain spot for the year, I’m not sure how much he’s going to grow, how much he’s going to understand sitting in a hotel for six weeks, not having any sense of community, not having any sense of belonging. He missed a lot of time last year.

“We’re going to do right by him long-term more than short-term. We have a lot of 19-year-olds that usually go back to the CHL if they’re eligible. Saying that, (Dalibor) Dvorsky didn’t, but he was at a different stage.”

Jiricek missed time in 2023-24 due to a knee injury that likely allowed him to be selected by the Blues at No. 16. Last season, he missed games in the OHL multiple times due to injury.

Montgomery said the Blues don’t want him taking as many hits as he did.

“Jiricek’s elite with the puck,” Montgomery said. “He’s just got to learn to move it, doesn’t have to take as many hits as he does. He’s got the mentality, ‘I’m going to take a hit to make a play.’ But sometimes, just let the puck do the work and jump by the forechecker. If you get the puck back, you have more time and space. Both of them, going to be NHL power play players. We see all that. But to get in the NHL as soon as we would like them to be, they’ve got to improve in those areas.”

There are 18 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goaltenders left in camp. Here are the lines and pairs used during Monday’s two practice sessions.

Group A

Pavel Buchnevich – Robert Thomas – Jimmy Snuggerud

Otto Stenberg – Brayden Schenn – Jake Neighbours

Nathan Walker – Oskar Sundqvist – Mathieu Joseph

Cam Fowler – Colton Parayko

Tyler Tucker – Logan Mailloux

Extra: Leo Loof

Jordan Binnington

Colten Ellis

Group B

Dylan Holloway – Pius Suter – Jordan Kyrou

Alexey Toropchenko – Nick Bjugstad – Alexandre Texier

Milan Lucic – Dalibor Dvorsky – Aleksanteri Kaskimaki

Philip Broberg – Justin Faulk

Theo Lindstein – Matthew Kessel

Extra: Hunter Skinner

Joel Hofer

Colten Ellis

“I really thought, especially talking about the first two periods, I thought his game was a lot stronger,” Blues associate coach Steve Ott said. “He’s continuing to grow through camp. He’s an exciting player. He had a lot of good puck possession, some strong plays, and his growth continued to excel as this camp’s gone on.”

About six minutes into the game Saturday night, Dvorsky skated up the right wing and received a cross-ice pass from Juraj Pekarcik in the neutral zone. He took on Blackhawks defenseman Louis Crevier, pulled the puck closer to him and then beat goaltender Spencer Knight clean from the top of the circle.

It was Dvorsky’s first goal of the preseason.

“I had a one-on-one there with the D, and I just try to shoot it between his legs so the goalie can’t see the puck,” Dvorsky said. “I’m happy it went in. ... I don’t really think about scoring a goal when shooting that shot. I just wanted to get it to the net and see what happens.”

Dvorsky’s line with Pekarcik and Justin Carbonneau was the Blues’ most dangerous in the first period. After Dvorsky’s goal, Pekarcik created a scoring chance by toe-dragging his way to the net, but his pass didn’t connect with Carbonneau’s drive to the net. Later in the period, the line created an extended offensive zone possession with a good forecheck.

Ott said Dvorsky’s overall game has taken steps.

“The defensive side of things, it’s new for any young player, especially a young centerman,” Ott said. “It’s probably the hardest role to learn at a young age. He’s seeing growth. In practice, we’re seeing great clips of him doing the right things, starting to read off of it where it’s becoming natural to him. When it’s translating into tonight’s game, he’s taking the right step.”

Dvorsky: “I think my game without the puck has improved. Some of the defensive game is getting better. Obviously, my offensive game, that’s what should be my best asset. I think that’s going pretty well so far, but I’m just trying to go day by day and focus on each day.”

Dvorsky also drew a holding penalty on Crevier in the second period that put the Blues on the power play.

Dvorsky was not credited with any takeaways, but officials only logged one takeaway in the entire game — by Pavel Buchnevich midway through the second period.

“Starting on the defensive side of things, he was able to strip a lot of pucks tonight, regaining that possession, making strong plays out of there,” Ott said. “Offensively, I thought he had some good looks. He was setting up his linemates well. Just the way he’s tracking, he’s playing more of a pro game every single game from him.”

