Boosting Blues’ Opening-Night Roster: Exciting Deadline Moves See Trimming Flurry

In a series of transactions on Sunday, the Blues officially finalized their team roster for the upcoming season. The team assigned four players to their AHL affiliate, Springfield, and waived another four, bringing their roster down to the required 23 players. The players sent to Springfield are forwards Zack Bolduc, Zach Dean, and Mathias Laferriere, as well as defenseman Matt Kessel. The Blues also waived forwards Nathan Walker and Mackenzie MacEachern, defenseman Calle Rosen, and goaltender Malcolm Subban. The team’s projected roster now consists of 13 forwards, 8 defensemen, and 2 goaltenders.

Despite these moves, the Blues still have three injured players in camp. Forward Isaac Ratcliffe is on a professional tryout but has not been on the ice since September 26th. Defensemen Josh Jacobs and Anton Malmstrom have not participated in training camp and are likely to start the season on injured reserve.

Of the players cut on Sunday, Calle Rosen stands out as an intriguing name. Despite his solid performance last season, leading the team in plus-minus rating, the 29-year-old Swede was not able to secure a spot on the roster. With his reasonable salary cap hit, Rosen could be a valuable addition to many teams around the league.

Goaltender Malcolm Subban, who was signed in the offseason, may attract interest from teams such as Tampa Bay, who are in need of a goalie due to Andrei Vasilevskiy’s absence. Other goalies placed on waivers include Alex Stalock, Ivan Prosvetov, Magnus Hellberg, Collin Delia, and Martin Jones.

Nathan Walker, who has played 86 NHL games in the past two seasons, was overshadowed by younger players Jake Neighbours and Nikita Alexandrov and did not make the final roster. Mackenzie MacEachern, who signed a two-year, one-way contract with the Blues over the summer, will also not be part of the team this season.

The Blues’ preseason preparations concluded with a win against the Blackhawks, and they are now ready to begin their regular season. Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou had impressive performances during the preseason, with Thomas scoring five goals and Kyrou racking up five assists. The team’s special teams units also performed well, with the power play converting eight goals out of 24 opportunities and the penalty killers successfully defending against 19 out of 22 penalties.

In other news, Blues prospect Jimmy Snuggerud had the chance to face off against Blackhawks first-round pick Oliver Moore in a preseason game between the University of Minnesota and the Blackhawks. Snuggerud previously played with Logan Cooley, who recently signed with the Arizona Coyotes.

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Sarah Anderson

Sarah Anderson dives into the fast-paced world of NHL hockey. Her coverage includes game analysis, player spotlights, and the latest news from the ice. Sarah’s dedication to the sport ensures that hockey enthusiasts stay informed about the NHL’s thrilling action.