ST. LOUIS -- This time, Dmitri Samorukov will get in an NHL game.
The defenseman, recalled by the Blues from the Springfield of the American Hockey League on emergency conditions on Thursday after they assigned Matt Kessel to the Thunderbirds, will get a crack in the lineup and get a look by Blues brass and coaches today at 7 p.m. (BSMW, ESPN 101.1-FM) against the New York Rangers.
"Every organization have players who they want to develop and for me, it was nice to be called up first time just to meet the guys," Samorukov said after taking a skate Thursday morning. "That was nice and just get into it, feel it, and I went back and keep working hard to get an opportunity again. Hockey's all about fun and even though there's a little bit (of the NHL season) left, I'm excited. You've just got to do what you've got to do and have fun and this is the job we all are fighting for, so I guess I get to be excited.
"It's been a good year and I just want to continue to play good hockey and hopefully have a good run down there in Springfield, a playoff run. I'm just excited. I just want to play my game and keep improving."
Blues coach Craig Berube spoke at 5 p.m. prior to the game and confirmed Samorukov's availability, with Robert Bortuzzo (upper body) sidelined and Marco Scandella (lower body) out for the rest of the season, it's the left-handed Samorukov's turn to get a crack after Kessel played the past two games.
"He'll be in," Berube said. "He's played well down there, he's come a long way down there from when we got him to now. He deserves to get a look."
Samorukov, acquired from the Edmonton Oilers early this season for his good buddy Klim Kostin, made his NHL debut here with the Oilers Dec. 29, 2021 and had a nightmarish start, playing just 2:28 and was a minus-2.
"It's a long road, but I guess you play for opportunities and that's how you can try to make the best of it," Samorukov said. "My job is pretty simple, just work and opportunities will come. Got to make sure I do the right things."
His trade to the Blues organization has enabled Samorukov new opportunities and a larger role with Springfield, and he will get the chance to play in the Calder Cup Playoffs with the Thunderbirds after this stint in St. Louis, however long it lasts.
"You come to the team and there's new structure, new guys and you've just got to pickup little things, which if you don't pick up right away, might be a couple weeks delay," Samorukov said. "After I got more into a comfort zone, I start to explode more. I started to play my game and get confidence and keep improving and it's been fun so far."
Kessel got his look and Berube liked him.
"Solid," the coach said. "He was clean with his puck play and things like that. I thought he defended well, gave us good minutes, the games that he played. I was happy with him."
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Pavel Buchnevich and Robert Thomas were each on the ice for the Blues Thursday, and Buchnevich will return against his former club after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Thomas will miss his fifth straight game with an upper-body injury.
"I'm ready to go," Buchnevich said. "Always difficult (to sit out). You want to help your teammates in the end. But unfortunately injuries happen. It's part of our sport, but I'm healthy now and ready to play.
"I have some good friends there. Happy to play against them, a bunch of friends. Hopefully we win today."
Since he switched to center on March 9 against the San Jose Sharks, Buchnevich has fit in as well as can be expected trying a new position.
"I get better lately, but I get injury and lose my conditioning," Buchnevich said. "I do get more comfortable there and doing what's needed to do in the middle. It's a different position, but I get better and hopefully be good today."
It's been 10 games for Buchnevich at center, and according to Berube, who spoke on Buchnevich on Wednesday, the coach said he likes the analytics of goals for and goals against.
"He's played well there," Berube said. "For a guy that hasn't played that position since he was a kid, he's done really well. Now there's still things, his timing and things like that that he's probably not satisfied with, face-offs and things like that that he want to be better at, but it takes time. Overall, I think he's done a good job defensively and offensively doing the right things. He's such a smart player, he anticipates really well. It's an easy kind of move for him.
"Center icemen a lot of times have got to be patient. You want them making sure that they're doing a good job staying underneath things in your own end and things like that and not taking off too quick and getting above things. Those are the type of things that he's not totally used to because as a winger you can blow out of the zone and create some things. He probably feels he's not getting enough breaks that way and looks that way, but on the other side of things, if you look at the analytics and the metrics side of things, when he's on the ice, a lot of good's happening both ways defensively and offensively."
Kasperi Kapanen, also playing down the middle for the first time in the NHL with the Blues due to missing a few pieces, has had good experience there as well.
"It's been pretty good for me," Berube said. "He's not totally satisfied either. He's done an excellent job on the face-off side of things. He's done a pretty good job in my opinion."
Whether these position changes are temporary or permanent is up in the air still.
"It's too soon, but it's always nice to be able to have a guy that's played the position and on a line that can take draws on the other side, plus be able to play in his own end the way we need him to down low," Berube said.
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The Blues (36-35-7) are on a 7-2-2 run down the stretch, and with four games remaining, and the rest of their schedule will involve teams that will be playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but for them, and it's something new, they want to continue to build a foundation for moving forward into 2023-24 rather than tanking for a better draft position, as fans would prefer.
"I think the last 10 or 12 or whatever have played some real good hockey," defenseman Colton Parayko said. "We're building. We battled back a few games too when we were down and came up with just no quit, which is exciting, trying to build something here and get some momentum.
