Blues' morning skate has training camp look - STLtoday.com

BY JEREMY RUTHERFORD STLtoday.com | Posted: Saturday, January 14, 2012 11:29 am |

Is this January or September? There were 26 players on the ice today for the Blues' morning skate, making it feel more like training camp.   

There were 15 forwards, nine defensemen and two goalies suited up, as the list of injured players inching closer to a return is growing.

"It's obviously a good sign when you have all these guys practicing with the team instead of being out on the ice at 8 in the morning by themselves," Blues defenseman Barret Jackman said. "The closer they get, the more excited you get ... but it's still probably a few more games without them. But it shows how hard they're working and how hungry they are to get back."

Here's the update:

- Forward Andy McDonald (concussion) continues to skate with the team, but he's still wearing the red "no contact" jersey. There's no timetable when he'll shed the jersey.

"Andy was very good (at Tuesday's morning skate at the Bell Center," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Andy was alert and competitive. We'll see when the sweater comes off. Once the sweater comes off, there's still time he has to practice as a full-contact person, but he looked very good ... no tentativeness, just compete. He wasn't on the move. He was stopping on pucks, doing all the things a normal player does."

- Forward Alex Steen (concussion) skated this morning and is expected to return next week, perhaps as soon as Monday against Dallas. He will miss his eighth consecutive game tonight.

- Defenseman Kris Russell (groin) skated with the team for the first time today since injuring himself Dec. 27 against Detroit. He will miss his eighth consecutive game, but could be back next week.

"He's close, I don't know yet (about his return)," Hitchcock said.

- Defensman Kent Huskins (ankle) also skated with the club for the first time today since suffering his injury Oct. 28 in Calgary.

"You're talking weeks (before he returns), but it's nice ... at least he gets to come out and skate and be part of the team," Hitchcock said.

- Jackman return to practice and will play tonight. He missed one game with a hip injury after being hit awkwardly into the boards Tuesday by Montreal's PK Subban.

"I didn't realize (Subban) was going to step up as hard as he did," Jackman said. "I was just trying to get a shot on net to get a rebound and just put myself in a bad position."

Jackman came to the bench for the third period, but didn't play.

"I did a lot of work in the room to try and play, but I just didn't feel like I was in a position to help the team," Jackman said. "I had a chance to stay in the room and do therapy, but I'd rather sit on the bench and cheer on the team."

The Blues will send Cade Fairchild back to Peoria.

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TONIGHT'S LINEUP

Forwards

David Perron-David Backes-Chris Stewart

Matt D'Agostini-Patrik Berglund-T.J. Oshie

Vladimir Sobotka-Jason Arnott-Jamie Langenbrunner

B.J. Crombeen-Scott Nichol-Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Carlo Colaiacovo-Alex Pietrangelo

Barret Jackman-Kevin Shattenkirk

Ian Cole-Roman Polak

Goalie

Jaroslav Halak

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BACKES ON ALL-STAR SNUB

Through Friday's games, 51 forwards had more goals than David Backes' 14 and 62 forwards had more points than his 31, but Backes' overall game is what many believe makes him all-star worthy.

But one year after making his first all-star appearance, Backes was left off this year's roster. He took the news in stride and said he appreciated those who believed he belonged. The Blues will be represented by goalie Brian Elliott at the Jan. 29th game in Ottawa. 

"'Ells' is very deserving and he'll have a great time in a place that he's played before," Backes said. "Would I love to be going with him, yeah, but there's only so many spots on there and there's a lot of great players in this league. It's an honor to go to that game and if I can go to more in the future, that's great. If not, we get to rest up (like this year) for a great second half of the season into a playoff push."

Backes has big plans for the all-star break.

"I'm going to take my pilot's license test," he said. "I've passed the written test and now I've got the oral (test) and the actual flying test and then I'll my license. The oral is a couple of hours and then the flying is a couple of hours, so I finally get a full day off and I'll hope to sneak that in."

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ODDS & ENDS

- Jaroslav Halak returns to the net tonight, following his 19-save shutout Tuesday in Montreal. Halak is 7-0-3 in his last 10 games.

- Minnesota is 0-7-1 in its last eight road games and has scored a total of seven goals in that span. The Blues are 4-0-3 in their last seven home games against the Wild.

- Josh Harding will be in net tonight for Minnesota. He is 6-2 with a 1.69 goals-against average and .940 save-percentage in his career against the Blues.

- David Backes is one of four players at this point in the season with at least 115 hits, 10 goals and 100 shots on goal. The others are L.A.'s Dustin Brown, New York Rangers' Ryan Callahan and Phoenix's Shane Doan.

- Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has a career-high five-game point streak (1 goal, 7 assists).

- Vladimir Sobotka will play in his 100th game as a Blue tonight.