{"time":1790293038103,"blocks":[{"id":"Q2tYmD5Hct","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\nMARYLAND\nHEIGHTS, Mo. -- When\ntraining camp started, let’s be honest: how many of you had Zach\nDean at or near the top if the list as those that would be around\ntowards the end of camp with a legit chance at making the St. Louis\nBlues roster to start the season?"}},{"id":"YQ1XbG6fit","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nBut\nhere is the 2021 first-round pick in the NHL Draft by the Vegas\nGolden Knights, traded to the Blues for Ivan Barbashev, right in the\nthick of it, and an opportunity of a lifetime to\nmake his first NHL roster with another solid game when the Blues\n(0-2-0) host the Chicago Blackhawks (1-0-1) in the third of four\npreseason games at Enterprise Center today at 7 p.m. (Matrix\nMidwest: Spectrum Ch. 186, DISH Ch. 31, Over-the-Air Ch. 32.2, 32.3,\nstlouisblues.com, Blues app, ESPN 101.1-FM)."}},{"id":"FXuWP2zuPA","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThis\nwill be Dean’s third game in as many preseason games, and it’s\nobvious: the Blues like what they see and want to put him with skill\nplayers tonight and see how the 23-year-old handles playing on the top line with Pavel Buchnevich and Connor McMichael."}},{"id":"mug37224","type":"video","data":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/b3b18a2c-371a-404a-9463-5eed0b797a4d/mp4","caption":"","autoplay":false,"controls":true,"muted":false,"stretched":true,"width":0,"height":0,"image":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/b3b18a2c-371a-404a-9463-5eed0b797a4d/thumbnail"},"cdn":{"videoId":"b3b18a2c-371a-404a-9463-5eed0b797a4d","libraryId":"372172","collectionId":"30032062-eefd-4041-a355-12ad05bc987b","cdnBaseUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net","mp4Url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/b3b18a2c-371a-404a-9463-5eed0b797a4d/mp4","thumbnailUrl":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/b3b18a2c-371a-404a-9463-5eed0b797a4d/thumbnail","previewAnimationUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net/b3b18a2c-371a-404a-9463-5eed0b797a4d/preview.webp"}}},{"id":"QUmPWSPexJ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“He’s\nbeen very noticeable in his speed,” Blues\ncoach Jim Montgomery said of Dean, who has one assist in two games.\n“His speed is a quality that we lack a little bit up front, that\nnatural people that can flat-out just fly and create, I call an\nanxiety on defensemen and goalies off the forecheck or off the rush."}},{"id":"FDwpOpZEfl","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“I\ndidn’t know that much (about\nhim).\nI did know that he was a first-round pick to Vegas, I know he was in\nthe Barbashev trade. Everything has been more off ice than I’ve\nknown about him than on ice. Unfortunately for him, I don’t know\nthat he’s played more than 45 games in a season. There hasn’t\nbeen a lot of opportunity to see him, but he’s shown really well\nthis year. I love his attitude, I love the way he’s playing.”"}},{"id":"wzEpTh00gS","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThere’s\nbeen a plethora of players, including those playing tonight in Dillon\nDube, Oskar Sundqvist, Nathan Walker, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Dylan\nPeterson, Jack Finley and Otto Stenberg that are fighting for what appears to be two\nforward slots and Dean has been right there, if not elevated himself\nabove all of them with his camp thus far."}},{"id":"vLmvtXaKHW","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“The\ncamp coming in, you know it’s short,” Dean\nsaid.\n“You obviously think about that coming in and in the practices and\nin the games, just try to do what I can. I think I have some skill\nand when there’s plays to be made, I try and make those but I also\nplay hard, I like th be physical. I think that’s something I’ve\ndefinitely brought into my game, especially last year and stuff like\nthat a little bit more, getting hits and stuff like that. It’s the\nfun part too. You feel more engaged and stuff like that, and\ndepending on the game part, some games go one way. If you’re not\ncontributing that way, then you start being a little more physical. I\nthink that’s just kind of the mindset that I’ve had and camp’s\nbeen fun."}},{"id":"i_7g5MG8qj","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“My\ngame over the years, you have to round out your game in certain ways\nbut as you become a pro, I feel like that happens a lot more often\nthan not. I think it’s a good opportunity and we’ll see tonight\nhow I do with that. It’s just exciting.”"}},{"id":"yVmGq8pUQ9","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nIt’s\nbeen quite the challenging ride for Dean, who has played in just\n47 regular-season games the past two seasons for Springfield of the\nAmerican Hockey League due to injury and being in the NHL’s Player\nAssistance Program in the first half of last season."