Vladimir Tarasenko is expected to be an important part of St. Louis' future and he received that message before leaving the team after their playoff elimination.
"I was very impressed with his season," GM Doug Armstrong said. "Now he has to go home and he has to come back in and be a player that we can count on. He left with a mandate that, 'Your name is on the board in an important spot now.'" Tarasenko played in just one playoff game in the Blues' first-round exit against Los Angeles after producing eight goals and 19 points in 38 games during his rookie season.

Blues GM Doug Armstrong called his team's goaltending situation "cloudy."
Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak are both candidates for the number one role and signed through next season, but they'll also have to compete with 22-year-old Jake Allen. "I think anything could happen," Armstrong said. "It was a difficult year for both Elliott and Jaro, and I think Jake took great advantage of it. He's proven to us now that he has to go in the equation. Brian got off to a poor start, resurrected himself, had a great finish. Jaro, unfortunately, had injuries. We were giving him the ball and then ... he got injured again, and the season progressed and he didn't get back in the net. So it's a cloudy issue right now to be honest with you, our goaltending situation, because of how the season has progressed. It's a positive cloud in one sense, in that Jake has given us things we have to look at." It's possible that the Blues will trade Halak or Elliott to clear the logjam.

Ty Rattie earned the MVP Award in the WHL playoffs.
"It's a great feeling to know that all your hard work, all of your team's hard work, finally paid off," Rattie said. "To lift that trophy was a surreal feeling." He had 20 goals and 36 points in 21 postseason contests after recording 48 goals and 110 points in 62 regular season games. He'll be worth keeping an eye on during the Blues' training camp.

St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock and GM Doug Armstrong both mentioned the need for the team's "homegrown" players to take a big step next season.
There's been a lot of talk about the Blues not possessing an elite finisher, but St. Louis also has multiple former first-round picks on the roster. Players like T.J. Oshie, Chris Stewart and Patrik Berglund need to develop into more consistent offensive players in the postseason while youngsters Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko get more experience under their belts.

It doesn't sound like the St. Louis Blues are going to make sweeping changes following their first-round exit.
"My belief in playoff success is you knock on the door, you get to the door enough times and sooner or later you get through," Blues GM Doug Armstrong said. "Where we're at now is we're at the door consistently for two years, we're going to get back there. If we put ourselves in this position year-in and year-out, at some point we'll get through." He added that he feels the team is moving in the right direction.

St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong essentially said that it's up to Jori Lehtera if he wants to join up with the team next season.
The 25-year-old Finnish center was the 65th pick of the 2008 NHL Draft. He's been close to a point-per-game player in the KHL the past two seasons, so it's possible that he can fit in well with a team that could use more offense.

NHL.com's Lou Korac reports that St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong didn't exactly give his teams unrestricted free agents glowing reviews.
Among the most interesting names on that list: Andy McDonald, Jamie Langenbrunner, Jordan Leopold and Scott Nichol. With a cloudy goaltending situation also in mind, this could be an interesting offseason.

St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong acknowledged the elephant in the room: the team's goaltending situation is "cloudy."
All three of Jaroslav Halak, Brian Elliott and Jake Allen could argue that they deserve playing time. Of note: Allen is a restricted free agent this summer while Elliott and Halak have one year left on their deals. It could be an interesting offseason storyline.

Reports out of St. Louis say that Jaroslav Halak and coach Ken Hitchcock had a heated argument on the morning of Game 4.
Halak was quite perturbed that he did not play in the regular season finale as he was healthy enough to, but Hitchcock used Brian Elliott as fourth place was still on the line. The Blues won 3-1 but Halak still felt he should have played. The blowup before Game 4 was caused by Halak being late for a team meeting and things apparently got out of hand quickly. Halak still has a year left on his contract but it remains to be seen if he will spend it in St. Louis with Hitchcock at the helm.