Dvorsky, 20, was taken 10th in 2023, becoming the highest-drafted Blues player since Alex Pietrangelo. He lit up the OHL with Sudbury in 2023-24, scoring 45 goals in 52 games and then was an AHL All-Star as a teenager a season ago.

If Dvorsky was a typical Canadian junior player instead of a Slovakian import, he would just be turning pro this fall. But because of his development path, he already has a 45-point season in the AHL under his belt heading into this season.

“Every single player is great on this level, so every player’s a threat,” Dvorsky said. “So I’ve just got to be ready all the time. I also think I learned to play the system pretty good. I’m just trying to do my best every single game.”

Dvorsky’s best chance at making the team out of training camp is as a winger in the bottom six. Dvorsky is naturally a center, but with the offseason additions of Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad and the returns of Robert Thomas, Brayden Schenn and Oskar Sundqvist, the Blues will likely have to play a center out of position already.

At wing, Dvorsky would be free of the heavy defensive responsibility that the Blues place on their centers and potentially more open to contribute offensively. It’s a path that Thomas himself followed in 2018-19, when he was a rookie right winger on the third line for the Stanley Cup champions.

Dvorsky survived the first mass exodus to AHL affiliate Springfield (Massachusetts) on Sunday but will still have to beat players like Sundqvist, Bjugstad, Mathieu Joseph and Alexandre Texier if he wants playing time in ӣ����Ƶ. The roster has to be at 23 players by 4 p.m. Oct. 6.

Jirieck was sent to Brantford in the OHL, even though he was eligible to play at AHL affiliate Springfield. He was the team's first-round pick in 2024.

Here are the rest of the cuts the Blues made:

-- Nikita Alexandrov and Hugh McGing cleared waivers, and were assigned to AHL affiliate Springfield.

-- Forwards Dylan Peterson, Simon Robertsson, Nikita Susuev, Juraj Pekarcik and Jakub Stancl, defensemen Samuel Johannesson, Michael Buchinger, Marc-Andre Gaudet and Quinton Burns, and goaltenders Vadim Zherenko and Will Cranley were assigned to AHL affiliate Springfield.

-- AHL-contracted forwards Sam Bitten, Matthew Peca, Sam Stange and Christopher Wagner, and defenseman Anthony Kehrer were sent to Springfield.

-- Carbonneau (Blainville-Boisebriand) and Jiricek (Brantford) were the only players sent back to juniors.

-- The Blues also waived forward Matt Luff and defenseman Corey Schueneman on Sunday. They will likely be assigned to Springfield if they clear on Monday.

Among the players that remain in Blues camp are Dalibor Dvorsky and Otto Stenberg, a pair of 2023 first-round picks that have impressed the ӣ����Ƶ coaching staff at different points of training camp. Milan Lucic (professional tryout) is also in camp still, though he has been held out of practice since Tuesday due to a groin injury.

There are two more players that are expected to be waived in order to be sent to Springfield: defenseman Hunter Skinner and goaltender Colten Ellis.

“I come to the rink and I’m excited to be here and happy to be a part of this team, and the connection that the team has with the city, too, is something that is special to me,” Fowler said. “My family and my boys, we’re just very comfortable here. From my perspective, it really wasn’t a hard decision. I’m grateful that they see an opportunity here for me and that’s something that means a lot to me as a player.”

Fowler’s extension was announced Saturday during the second intermission of the Blues’ 4-2 preseason loss to the Blackhawks, a piece of news that overshadowed whatever happened on the ice at Enterprise Center.

Fowler, 33, was set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season but now is under contract through the 2028-29 season. He will play out this season on his existing contract before his extension starts in 2026-27.

According to PuckPedia, Fowler has a no-trade clause that kicks in immediately and then goes to Jan. 1, 2029, when it drops to a 15-team no-trade clause.

“I’m on the second half of my career here, and I want to be playing meaningful hockey games with a group that I enjoy coming to the rink and being around,” Fowler said. “That’s what we have here in this locker room.”

The Blues acquired Fowler on Dec. 14, 2024, from Anaheim, sending a 2027 second-round pick and minor league defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka to the Ducks for Fowler and a 2027 fourth-round pick. Anaheim also agreed to retain $2.5 million of Fowler’s $6.5 million cap hit.