}},{"id":"3Gvb6NJmKk","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nBut\nthings finally returned to normal for Dean with a strong finish to\nthe Thunderbirds’ season that culminated with a three-series run in\nthe Calder Cup playoffs and normal summer of training."}},{"id":"nx2hFKOWWR","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“It\nwas a really good summer,” Dean\nsaid.\n“I got to spend a lot more time back home too, which was nice. I\ngot to see all my family. After the season, that takes away from the\nhockey a little bit, then you get right back into it. It was just\ngood to have a full summer of training and I feel really good."}},{"id":"KNVZWqI9gN","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“It’s\nfun. It’s a competitive camp. We don’t really talk about that,\nbut it’s known. It’s good. We’re all really good players. We’re\njust trying to make the team. It’s fun, it’s competitive, that’s\nwhat it’s really all about.”"}},{"id":"EKjFvUHpEX","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nTonight\npresents an opportunity for Dean, who has played in nine NHL games\n(in 2023-24 with the Blues) to see what kind of impact he can make\noffensively."}},{"id":"kd51-1c1mK","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“It’s\na good opportunity to play with those guys,” Dean\nsaid.\n“They’re really great players. I’m really looking forward to\nit. It should be fun tonight."}},{"id":"R8VM9r-wYs","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“We’ll\nsee what happens. Focus on the game tonight. I think I’ve had a\npretty good camp so far and I’m just going to try and do what I can\ndo.”"}},{"id":"TdojCTgeg6","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nAnd\nthe reason why Montgomery put Dean there?"}},{"id":"-bUZp4GG9c","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“Center\nwith speed just to see what that looks like with McMichael and\nBuchnevich,” he\nsaid.\n“It’s an opportunity for the kid to hit a home run.”"}},{"id":"Zjm-TEj3vk","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n-\n- -"}},{"id":"-5C_1l9sdC","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nMontgomery\nwants to see more desperation and urgency in the Blues’ game after\na pair of 2-1 losses to the Dallas Stars in the first two preseason\ngames of the year."}},{"id":"09wHyelrLs","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nYes,\nthey’re preseason games, and yes, lineups have been mixed and\nmatched, but with only four preseason games, including Saturday’s\nfinale in Chicago before the regular season begins Oct. 2 in Dallas,\nit’s go time."}},{"id":"bTuZYuy1LW","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“I’m\nnot that happy to be honest,” Montgomery\nsaid.\n‘I don’t think there’s enough desperation or urgency in our\nplay. We’re not playing fast enough. Offensively, I like a lot of\nthe O-zone stuff, but outside of that, we just need to continue to\nget better.”"}},{"id":"K1sLogWx5t","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n-\n- -"}},{"id":"gR_33xmhyj","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nTwo\nplayers Montgomery has liked has been the veteran defensive pairing\nof Cam Fowler and Brandon Carlo, each who will make his season debut\ntonight."}},{"id":"KkURa3Du-F","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“The\nmost pleasantly surprising, I would say the D-pairing of Fowler and\nCarlo have been exceptional, and they’ve both been very good at\nwhat they’re very good at,” Montgomery\nsaid.\n“Fowler’s put a real emphasis on defending hard and it’s\nshowing.”"}},{"id":"FWLunwCZ_N","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nWhy?"}},{"id":"YWk_auSP81","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“Carlo’s\nthe most vocal guy on the ice in practice,” Montgomery\nsaid.\n“That allows you to play faster. When someone’s telling you to\ngo, or, ‘I got 'em, I got 'em,’ it just makes your job easier. You\ndon’t have to guess, you just do your job, and how vocal he’s\nbeen, especially in the D-zone and at defending the rush, has been\nvery noticeable and looking forward to seeing that (tonight) for the\nfirst time in the game.”"}},{"id":"fnRHbyoxr6","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n-\n- -"}},{"id":"nFyS8rW_jH","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nThere\nwill be some mass and beef when the Blues use a bottom six pairing\nwith Ross Johnston (6-foot-5, 235 pounds), Finley (6-6, 233) and\nPeterson (6-4, 209)."}},{"id":"2xSvv13c84","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nMontgomery\nhas indicated recently that he would like to see Finley change\nmomentum in a game and it’s not been there yet and this perhaps is\nthat opportunity to see if a trio with this much mass can create some\nhavoc."}},{"id":"H-09JZwVYA","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n“That’s\nwhat we want to see,” Montgomery\nsaid.\n“We put that big line together on purpose. Let’s see what kind of\nimpact they have on the game, now they influence the game, how they\nbuild momentum for our team.”"