With the St. Louis Blues eliminated, David Backes will play for the U.S. team in the 2013 World Hockey Championships.
Backes generated a disappointing offensive output in the 2013 regular season, managing 28 points in 48 games on just 100 SOG. His six goals would've been well short of the pace he generated in 2010-11 (31 tallies) and 2011-12 (24).

T.J. Oshie recorded a team-worst minus-4 for the Blues in their opening round series loss to Los Angeles.
Oshie returned from a late-season injury to suit up for the Blues in Game One of the series, but it's fair to question whether he returned too soon, as he became a defensive liability. The winger is a talented scorer and we shouldn't read too much into such a small sample, but let's hope coach Ken Hitchcock has a short memory entering next season.

Blues defenseman Roman Polak is upset with his play on the eventual game-winning goal for the Kings Friday.
With second remaining in the second period of a 1-1 game, Kings forward Dustin Penner fired a long shot on goal in desperation, but Polak's attempt to block it screened goaltender Brian Elliot and led to the go-ahead marker for Los Angeles. "It was a bad play by me," he said. "There were just two seconds left. I tried to block it and I just got a piece of it."

Ken Hitchcock says the St. Louis Blues should be "disappointed in the opportunity we missed."
The Blues lost four straight games after taking a 2-0 lead in the series against the Kings and it's hard to blame Hitchcock for being as upset as he was after Friday's series-clinching 2-1 loss. "I hope our players, when they pause and reflect on it, are really pissed off," Hitchcock said. It was the second straight year the Blues were bounced by the Kings, but what has to be really frustrating is how well they played for long stretches of the series. We don't imagine the sting of this loss will fade anytime soon.

Chris Porter scored the lone goal for the St. Louis Blues in a 2-1 loss Friday night.
Porter was in the right place at the right time as a Roman Polak shot deflected off Porter and past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. Porter had just two goals and eight points in 29 games this season and is more of a depth forward at this point in his career.

Chris Stewart was held off the scoresheet again in the St. Louis Blues' series-ending 2-1 loss Friday night.
Stewart finished the postseason with just one assist in six games after leading the Blues in scoring during the regular season. Stewart and his linemates were often given a defensive role against the Kings, but that's still not reason enough for a player of Stewart's caliber to be so inept offensively in the playoffs. The Blues have never been an offensive juggernaut under coach Ken Hitchcock, but it's pretty clear they'll need to find a way to improve their scoring next season if they finally want to make a deep playoff run.

Brian Elliott stopped 14 of 16 shots as the St. Louis Blues lost 2-1 Friday night and were eliminated in Game 6.
Elliott and the Blues lost four straight after staking a 2-0 lead in the incredibly physical series. The margin of victory in most of the games was razor thin and Friday night was no different, with Dustin Penner's last-second goal in the second period proving to be the difference. It's a goal Elliott will carry all offseason with the Blues netminder likely kicking himself for sitting back in the crease instead of challenging Penner's slap shot from just inside the blue line. It's the second straight year the Kings have eliminated the Blues.

Chris Stewart was St. Louis' leading scorer during the regular season, but he has only one assist in five game against Los Angeles in the playoffs.
"Stewy is the leading scorer on our team, so it's tough to accept a role of negating the other team's line or canceling the other line out," said linemate Andy McDonald. "I think we expect to score and have success. We've had a number of chances and we've failed to capitalize. But I really think that we can continue to improve. It's right there for us."

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock likes the way his team is playing despite the fact that they're down 3-2 in their first-round series.
"I think we're going to play really well, I really do," Hitchcock said. "I said that (Wednesday) and I felt the same way (Thursday). We've just got to keep going. It's one game. You've got to win on the road if you're going to win in the playoffs. Just keep playing the same way, make a couple of adjustments and hope that the players keep their spirit and that they're not discouraged by playing well and losing." Every game in this series has been decided by just one goal, but the Blues have now lost three straight games. They need to win in Los Angeles on Friday, but the Kings were 19-4-1 at home during the regular season and 2-0 in this postseason run.