After he became a Blue, Fowler was tied for ninth in the NHL among defensemen with 36 points. In the playoffs, he had 10 points in seven games, becoming the first Blues defensemen to have 10 points in a single playoff series. He also piloted a power-play unit that ranked fifth in the league after the Winter Classic.

“The power play, he adds another element to it, his deception is as high-end as it can (be),” Blues associate coach Steve Ott said. “He just brings a calming, pro attitude every single day. We’re really excited, and what a great signing.”

In the past year, Fowler’s professional and personal life have changed drastically.

A year ago, he was on a rebuilding Ducks team that was pushing out a veteran like Fowler in order to make way for young, heralded defensemen in the pipeline. They took the power-play time and the late-game ice time, leaving Fowler to look for a new home despite having played 15 seasons with the Ducks.

In ӣ����Ƶ, he found an organization in transition, but as Blues general manager Doug Armstrong noted Saturday night, it’s a franchise “trying to balance adding young players to a veteran team that can win.”

“Sometimes, I just reflect back and I think about all those years in Anaheim, years that I’m grateful for and happy that I had the chance to play in Anaheim with a team that was nothing but great to me and treated me with respect the whole time,” Fowler said. “Now here with this team, it kind of feels seamless in the way that the transition has been able to happen. That’s why when we had these conversations, it was just something that I didn’t really have to think too much about it.

“My family’s happy here. I’m happy here. All those years I had in Anaheim have led me to this position now where I’m with this team. That’s just the future and the mindset that I have moving forward.”

Fowler had spent his entire career with the Ducks, so the trade to ӣ����Ƶ also brought personal change. His wife, Jasmine, was pregnant at the time, and their son Charlie was about to turn 3 years old. Beau was born in March, and the Fowlers have settled into their home in ӣ����Ƶ.

“When you’re moving your family across the country and you’re getting your kids in school and you’re finding a house and a place to live, those things can be stressful,” Fowler said. “We certainly felt a little bit of that stress last year. Now, coming back here, getting ready for training camp, we just feel comfortable.

“We’re in our house, Charlie’s in school, Beau’s getting big now, too. Things just feel comfortable here, and this team and this organization is a big part of that. The family side has to be taken care of when you’re thinking about your future. That’s something that’s very comfortable with my family now.”

Armstrong and GM-in-waiting Alexander Steen met with Fowler during training camp to pitch their vision of the club to Fowler, as a team returning to contention with a younger core on the way.

“Just making sure that the vision with the team lined up with how I saw things,” Fowler said. “It certainly did. We have a team here that we feel has the opportunity to compete and do something special. I’m really happy to be a part of that. The main thing was just a clear vision on both sides that makes something like this possible. Those conversations were open and honest and made my decision very easy.”

And there’s one perhaps you don’t know about. When a young top prospect gets the call to the National Hockey League, he will sometimes move in and live with a veteran teammate.

Such was the case in ӣ����Ƶ last spring and for some of the summer. Jimmy Snuggerud, 20 years old at the time, became an honorary Schenn.

“He’s a heck of a kid,” said Blues captain Brayden Schenn, now 34, who of course was on the 2019 Cup-winning club. “He’s respectful and polite — I’m not saying just to me, I’m saying to my kids and family, which is obviously more important. Helps out around the house. And he’s so easy. He’s one of those guys where he’s good with my kids, he plays with them. … He’s quiet, smart … and he’s only going to get better.”

Snuggerud is now 21, which is his jersey number and a goal for goals — since 2005, the most goals scored by a Blues rookie was 21 by Patrik Berglund in 2008-09.

And look, it’s easy to get hyped about, well, any young player who shows some potential. Hype means letting your imagination run wild. Hype means the unknown. Hype means an undefined ceiling. Hype means hope. But this isn’t simply blind hype. Jimmy showed up last season with seven games left and, instantly, looked like he fit in. His University of Minnesota career had just ended and suddenly he was a part of the hottest team in hockey, ӣ����Ƶ’ Blues, who won 12 straight games in March and April … and 13 of their final 16 to crack the postseason.

And in the playoffs, his line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich tilted the ice. Guys looked so good together. And they’re together again at Blues training camp this September.

Asked what he believes he’ll see in Snuggerud this season, coach Jim Montgomery said: “I anticipate a forward that is going to play good, 200-foot hockey, who is going to bring energy and excitement to two veterans who have had a lot of success in the league. And sometimes that energy, that youthfulness, makes them feel young, too. And now they play with more energy.

