The St. Louis Blues made two final roster moves before taking a group of players for a team bonding trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan on Friday. ForwardJordan Caron, a veteran of 153 NHL games, and goaltender Pheonix Copley, who had been taking some of the load off ofBrian ElliottandJake Allenduring preseason practices, were assigned to the AHL Chicago Wolves.
Caron made a solid run at the Blues’ opening NHL roster, lasting all the way through the preseason. He skated in two preseason games, registering a plus-1 rating with just one shot. The former Boston Bruins first-round pick was placed on waivers yesterday, though, and since he cleared he’ll begin the season in Chicago. He should have at least a decent shot at a call-up during the season, though his chances at returning to the NHL would decrease if the Blues elected to keep one or both of their current professional tryout players,Scottie UpshallandScott Gomez.
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The 23-year-old Copley didn’t make the final roster and played in just one preseason game (playing two periods and allowing one goal on 14 shots faced), but he did emerge from camp victorious, as he apparently has passed up incumbent Jordan Binnington on the Blues’ organizational goalie depth chart. Copley, who was acquired from the Washington Capitals this summer in theT.J. Oshietrade, lasted throughout the duration of the preseason, while Binnington was sent back to the minors in one of the team’s earliest rounds of cuts. It should be interesting to see how the two young goalies split duties with Chicago this season.
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The Blues’ roster is now down to 27 players, which means that they’ll still have to pick two forwards among Upshall, Gomez,Magnus Paajarvi, andTy Rattie, and a defenseman betweenChris Butler, Colton Parayko, and Joel Edmundson. They may be able to keep two of those blueliners at the beginning of the season, however, if the currently-injuredCarl Gunnarssonis not game-ready by opening night and has to begin the season on injured reserve. Gunnarsson began skating with the team again on Friday afternoon, so his outlook is looking better than it was earlier this week.
Next: Blues Assign Four Players to AHL
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