David Backes recorded an assist in St. Louis' 3-2 overtime loss Wednesday.
Backes has a point in each of the Blues last two games, but it hasn't been enough to take either contest. He also has 20 hits and has won 59.6% of his faceoff opportunities in five playoff games.

Alex Pietrangelo scored a goal in St. Louis' 3-2 overtime loss Wednesday.
Pietrangelo has two points in this series. Even with the team's strong core of defenseman, Pietrangelo is still averaging 27:39 minutes per game in the playoffs. He has a plus-two rating while his team is one defeat away from elimination going into Game 6.

Brian Elliott and the St. Louis Blues fell just short against the Los Angeles Kings in the fifth tight game of their first-round series, which is now 3-2 in favor of Los Angeles.
Elliott is 2-3 in the playoffs and series, but his .925 save percentage is a testament to how small the margin of error has been for both teams. It's hard to imagine him giving way to Jaroslav Halak or Jake Allen until at least round two, if the Blues manage to get there.

Alexander Steen couldn't lead the St. Louis Blues past the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 on Wednesday, but he did collect his third goal of the series.
It's been a minor breakout year of sorts for the former Toronto Maple Leafs forward, as he's shown he's one of the reasons why the Blues' balanced attack can be dangerous when it's on. Alex Pietrangelo breathed a sigh of relief with his first goal of the 2013 postseason in that 3-2 OT loss to Los Angeles.

Look for Adam Cracknell to play on Wednesday.
Cracknell was a healthy scratch on Monday to make room for Vladimir Tarasenko, but it looks like their roles will be reversed for Game 5. Cracknell is projected to play alongside Chris Porter and Ryan Reaves on the fourth line.

Vladimir Tarasenko is likely to be a healthy scratch on Wednesday.
Tarasenko was limited to just 5:51 minutes in Game 4 on Monday. He's a promising player who had a solid rookie season, but it looks like Blues coach Ken Hitchcock isn't ready to trust him with big minutes in the playoffs, given his other options.

The St. Louis Blues will be looking to bounce back Wednesday night after dropping Games 3 and 4.
The Blues squandered their 2-0 series lead and they are now tied with the Los Angeles Kings. "I don't think our confidence is shaken here," Kevin Shattenkirk said. "If anything, we're just disappointed with what happened because we know we could have done better. It's not like we don't know what we have to do to get back to the right way. The series is back to a tie. We go back home and start over. It's just a matter of resetting and getting back to the way we were playing." Neither team has won a game on the road yet, but the Kings will need to do that at least once to win this series.

David Backes says the St. Louis Blues need to do "some soul-searching" after the Los Angeles Kings tied the series at 2 games apiece Monday night.
The Blues have now lost two straight games and allowed more goals Monday than in the previous three games combined. "To score three on them was fine and dandy but to give up four, that's not our style. We've got some soul-searching to do, look in the mirror and bring a better effort and more composed effort when we get home on Wednesday," Backes said after Monday's 4-3 loss. Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday night in St. Louis.

Vladimir Tarasenko played just 5:52 in his NHL playoff debut Monday night.
Tarasenko was a healthy scratch in Games 1-3, but coach Ken Hitchcock decided to change things up Monday night. Unfortunately for the rookie, Hitchcock didn't change his preference to use veteran players in key situations, which severely limited Tarasenko's minutes and impact. Tarasenko has a ton of offensive potential but likely won't make a postseason impact until next season at the earliest.

Right winger T.J. Oshie scored two goals for the St. Louis Blues in Los Angeles Thursday night but it was the Kings who emerged victorious.
The Kings, who had been limited to only one goal in all three of the teams' previous games in this opening-round playoff series, wound up Thursday on the winning side of a 4-3 result. Oshie's first goal of the night gave the Blues a 2-0 lead. That was at 4:32. He also scored the only goal of the second period to give the Blues a 3-2 lead. The goals were Oshie's first and second of the playoffs. Also scoring for the Blues was David Backes, his first of the series. Vladimir Sobotka chipped in with two assists for the Blues, his second and third of the post-season.