“And (Friday) in practice, when they’re three-on-two, the creativity that was going on, you can tell that it seems like they enjoy playing with each other. And that’s an energy, like last year when we put Schenn, (Jordan) Kyrou and (Dylan) Holloway, they gave our whole team energy. Just every time they went over the boards, it’s — what are they going to do this shift?“

Snuggerud soaked up as much Schenn-ness as he could during his time with the captain. Brayden, as we know, is a caring guy and is, really, the ultimate team player. He’ll stick up for his teammates and step up to bullies and fight the opposition (another tradition, albeit a bit controversial to some). And he’ll humbly switch to the third line to help the team. And yet he’ll still produce, for stretches, like a first-liner.

“Honestly, there’s a lot of different things I’ve taken from him as a person and as a player,” Snuggerud said of Schenn, who bought the kid a Wagyu steak after his first NHL goal. “And I feel like there are so many things off the ice he can teach you. I have so many questions for him on the ice, like what to expect and things like that. He’s willing to answer everything, because you know the type of person he is. …

“I (enjoyed) just hanging with his kids too, him and his family, and hanging with his dog — just kind of the whole family aspect. That’s something you want one day — family while playing in an area with great fans, great city. I feel like that’s kind of the dream. So just being able to see it was really cool.”

As for this season, his rookie season, Snuggerud will face mental and physical adversity that just didn’t exist on campus. The number of games — and the number of flights — can wear down a dude. And he’s likely going to make a couple mistakes — with stakes involved. How will he respond? You want to think well, considering his makeup. But these are things to consider as a kid begins his first full NHL season.

Incidentally, he’s now living on his own.

“There’s a lot of hype around him, people are excited about him,” Schenn said. “But he’s young, so you have to be patient with him, and there’s going to be ups and downs and mistakes, and that’s the reality of pro sports. It’s a tough league, but I think the Blues got a good one in Jimmy Snuggerud.”

And he arrives this season with a bit of experience in his hockey bag. In his seven regular-season games, Snuggerud (called “Snuggie Bear” by Montgomery, likely an homage to a “Starsky & Hutch” character) averaged 15:28 minutes of ice time. The Post-Dispatch sportswriter Matthew DeFranks calculated it was the most average ice time by a ӣ����Ƶ rookie since T.J. Oshie in 2008-09.

“Intelligent, caring, very thoughtful — those are the words that come to mind,” Montgomery said. “And he’s so level-headed. It doesn’t matter what I talk to him about — sometimes you worry about talking to a young guy about what you’re giving them, because you’re afraid they’re going to get comfortable, it’s human nature. He doesn’t get comfortable. He handles it like a five-year pro.”

Another tradition in hockey — rookies don’t win a basic Rookie of the Year award; they win the Calder Trophy, in honor of the first NHL president Frank Calder (before his death in 1943, Calder personally purchased a trophy each year to give to the winner). Right now, Snuggerud is fifth in many Vegas odds to win the Calder. A Blue hasn’t won the award since Barret Jackman in 2002-03 ... the season before Snuggerud was born.

There was no penalty on Dach for the hit on Sundqvist, and officials did not blow the whistle to stop play.

Dalibor Dvorsky and Brayden Schenn scored for the Blues as they build a two-goal lead. Moore, Dominic Toninato, Gavin Hayes and Jason Dickinson (empty-net) scored for the Blackhawks, all in the third period.

Jordan Binnington stopped all 16 shots he faced in the opening two periods.

At that point, Armstrong and GM-in-waiting Alexander Steen sold Fowler on their vision for the Blues moving forward in the coming years. Fowler's extension solidifies the future of the top four with Fowler, Colton Parayko, Philip Broberg and Logan Mailloux either signed through 2028-29 or under team control.

“It was a situation where I looked at what we need right now as the Blues organization what he provides," Armstrong said. "Obviously, there’s risk on all contracts, but he’s such a good skater, I think he’ll the term of this contract with his legs. I think having him and Parayko now as veteran guys on our left and right side, we have younger players in their 22- or 23-(year old) area like Broberg and Mailloux.

"We have younger players behind that. We believe we have a good balance of this contract is not going to hold anyone out, but it’s also not going to force us to rush anybody.”

