Zero
12-06-2005, 09:00 AM
Blues rely on younger guns
By Jeremy Rutherford (jrutherford@<hidden>)
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Dec. 05 2005
With Christian Backman joining Eric Brewer on the injured-reserve list
Saturday, the Blues' defensive core is a shambles. Three of the six blue-line
players who will be in uniform for the game tonight against the New York
Islanders have played 45 games or fewer in the NHL.
If this were two years ago, veteran defenseman Eric Weinrich might expect to
see one of his old buddies added to the roster.
Where are you, Marc Bergevin?
But the NHL's new salary cap and rules that affect primarily defensemen are
causing a new trend in the league. Clubs are going away from retread players
because of the cost and because their experience doesn't mean much at a
position that has changed drastically.
"The guys who used to be reliable guys that everybody would want, they might
not fit the style anymore, a guy like Bergie," said Weinrich, a 17-year NHL
veteran. "People want guys who can skate and are real offensive."
The Blues will have two of those players in Dennis Wideman and Kevin Dallman on
the ice tonight when they face the Islanders at 7:05 at Savvis Center. Called
up in early November from Peoria, Wideman will play tonight in his 10th NHL
game. Dallman, picked up off waivers Saturday after the injury to Backman, has
played in 21 NHL games - all with Boston this season.
"I think with the new (collective bargaining agreement), you'll probably see
that the trend is going to go to the younger player," Blues coach Mike Kitchen
said. "I was at the game in Peoria last night, and the teams in the American
league are very young. You don't see many veteran players down there at all. It
used to be the NHL clubs liked to hang on to the veteran players for depth.
Since they aren't there, the younger players are getting a better opportunity
in the NHL right now."
Asked what his defensive pairings would be for tonight's game, Kitchen motioned
like he was shaking dice and rolling them out on the table. "I don't know ...
," he said.
Actually, Kitchen could have made the same gesture had he been asked about his
forwards. Petr Cajanek (groin) and Ryan Johnson (personal reasons) won't play
tonight. Cajanek was placed on injured reserve Monday, retroactive to Friday.
The team has called up center Jay McClement from Peoria.
"We just have to shuffle people around," Kitchen said.
But at least the Blues have experienced forwards to fill in the blanks. On
defense, they'll be counting on a lot of youth.
Kitchen said Weinrich (22 minutes, 49 seconds ice time per game), Bryce
Salvador (20:04) and Barret Jackman (18:58) would get increased playing time.
But he has no choice than to give Dallman (19:23 with Boston), Wideman (16:45)
and Matt Walker (10:50) more exposure, too.
"There are guys who are going to get a good opportunity to play in a lot of
situations that they wouldn't if we had a healthy set of (defensemen)," Kitchen
said. "There's been a lot of pressure on our defense all year long, maybe
playing guys more than what we want to play them."
Walker, who has played in 45 NHL games, said the Blues' inexperience on defense
is blown out of proportion.
"I don't go into the game thinking I've only played 45 games," Walker said.
"I've been playing for 20 years. I don't consider myself inexperienced."
But no one disagrees that it's a different era in the NHL.
"Oh yeah, definitely, because of the cap," Dallman said. "Instead of going out
and getting another high-profile guy, you bring up a younger guy that you can
get under the salary cap. That's probably good for the team and good for the
development of the player."
By Jeremy Rutherford (jrutherford@<hidden>)
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Monday, Dec. 05 2005
With Christian Backman joining Eric Brewer on the injured-reserve list
Saturday, the Blues' defensive core is a shambles. Three of the six blue-line
players who will be in uniform for the game tonight against the New York
Islanders have played 45 games or fewer in the NHL.
If this were two years ago, veteran defenseman Eric Weinrich might expect to
see one of his old buddies added to the roster.
Where are you, Marc Bergevin?
But the NHL's new salary cap and rules that affect primarily defensemen are
causing a new trend in the league. Clubs are going away from retread players
because of the cost and because their experience doesn't mean much at a
position that has changed drastically.
"The guys who used to be reliable guys that everybody would want, they might
not fit the style anymore, a guy like Bergie," said Weinrich, a 17-year NHL
veteran. "People want guys who can skate and are real offensive."
The Blues will have two of those players in Dennis Wideman and Kevin Dallman on
the ice tonight when they face the Islanders at 7:05 at Savvis Center. Called
up in early November from Peoria, Wideman will play tonight in his 10th NHL
game. Dallman, picked up off waivers Saturday after the injury to Backman, has
played in 21 NHL games - all with Boston this season.
"I think with the new (collective bargaining agreement), you'll probably see
that the trend is going to go to the younger player," Blues coach Mike Kitchen
said. "I was at the game in Peoria last night, and the teams in the American
league are very young. You don't see many veteran players down there at all. It
used to be the NHL clubs liked to hang on to the veteran players for depth.
Since they aren't there, the younger players are getting a better opportunity
in the NHL right now."
Asked what his defensive pairings would be for tonight's game, Kitchen motioned
like he was shaking dice and rolling them out on the table. "I don't know ...
," he said.
Actually, Kitchen could have made the same gesture had he been asked about his
forwards. Petr Cajanek (groin) and Ryan Johnson (personal reasons) won't play
tonight. Cajanek was placed on injured reserve Monday, retroactive to Friday.
The team has called up center Jay McClement from Peoria.
"We just have to shuffle people around," Kitchen said.
But at least the Blues have experienced forwards to fill in the blanks. On
defense, they'll be counting on a lot of youth.
Kitchen said Weinrich (22 minutes, 49 seconds ice time per game), Bryce
Salvador (20:04) and Barret Jackman (18:58) would get increased playing time.
But he has no choice than to give Dallman (19:23 with Boston), Wideman (16:45)
and Matt Walker (10:50) more exposure, too.
"There are guys who are going to get a good opportunity to play in a lot of
situations that they wouldn't if we had a healthy set of (defensemen)," Kitchen
said. "There's been a lot of pressure on our defense all year long, maybe
playing guys more than what we want to play them."
Walker, who has played in 45 NHL games, said the Blues' inexperience on defense
is blown out of proportion.
"I don't go into the game thinking I've only played 45 games," Walker said.
"I've been playing for 20 years. I don't consider myself inexperienced."
But no one disagrees that it's a different era in the NHL.
"Oh yeah, definitely, because of the cap," Dallman said. "Instead of going out
and getting another high-profile guy, you bring up a younger guy that you can
get under the salary cap. That's probably good for the team and good for the
development of the player."