In the course of the ongoing retooling of his crew, St. Louis Blues basic supervisor Doug Armstrong desires to see his membership keep within the playoff chase.
That is why he acquired veteran defenseman Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Geese on Saturday. Fowler will make his home-ice debut for the Blues on Sunday once they host the New York Rangers.
“I perceive the place we’re within the standings, I perceive the place we’re in our progress sample,” Armstrong mentioned. “However each large recreation that we play, each large recreation that we’re in, it advantages (Philip) Broberg, it advantages (Dylan) Holloway, it advantages (Jake) Neighbours, it advantages (Joel) Hofer, it advantages (Zack) Bolduc.
“You learn to win, and also you additionally learn to lose. What we’re attempting to do is to remain aggressive, give these guys the surroundings the place they will develop, and never rush our youthful gamers that we’re constructing round.”
With that in thoughts, Armstrong changed head coach Drew Bannister with Jim Montgomery shortly after the Boston Bruins fired their bench boss final month. The Blues have posted a 5-2-2 report below Montgomery.
The Blues have been depleted on the blue line with veterans Torey Krug (ankle surgical procedure) and Nick Leddy (decrease physique) on the shelf. Armstrong despatched a second-round choose within the 2027 NHL Draft and defensive prospect Jeremie Biakabutuka to Anaheim for the 33-year-old Fowler, who slots right into a Prime 4 function in St. Louis.
Fowler paired with Justin Faulk on Saturday and performed 17:57 in the course of the Blues’ 2-1 additional time loss to the host Dallas Stars.
“You’ll be able to by no means have sufficient good defensemen,” Montgomery mentioned, “and it is simply good with the best way we have been utilizing our high 4 with the minutes, to have another person are available who’s going to have the ability to eat lots of these minutes as properly.”
The Geese traded Fowler after buying fellow defenseman Jacob Trouba from the slumping Rangers, who’ve misplaced 9 of their previous 12 video games.
“There’s lots of issues you possibly can say; on the finish of the day, you could carry out on the ice and you could ensure you present up and provides it your all each shift,” New York middle Vincent Trocheck mentioned. “Proper now, I really feel like we’re not doing that.”
New York’s downturn included a 5-2 loss to the Blues at residence on Nov. 25, when Bolduc scored two targets and Hofer made 27 saves for St. Louis. Hofer ought to begin in opposition to the Rangers once more on Sunday, sooner or later after Jordan Binnington manned the web in Dallas.
The Rangers are coming off a lackluster 5-1 loss at residence to the Los Angeles Kings Saturday.
“We’ve got to know that it will take much more than what we did (on Saturday) to get out of this,” Rangers middle Mika Zibanejad mentioned. “It is unacceptable.”
Igor Shesterkin began in purpose Saturday and allowed 5 targets on 21 pictures earlier than being relieved by Jonathan Fast. Beforehand, Fast drew the beginning within the second of back-to-back video games — so he could get the nod in opposition to the Blues.
After Okay’Andre Miller went on injured reserve with an upper-body damage, fellow defenseman Connor Mackey made his season debut for the Rangers Saturday and performed 15:58.
Winger Brandon Saad was a wholesome scratch for the Blues on Saturday and Radek Faksa was sidelined by damage. Each might return in opposition to the Rangers.
–Area Degree Media