The Blues acquired Fowler and a 2027 fourth-round pick last year from Anaheim, sending a 2027 second-round pick and minor-league defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka to the Ducks. The Ducks also agreed to retain $2.5 million of Fowler's $6.5 million cap hit, so he counts $4 million on the Blues books this season.

At the time of the trade, Fowler agreed to waive his no-trade clause to accept a trade to ӣ����Ƶ. Now, he's agreed to stay in ӣ����Ƶ for the next four seasons.

“I sort of shared my vision of this year’s team, my vision of when Alex takes over and then I had Alex talk to him and share his vision to make sure it was something that he could see the value of what we’re trying to build," Armstrong said. "I talked about our younger players because at this age, he’s coming from an environment where he went through a retool and we want to tell him that no one knows how the season is going to transpire but we’re not looking to incorporate younger players at all costs.

"We’re trying to balance adding young players to a veteran team that can win.”

After his arrival in ӣ����Ƶ, Fowler became one of the most productive defensemen in the NHL. From Dec. 14 until the end of the season, Fowler had 36 points, tied for ninth-most among NHL defensemen. In the playoffs, he had 10 points in seven games, fifth-most in the NHL despite ӣ����Ƶ playing one round.

Fowler ran the Blues' top power-play unit, with two goals and six assists on the man-advantage. He also paired with Parayko on the top defensive pair, providing Parayko with a mobile, offensive partner to complement his defensive skillset.

“They both can excellent feet, they can both skate and they have a massive wingspan, so they kill a lot of plays down low with their stick," Armstrong said. "They have the ability to get to loose pucks. Moving forward, you have the size of Broberg that can do that, and Mailloux can do that. I think having reach and skating ability is an asset. Now we have four guys, some of them under contract, some of them restricted free agents. So we’re in a good spot.”

The next bit of business in ӣ����Ƶ regards last summer's prize finds: Broberg and Dylan Holloway.

Both Broberg and Holloway will be restricted free agents in the summer, and they've been eligible for extensions since July 1. Armstrong said he viewed their situations different from Fowler since they will be RFAs.

“I’ve talked with those players, told them that our initial thrust will be with our unrestricteds with Cam," Armstrong said. "We’ll get to those guys in December. There’s no rush with that. We’re going to try to get them signed as quick as we can. If not, they’re restricted free agents. We’ll make sure that we leave enough space available to get those guys signed, the cap’s going up. It’s nice to know now with guys signed what we can do moving forward.”

In games at Dallas and Columbus, Carbonneau had a goal and a primary assist, factoring in on both of the Blues’ goals this preseason.

“It’s going well,” Carbonneau said Saturday morning. “I’m not satisfied by everything I have accomplished, but it’s getting there. A couple things I still have to show. I’m getting there. So good start, but I still have a lot to show.”

Carbonneau entered training camp as a longshot to make the Blues roster, but has done his best to force his way into the conversation. He was impactful during the prospect tournament and has been a source of offense during the start of preseason. If he makes the team, it would likely be as a third-line winger.

In the first two games, Carbonneau played with veterans, and slotted in on the top line and the top power play.

The prospects get a chance to drive their own line, and “not only that, but it’s also realistic minutes that if they played in the NHL, they’re not going to be seeing the same minutes that the (Robert) Thomas and (Brayden) Schenn lines are going to be seeing,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said.

Earlier this week, Carbonneau was one of a handful of young players that Montgomery said had caught his attention during the first week-plus of training camp. The full list included Carbonneau, Dalibor Dvorsky, Juraj Pekarcik, Otto Stenberg, Jakub Stancl up front, and Adam Jiricek and Hunter Skinner on the back end.

If the Blues wanted to, they would be able to keep Carbonneau in the NHL, and he could play up to nine games without using a year of his entry-level contract. Once they returned him to Blainville-Boisbriand in the QMJHL, he would not be able to rejoin the Blues until his junior season ended. Blainville-Boisbriand is expected to be one of the top junior teams in Canada this season.

Carbonneau said he’s tried “not putting too much pressure on an 18 year old.”

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to compete, to have success, but sometimes, it’s just to remind yourself to learn,” Carbonneau said. “I talked about getting around guys, veterans and all that. It sounds easy, but it’s not. It’s just keep learning even remind myself that I’m 18 and I have time to learn.”

