Blues Roster Down to 30

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The Blues Training Camp Roster is now down to 30 after 10 were cut today. Andy Murray's team must be down to 23 (not counting a third goaltender, permitted to travel with teams starting their seasons overseas) before it starts the regular season on October 2nd and 3rd in Sweden against Detroit.

The Note have 17 forwards, 10 defenseman (including Eric Brewer, who is expected to start the season on IR) and three goaltenders on the current roster. The team could possibly enter the 2009-2010 regular season with 14 forwards, 7 healthy defenseman and two goalies.

Forwards on the bubble, include Derek Armstrong, Yan Stastny and Barry Tallackson. None of the three will likely make the team if a) Can Janssen and D-J King make the club and b) all of the current forwards expected to make the team stay healthy...though it's worth stating that Armstrong, signed two weeks ago to a two-way contract, has had a strong camp and played for Murray years ago in Los Angeles. The center could be an injury to another forward away from a promotion if he starts the season in Peoria.

The defense battle has become a four-man derby for two spots. Alex Pietrangelo, Darryl Sydor, Tyson Strachan and Jonas Junland are vying for said spots. Blueliner Brendan Bell (one of today's cuts), signed to a two-way deal this summer, is awaiting word on whether or not he clears waivers to complete his assignment to Peoria. Bell scored six goals for the Ottawa Senators last season.

Goaltender Ben Bishop will ultimately head back to Peoria assuming Chris Mason and Ty Conklin stay healthy through the remainder of the preseason and trip to Stockholm (teams beginning season overseas can take three goalies). Bishop will be paired with the returning Hannu Toivonen in the American Hockey League. The organization believes that Toivonen has a better attitude and focus now than he did when the club originally had him on its roster years ago.

The Blues are enjoying their first and perhaps last off day of Training Camp 2009, three days before facing Minnesota in its next exhibition test, Thursday night on the road.

TPC