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After Sluggish Loss, Can St. Louis Blues Rebound Thursday Against Detroit Red Wings?

By Patrick Karraker

Jan 15, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Alexander Steen (20) scores a goal past Detroit Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek (34) during the third period at Scottrade Center. The Detroit Red Wings defeat the St. Louis Blues 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Alexander Steen (20) scores a goal past Detroit Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek (34) during the third period at Scottrade Center. The Detroit Red Wings defeat the St. Louis Blues 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jori Lehtera St. Louis Blues
May 15, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues center Jori Lehtera (12) looks in the game against the San Jose Sharks during the first period in game one of the Western Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Projected Lineup

The biggest news regarding Thursday’s lineup is that Jori Lehtera is expected to return from an concussion that has sidelined him for the past four games. Lehtera will likely rejoin Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz, the two linemates who he’s played with so frequently since arriving in the NHL back in 2014. The one twist to the situation is that Schwartz may stick at center–the position that he just began playing two games ago–with the natural centerman Lehtera shifting over to left wing.

Via NHL.com’s Lou Korac, winger Magnus Paajarvi “sounds like someone who will get in” for Thursday’s game. Assuming that Lehtera is ultimately cleared to play, it’s difficult to project where Paajarvi might slot in. Unless Robby Fabbri is going to receive a surprise wake-up call on Thursday after a somewhat slow start to the season, the only logical options to be pulled out of the lineup are fourth-line wingers Scottie Upshall and Ryan Reaves.

Next: Blues Send Goalie Prospect Ville Husso to ECHL

Jake Allen will also get back into the lineup after giving way to Carter Hutton in Tuesday night’s loss. Allen has started five of the team’s first seven games this season.

Here’s how Thursday’s lineup could look:

Robby Fabbri-Paul Stastny-Alexander Steen

Jori Lehtera-Jaden Schwartz-Vladimir Tarasenko

David Perron-Patrik Berglund-Nail Yakupov

Dmitrij Jaskin-Kyle Brodziak-Ryan Reaves

Jay Bouwmeester-Alex Pietrangelo

Robert Bortuzzo-Kevin Shattenkirk

Joel Edmundson-Colton Parayko

Jake Allen

Scratches: Carl Gunnarsson, Ty Rattie, Scottie Upshall

Update, 11:52 AM: With Paajarvi having been waived this morning, Dmitrij Jaskin will instead take the left wing spot on the fourth line. Robert Bortuzzo will also draw into the lineup alongside Kevin Shattenkirk, with Carl Gunnarsson serving as a healthy scratch once again.

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