Carbonneau has the pedigree to one day be a key contributor for the Blues, even if that doesn’t happen this fall. He was second in the QMJHL in both goals and points last season, and has the profile of a power forward that plays deep in the slot.

“I’m not someone who’s satisfied in anything I do,” Carbonneau said. “Just keep me on my toes. I think I can shoot the puck more, get to the net more, all that. Sometimes, I feel like I pass up some opportunities to use my shot and my offensive (skills) around the net.”

Carbonneau said he’s been trying to learn during his time in NHL camp, and he’s been receptive to coaching.

“I’m here for that,” Carbonneau said. “I’m here to learn new things and get myself ready to (play) pro. I’m not here to not listen and say ‘I’m good enough.’ I know I’m not perfect and I’m just 18. I’m not good enough to be a superstar in the NHL, so that means I have to learn a lot of things. Learn from the vets, learn from the coach’s advice. Now, I’m getting there.”

Carbonneau is also looking for ways to adjust his game to the next level.

“The pace is different than the Q, that’s for sure,” Carbonneau said. “It’s going faster, and guys are bigger. It’s changing the way you have to go to the net, get around guys, forecheck. Now a quick poke check is not enough to get the puck out of a 6-8 guy. It’s different things that you have to adjust, but I’m ready to show that I can adjust to that level.”

Alexandrov, McGing on waivers

Forwards Nikita Alexandrov and Hugh McGing were placed on waivers Saturday, potentially signaling the next round of cuts from Blues camp on Sunday. If Alexandrov and McGing clear waivers Sunday, they are expected to be sent to AHL affiliate Springfield.

The Blues entered Saturday with 53 players remaining in training camp, and the team must whittle the roster to 23 by Oct. 6 at 4 p.m.

There are four other players expected to be waived by the Blues down to the AHL (Matt Luff, Hunter Skinner, Corey Schueneman and Colten Ellis), but none of them have been waived yet.

Second scrimmage

The players who did not play Saturday vs. Chicago scrimmaged on Saturday morning at Centene Community Ice Center. During the 5-on-5 and 4-on-4 portion of the scrimmage, Tyler Tucker scored two goals and Dylan Peterson scored one of his own.

Dylan Holloway tied the scrimmage late with an extra-attacker goal.

The two sides played 10 minutes of 3 on 3, when Jordan Kyrou, Leo Loof and Jakub Stancl all scored.

Defenseman Philip Broberg and forward Milan Lucic (groin) did not practice with the team on Saturday.

“If you want to start the year well, you’ve got to start the year with really strong special teams,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “I saw it with the last time I was here. Our power play and penalty kill the first 10 games were unbelievable, we’re (8-2-1). It goes hand in hand. So we just want to get a lot of reps at it, and we’re going to rep it a lot more next week, too.”

Last year, when Winnipeg began the season 15-1-0, they did so with the top power play (42.2%) in the NHL. Two years ago, Montgomery’s Bruins raced out to a 14-1-3 start thanks to the best penalty kill (91.0%) in the league. Before that, Montgomery’s record-setting Boston team was 17-2-1 with the third-best power play and second-best penalty kill.

And going back to Montgomery’s time as an assistant coach with the Blues in 2021, ӣ����Ƶ was 8-2-1 with the No. 2 power play and No. 4 penalty kill.

The good news for the Blues is that many of the same pieces on the power play are back.

One unit was run by Cam Fowler at the point, with Robert Thomas on the left flank, Brayden Schenn in the bumper, Pavel Buchnevich on the right flank and Jimmy Snuggerud at the net-front. The only change from a season ago was Schenn’s inclusion in the spot that was previously held by Zack Bolduc, who was traded to Montreal.

Thomas and Snuggerud, both right-handers, also seemed interchangeable in their spots, potentially giving the Blues multiple looks with the same personnel.

“When you have guys that can play both and they have multi-faceted skillsets, you become more dynamic when they can switch like that,” Montgomery said. “So people don’t know ‘OK, well this guy’s going to be at the net front when you’re scouting them.’ Edmonton has been doing it for years now with McDavid and Draisaitl. You don’t know where they’re going to be, so it’s hard to prescout them.”

It also helps that Thomas is more of a facilitator from that spot, picking out passes for teammates, while Snuggerud is known for his one-timer from that area.