}},{"id":"2Msy-J0K4o","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n-\n- -"}},{"id":"Bf6IVkgaNc","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nBlues\nProjected Lineup:"}},{"id":"w6juaF-bDW","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nPavel\nBuchnevich-Zach Dean-Connor McMichael"}},{"id":"_8rcaL1lKE","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Jake\nNeighbours-Dalibor Dvorsky-Dillon Dube"}},{"id":"VYd3Trk1PJ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Nathan Walker-Oskar Sundqvist-Aleksanteri Kaskimaki"}},{"id":"HtPpP9PgnG","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Ross Johnston-Jack Finley-Dylan Peterson"}},{"id":"wtiSgsAh66","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Theo\nLindstein-Colton Parayko"}},{"id":"gO1RGlRKDD","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Cam\nFowler-Brandon Carlo"}},{"id":"_z46sbm2JJ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Calle\nRosen-Adam Jiricek"}},{"id":"AV7xWYCvz5","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Jordan\nBinnington will start in goal and play the entire game; Georgii\nRomanov will be the backup."}},{"id":"L8jrngW15Y","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\n-\n- -"}},{"id":"QpRLmUjjup","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nBlackhawks\nRoster:"}},{"id":"1FMr-J3KAd","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nForwards:\nOliver Moore, Anton Frondell, Ryan Greene, Dillon Boucher, Connor\nMylymok, Nick Lardis, AJ Spellacy, Roman Kantserov, Landon Slaggert,\nPatrick Kane, Sacha Boisvert, Frank Nazar."}},{"id":"YYeSabEj_R","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nDefensemen:\nSam Rinzel, Kevin Korchinski, Connor Mackey, Ethan Del Mastro, Wyatt\nKaiser, Artyom Levshunov."}},{"id":"NdC1GznjW8","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"\n\nGoalies:\nArvid Soderblom, Drew Commesso."}},{"id":"fbF0WUdN7C","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/latest-news/blues-have-options-if-tyler-tucker-isnt-available-for-start-of-season","meta":{"title":"Blues Have Options If Tyler Tucker Isn't Available For Start Of Season","site_name":"The Hockey News","url":"https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/latest-news/blues-have-options-if-tyler-tucker-isnt-available-for-start-of-season","description":"Team could turn to young, inexperienced defenseman in Adam Jiricek to fill void if Tucker is out for any length of time, veteran Calle Rosen if needed","image":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7dcbc7ce-edf3-464e-9f47-86887de93072.jpeg","type":"jpeg","width":"1150","height":"493"}}}},{"id":"_lyie7iPet","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/latest-news/blues-assign-six-more-players-to-springfield-including-2025-first-round-pick-justin-carbonneau","meta":{"title":"Blues Assign Six More Players To Springfield, Including 2025 First-Round Pick Justin Carbonneau","site_name":"The Hockey News","url":"https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/latest-news/blues-assign-six-more-players-to-springfield-including-2025-first-round-pick-justin-carbonneau","description":"Training camp roster reduced to 32, with 23-man rosters needing to be set by Monday; Felix Trudeau reports to Springfield to continue to rehabilitate an upper-body injury sustained during prospect games vs. Blackhawks","image":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/c7f930ac-d8f4-4870-87d0-c73507b0aca3.jpeg","type":"jpeg","width":"1150","height":"493"}}}},{"id":"xaYfQacELd","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/latest-news/st-louis-blues-introduce-blue-note-as-exclusive-multimedia-network-for-telecasts","meta":{"title":"St. Louis Blues Introduce Blue Note+ As Exclusive Multimedia Network For Telecasts","site_name":"The Hockey News","url":"https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/latest-news/st-louis-blues-introduce-blue-note-as-exclusive-multimedia-network-for-telecasts","description":"Blue Note+ will be available on Spectrum and streaming on Prime Video; negotiations continue with additional cable, satellite and other providers","image":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/90d0e8ae-8047-4f92-bc62-5b3ea8473c14.jpeg","type":"jpeg","width":"1150","height":"493"}}}},{"id":"mMG1ydwMmT","type":"linkTool","data":{"link":"https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/players/it-was-a-dream-come-true-to-play-my-first-couple-of-nhl-games-now-its-a-new-season-youre-starting-from-zero-and-youre-here-to-take-a-spot","meta":{"title":"'It Was A Dream Come True To Play My First Couple Of NHL Games. ... Now it's a new season, you're starting from zero and you're here to take a spot.'","site_name":"The Hockey News","url":"https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/players/it-was-a-dream-come-true-to-play-my-first-couple-of-nhl-games-now-its-a-new-season-youre-starting-from-zero-and-youre-here-to-take-a-spot","description":"Theo Lindstein's start to his NHL career has been better than advertised; the 21-year-old is guarded about things though. 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St. Louis Prospect Involved in QMJHL Trade; A New Home for 2024-25