"It's different, and I think the one year we missed was the last game too (in 2017-18). It's obviously a different year I guess if you want to say that or however you want to put it for myself personally, but it's a good opportunity to regroup as a person, as a team to have a really good summer. We have a dynamic team, we have a really good team in here and that's exciting for next year and I'm really looking forward to that to getting back already.
"I just think that coming in and making sure that ... I think guys are starting to find a little more of, I don't know if you want to call it roles but their area on the team. They're just more comfortable in that role and in that position. Guys are settling in. As you build, as you get some wins together, guys are more excited, guys are just in a little better mood for everybody. Winning is what we're all here to do, and it's part of business and it's part of everything. There's so much that goes into winning that brings the team together. It's exciting that we can have something to build off of obviously.
"No matter where we are in the season, playoffs or not playoffs or whatever you want to call it, putting on the Bluenote is special and playing in the NHL is special and can't take it for granted. You've just got to put that jersey on and play for the group, the fans are still coming out full building every night, it's incredible to see. It's amazing support and for that, we want to make sure we play our best. I think it's important for them, the organization, for ourselves, our teammates and coaches and everyone else involved. Maybe play a little spoiler would be fun."
Berube said he appreciates the players' willingness to put forth their best efforts despite the playoffs being out of reach this season.
"The leaders have done a good job of that making sure we stay focused and playing and competing," he said. "We're still building for next year. We're trying to get better. We've got a lot of young guys playing and they're doing a good job. We've got new guys in here trying to find their way. There's a lot of stuff on the line for us too. ... The games are going to have meaning for sure. With our division, the Central, with Minny and Dallas, first place is on the line, right? And position-wise.
"There's some tweaks we've made here in the last two months with our game system-wise that we're really trying to dial in, so that's a good thing that we're playing good hockey and it shows that we can do it and win. I think that's what you carry into next year for sure. And then again, we've got some new players that come back to our lineup here, [Sammy] Blais, [Kasperi] Kapanen, [Jakub] Vrana, we're using some of our young guys from the minors, they're all getting a look. A kid like Jake Neighbours showing what it's going to be like next year."
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Not only are the Rangers in town, but so are forward Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola, who were part of the trade that brought Blais and a first-round pick to the Blues on Feb. 9.
Tarasenko, drafted by the Blues with the 16th pick in 2010, has played all but 27 games of his 671 in the NHL with the Blues that includes 553 points (262 goals, 291 assists) and another 60 points (41 goals, 19 assists) in 90 playoff games with a Stanley Cup title in 2019.
"It's a long time," said Parayko, who played with Tarasenko for eight of his 11 seasons in St. Louis. "Players that have obviously had a lot to do with the success here in this organization, but that being said, I think we have a real good group and we're pushing forward.
Tarasenko will geta video tribute and there will be an acknowledgement for Mikkola in the first period.
"A lot of good memories with him. Just down to earth here in the room and really good teammate. Just really appreciate being around him. He just showed up ready to work every day and just tried to help our team win. Part of a championship team together. Kind of cool and something we'll always have together."
And then there's Mikkola, who the Blues selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft and spent parts of four seasons here; he played in 139 games with the Blues.
"Vladi and 'Mikks,' Vladi was here for a long time, did a lot of great things here in this organization, part of the Cup-winning team," Berube said. "Always look forward to seeing those guys and it'll be good.
"'Mikks' came in raw, hungry. We loved him. He's a competitive guy, gives you everything he's got every night, he's got great size and reach. He's an effective player."
Blais will get the chance to face some of his former teammates after be was traded to New York prior to last season for Buchnevich.
Since returning to St. Louis, Blais has 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 27 games, or two more points than Tarasenko has (seven goals, 10 assists) in his 27 games.
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The Blues' projected lineup:
Brandon Saad-Brayden Schenn-Jordan Kyrou
Jake Neighbours-Pavel Buchnevich-Jakub Vrana
Sammy Blais-Kasperi Kapanen-Josh Leivo
Alexey Toropchenko-Nathan Walker-Tyler Pitlick
Nick Leddy-Colton Parayko
Torey Krug-Justin Faulk
Dmitri Samorukov-Calle Rosen
Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Vadim Zherenko will be the backup.
The healthy scratch includes Logan Brown. Robert Thomas (upper body), Marco Scandella (lower body), Robert Bortuzzo (upper body), Thomas Greiss (lower body) are out.
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The Rangers' projected lineup:
Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Jimmy Vesey
Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trocheck-Vladimir Tarasenko
Alexis Lafreniere-Filip Chytil-Kaapo Kakko
Barclay Goodrow-Tyler Motte
Ryan Lindgren-Adam Fox
K'Andre Miller-Jacob Trouba
Niko Mikkola-Braden Schneider
Ben Harpur
Jaroslav Halak will start in goal; Igor Shesterkin will be the backup.
The Rangers have no healthy scratches. Patrick Kane (lower body) is out, and Trouba will play after leaving in the first period of a 6-3 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday with a lower-body injury.