“If Snuggerud’s there and they’re thinking it’s Thommer, they’re not going to be ready for the one-timer, and vice versa,” Montgomery said. “Thommer’s on the goalline, they’re not going to expect someone to attack the goalline that quickly.”

Bolduc became a weapon in the bumper for the Blues, finding just enough space to uncork his one-timer from the middle of the ice. From when he was put there on March 23 until the end of the season, no one in the NHL had more than Bolduc’s five power-play goals.

Part of what made that successful was Bolduc’s left-handed shot to go with Thomas and Snuggerud being righties. So it was imperative that a left-hander fill that role in the middle, and that’s where Schenn comes in.

“Yes, and we have more left-handed forwards than we do righties,” Montgomery said. “So we have options. But Brayden Schenn is someone, especially during his time in Philadelphia, scored a lot of goals from that spot.”

In the other practice session, Justin Faulk ran the unit, with Jordan Kyrou on the left flank, Pius Suter in the bumper, Dylan Holloway on the right flank and Jakub Stancl at the net-front. Stancl’s spot would normally belong to Jake Neighbours, but he practiced in the first group (likely to remain with linemates Schenn and Mathieu Joseph during even-strength drills).

The so-called second unit could feature the three players that led the Blues in goals last season: Kyrou (36), Holloway (26) and Neighbours (22).

Last season, the Blues opted for a balanced look to their two power-play units, shifting to the strategy at the Winter Classic in Chicago and using it to become the No. 5 power play in the league during that time.

“I think it created an inner competition and then that inner competition created guys supporting each other and cheering for each other,” Montgomery said. “I thought it really was a little bit of a great example of our culture growing. I know it didn’t translate right away, but those guys helping each other and talking to each other on the bench, one unit helping the other, I think that helped create communication, foster a better culture for us down the stretch.”

Among returning players, only Kyrou (seven) had more than Holloway’s six power-play goals last season, and he found a home in his one-timer position.

“It’s something that I definitely want to keep trying to do in my game is be that one-T guy,” Holloway said. “It’s a fun spot to play in. Ultimately, you get a lot of shots on goal. Hopefully, I can continue to play there. Obviously, it’s an honor to be in that position, but just got to keep trying to pound those home.”

It also sounds like the Blues will try to continue their two-unit approach this season.

“We have a plethora of talented hockey players,” Montgomery said. “If you can go hard for a minute instead of trying to coast for a minute, 20 (seconds or) a minute, 30 (seconds), it just puts the other team on their heels. We saw it five years ago when we have that great power play season. I give coach Otter credit because he’s like ‘I think we’ve got to go back to two units.’ We went to two units and the power play took off, and I thought our team took off.”

Injury updates

Jimmy Snuggerud returned to practice Friday after he left the ice early Wednesday following a hard fall into the boards behind the net. Milan Lucic (groin) skated before practice, but did not participate in the session.

Montgomery said they expect Lucic to return after the club’s off day on Sunday.

It was termed a “mutual decision” by the Blues and tbeir telecaster, FanDuel Sports Network, but certainly seems more like a club move in that Kelly has been rehired by FDSN to be its lead Los Angeles Kings play-by-play announcer.

It won’t take long for Kelly to make a return visit to ӣ����Ƶ as the Kings are set to play in town on Oct. 21 — just two weeks after they open their season. He’s going to do about 60 of the Kings’ regular-season games, and that’s one of them.

Kelly has said he will come in with his head held high, and Blues CEO Chris Zimmerman said the club plans to honor Kelly at some point. While an exact date has not been finalized, it seems logical that the event would take place then.

“John Kelly and the Kelly name are synonymous with our brand,” Zimmerman said this week. “We — and I — have nothing but respect. John was a critical contributor to our brand for over two decades, so we will always hold John at the highest level.”

It was announced in July that Kelly was out as part of a consolidation to a simulcast model in which the audio of the team’s radio broadcasters, Chris Kerber and Joey Vitale, will also be used on TV. Zimmerman said then he “definitely wouldn’t characterize it as a cost-cut move,” which many perceived as a slap at Kelly. It also came at a time when the only NHL local play-by-play TV job open was the Kings’.

Zimmerman was asked if he expected the amount of fan backlash that has occurred.

