Blues starting to take more polished players in abbreviated preseason schedule; first power-play unit will get look in Dallas; top line will be on display with Holloway, Thomas, Snuggerud; McTavish makes debut; Hofer gets first start
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- As the St. Louis Blues prepare for their second preseason game on Monday against the Dallas Stars (7 p.m.; stlblues.com, blues app), a rematch of Saturday’s 2-1 Stars win in St. Louis, coach Jim Montgomery right now really has no qualms regarding his team.
“I feel good about the progression of camp so far, so it’s going good,” he said. “Guys are starting to get the D-zone coverage, I find we’re killing more plays, we’re trying to be more aggressive. That’s a theme of being a more aggressive, assertive team. So in a lot of areas, we’re doing (things). Even as simple as our 2-on-1s, we’re being more aggressive attacking the net offensively.
“So my curiosity in my mind goes to how our power play’s going to be because No. 1 unit’s going to be going, so hopefully, refs call at least four penalties against Dallas and then the overall progression of our team and then the guys fighting for spots, how they’re competing, how they’re executing, how they’re bringing energy and momentum on the bench and on the ice, understanding momentum and changing it. That’s going to be the biggest evaluations.”
The Blues are taking a more established lineup with them to face a Stars lineup that will also feature more NHL players tonight. And that lineup will feature a No. 1 power play unit with Robert Thomas, Mason McTavish, Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud and Philip Broberg.
Montgomery was asked if it would make sense to implement these things into preseason play regarding getting the ample amount of work for specific units.
“You know what I’d like, I’d like to have the four exhibition games and then we have what the NFL does where they just have a practice scrimmage and you put them in those situations,” he said. “You don’t want them really scrimmaging in a fifth exhibition game, but if we could have a fifth, say Chicago, and they’re going to get 10 minutes of power play, we’re going to get 10 minutes of power play and then we can each do four minutes of pulled goalie situations, we start to see that because the refs have got to get used to calling games. They’ve got to call a penalty and what’s not a penalty. So it’s exhibition season for them too.
“If the teams want to agree to it, because it’s a non-schedule. We’d do it in the middle of the afternoon. We don’t need fans at it. Now, they’re going to want to sell tickets, so maybe that changes things and we’ll have to wait until the next CBA, I guess.”
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Dylan Peterson, a third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, will get another look in the game tonight playing with Oskar Sundqvist and Nathan Walker on the fourth line.
Peterson, who has played with Springfield of the American Hockey League the past two seasons after spending four seasons with Boston University, is 24 years old and feels it’s coming to the point where he needs to make a mark on whether he can be an NHL player or not.
“Playing in the minors the past two years, I've built a solid all-around, two-way game,” Peterson said. “I fought, PK'ed. Just adding those tools to my tool belt, I think's come full circle now.
“I'm at the point where I want to make this team, I want to play for this city and this organization. I've been itching for a long time.”
Peterson had a solid game on Saturday.
“He fits in,” Montgomery said. “It’s up to him to go grab a job. He was very impressive last game. He’s got to continue to make his mark. Like, what are you? Play to your identity. We would like to see him chip more pucks and go get it on the forecheck like a ‘Torpo’ does. We love the fight, love the way he creates. He showed some real high-end skill. Obviously speed and puck protection was really good, but again, it’s understanding you’re a fourth-line guy, you’re here to forecheck and grind and get net-front goals. You’re going to score goals because of his speed, which would be nice on the fourth line, right, as an addition. He’s so young in his career. It’s only his third year pro coming (up). Some guys take three or four years. I’m not saying he’s going to the minors, but that’s an area of being committed knowing who you are forechecking, is an ascension to his game that needs to happen.”
Peterson had 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 57 regular-season games with the Thunderbirds last season.
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Otto Stenberg, one of three first-round picks in 2023, will also get another look tonight playing alongside McTavish and Jonatan Berggren.
Stenberg is someone Montgomery said plays like a “Swiss army knife that he can fill in anywhere. He is a very good, complementary winger. He’s got to assert himself. He’s got to start showing up somewhere to be noticeable.”
The Blues know what they’re getting away from the puck, but Stenberg’s got to start showing some signs of offense in his game.
“It looks like he’s really improved on his shot, but just attacking inside the dots, being at the net front at the right time,” Montgomery said. “On second and third effort causing turnovers. Most of his goals have come from really smart turnovers he’s (created).”
Stenberg has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 32 NHL games and knows there’s more to his game than just being that Swiss Army knife.
“I’ve always been an offensive player when I was younger,” Stenberg said. “When I came up to SHL (Swedish Hockey League) in Sweden, I had to learn to play without the puck and play on the fourth line. I’ve felt the last couple years, I’ve been a better all-around player, can play every situation I think. Of course I want to be more comfortable and play more and more with the puck. Bring back my old offensive game, and I think it comes back when you play more and more games and get used to it more, try some stuff when I was younger. Still I want to be good defensively and I want the coaches and my players to trust me on the ice.”
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Blues Projected Lineup:
Dylan Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud
Otto Stenberg-Mason McTavish-Jonatan Berggren
Dillon Dube-Zach Dean-Aleksanteri Kaskimaki
Nathan Walker-Oskar Sundqvist-Dylan Peterson
Philip Broberg-Logan Mailloux
Colin Ralph-Arseny Koromyslov
Quinton Burns-Adam Jiricek
Joel Hofer will start in goal and is expected to play the first two periods; Georgii Romanov will be the backup and is expected to play the third period.
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Stars Projected Lineup:
Justin Hryckowian-Wyatt Johnston-Mikko Rantanen
Jason Robertson-Roope Hintz-Matthew Seminoff
Cameron Hughes-Arte Shlaine-Dylan Hryckowian
Ayrton Martino-Ellis Rickwood-Emil Hemming
Thomas Harley-Nils Lundkvist
Trey Taylor-Kyle Burroughs
Jack Anderson-Aram Minnetian
Casey DeSmith is projected to start in goal; Arno Tiefensee would be the backup.
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