“Announcing the change we made was a surprise to our fans and quite honestly an imperfect situation,” he said. “If I could have had some things happen differently, that would have been less shocking. The timing was imperfect, so I was not surprised by the level of commitment and support John has from our fan base and not surprised how quickly John found a different opportunity. He’s one of the best in the business.

“We will definitely honor him when he comes back. We’ve had captains leave our team and come back to play. Certainly, this is going to be a unique situation of really a Blues legend coming back and broadcasting in a different seat. Our fans, the city and our organization will absolutely honor John Kelly. The Kelly family is iconic to our brand.”

Blues have ‘free TV’ obstacles

Last season, the Blues placed a handful of their locally produced telecasts on over-the-air TV for the first time in 16 years. The Cardinals followed suit this season, adding broadcast television for the first time in 15 years.

But now with the start of the new season less than two weeks away, the Blues have no deal in place to send any of their local productions back to broadcast television, Zimmerman said.

He said that the fact 14 Blues games this season have been picked to be shown exclusively be national networks, four more than last year, makes it tougher to take games from FDSN and move them to a broadcast channel. Unlike the Cardinals, the Blues’ over-the-air-games last season were exclusives. But if the Blues do reach a “free TV” agreement this time, the deal likely will include the contests also being on their cablecaster.

“The league likes airing our games nationally, which speaks to the strength of our fan base not just in ӣ����Ƶ but beyond,” Zimmerman said. “I think that makes it much less likely” for exclusive over-the-air games this season.

Three Blues games were shown over the air last season, two on long-established KMOV (Channel 4) and all on newcomer Matrix Midwest (Channel 32). The ratings on KMOV were solid. They were not on Matrix. That trend followed with the Cardinals this season, who also utilized those channels for 10 telecasts.

“We were pleased with the results with KMOV, they were a great partner,” Zimmerman said. “Obviously, a lot of learning with Matrix Midwest.”

KMOV and Matrix general manager JD Sosnoff could not be reached for comment.

Zimmerman then looked at the big picture in this rapidly changing and expanding media landscape in which streaming has soared.

“All of this has represented what is the unsettled nature, let’s call it the evolving nature, of local broadcasting,” he said. “Particularly the NBA, NHL and MLB, we’re all trying to understand what the future is. We have a lot of commitment to the linear (television) part of our audience, which is still the most significant part. FanDuel Sports Network is really in some ways is its own emerging network — all new leadership, very talented pros I think are going to help us create a better product. That and sorting out the best way to distribute it are the two core elements.

“There’s quite a bit of innovation and exploration that we’re going to be doing. Ultimately, we have to compete for peoples’ time. Whether you’re talking about the newspaper business, the radio business, the podcast business — it’s all trying to compete for the space. The thing that’s really encouraging is that live sports content is so critically valuable in this changing media ecosystem.”

ӣ����Ƶ native Staats honored on milestone

Tampa Bay Rays television announcer Dewayne Staats, who grew up in East Alton and went to Wood River High then Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, was honored last weekend by the team in celebration of the recent 50th anniversary of his first major league broadcast.

Staats, who grew up listening to Harry Caray and Jack Buck call Cardinals games on radio, told the Tampa Tribune he is grateful for his long run.

“This is what I’ve wanted to do my whole life,” he said.

Staats, who called some minor league games while he was a student at SIUE, was working as the sports director at KPLR (Channel 11) in 1976 when he was offered an on-air audition in the Houston Astros’ booth. That led to him being hired as one of the team’s broadcasters the following year, and he also had stints with the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees before being hired to call Tampa Bay games when the franchise made its debut in 1998.

He has reduced his schedule a bit in recent years, dropping some road games, and told the Tribune he’s not sure how much longer he wants to continue.

“At some point, you’re going to have to stop,” he said. “I guess the best way just to say it is, ‘I’m day to day.’ I still entertain the idea of doing it only because I haven’t really said, ‘Hey, I’m not going to do it anymore.’ I still love coming to the game, sitting down and doing this — it’s the best part. I can do without the travel. ...

“I don’t know if there’s anything in broadcasting or any kind of job that’s as good as just sitting down doing a live broadcast, radio or TV. It’s a great little activity to be involved in, and it’ll keep you semi-sharp to do it. So, I don’t know, we’ll see. Things have a way of working out, one way or the other.”