St. Louis goaltender Brian Elliott, who had allowed only one goal in each of his three previous playoff starts against the Los Angeles Kings, gave up four Thursday night as the Blues were beaten 4-3.
The Blues-Kings series is now tied at 2-2. The Kings fired 29 shots at Elliott Thursday as their top gunners, Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter, finally scored their first goals of this post-season. Elliott, who had helped the Blues take a 2-0 lead in this series, was excellent Saturday but his teammates couldn't score and the Kings prevailed, 1-0.

Adam Cracknell will watch Monday's game from the press box.
He will sit so that Vladimir Tarasenko can make his NHL playoff debut in Game 4. During his 7:39 of average ice time in the Blues' first three games of the series, Cracknell has posted eight hits and four shots.

Vladimir Tarasenko will make his NHL playoff debut Monday night in Game 4.
Adam Cracknell will come out of the lineup to make room for him on the fourth line alongside Chris Porter and Ryan Reaves. "Until the (concussion), he was a good player. He came back a little tentative from the injury," coach Ken Hitchcock said. I think when you have a player who contributes like he does and is strong on the puck, determined as he is, and as big as he is, he is an asset that we can use." The rookie forward had eight goals and 19 points in 38 games during the regular season.

Jaden Schwartz practiced on Sunday after getting hurt Saturday.
Schwartz was hobbling during the third period of Game 3 Saturday but there were no ill effects Sunday. "Just a little banged up at the time, but it's fine now," Schwartz said. "I got a little bit twisted up when I fell into the boards, but it's fine now. I just wanted to see how it feels - a short little skate for the team - but it was good to get out there and feel the puck a little bit." He should be in the lineup for Game 4 Tuesday.

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock reportedly advised rookie Vladimir Tarasenko to "get ready to play" after Saturday's loss to the Kings.
Hitchcock would not commit to playing Tarasenko, who has been healthy scratch in the first three games of the series, in Monday's Game Four, however that appears a definite possibility. "I haven't gotten that far yet," Hitchcock said. "That's tomorrow's decision. I'll have to sleep on a lot of that stuff just to see what we need. I think he looks hungry and ready to play and I'm sure he's going to play well when he gets in. But you're not really sure if you want to screw around with the lineup right now when we're playing so well, so I've got to balance that out right now."

The St. Louis Blues fourth line, consisting of Adam Cracknell, Chris Porter and Ryan Reaves have been given the nickname of the CPR line.
"It's got a good ring to it," Cracknell said. "That pretty much sums up our line. We try to bring as much energy to the team any way we can." Reaves has been the Blues top hitter with 15 hits, second most in the NHL during the playoffs.

David Backes led the Blues with six shots on goal in a 1-0 loss Saturday night.
Backes hasn't recorded a point in the Blues' first-round series. Barret Jackman blocked a team-high three shots on goal. Vladimir Sobotka won an incredible seven of his eight faceoff draws.

Brian Elliott kicked out 20 of 21 shots in a 1-0 loss in Game 3 of the Blues' series against the Los Angeles Kings.
Elliott has held the Kings to just one goal in each contest of this series, but that wasn't enough on Saturday. He's one of the hottest goaltenders in the NHL right now and unless the Kings can solve him, they're going to have an incredible tough time winning this series. As it is, the Blues still have a 2-1 edge.

Vladimir Tarasenko is likely to stay in the press box on Saturday.
Tarasenko hasn't played for St. Louis in the playoffs yet. "I'm OK," Tarasenko said after Saturday's morning skate. "It's a good experience for me. The guys win, and I can't be sad when guys win. I'm so happy we lead 2-0. If the team wins, that's the main (thing)." He had eight goals and 19 points in 38 games this season.

Brian Elliott had a rough time during much of the regular season with the St. Louis Blues but he has re-established himself as a major player for the team during the post-season.
With Elliott stopping 28 of 29 shots in two consecutive games, the Blues lead their playoff series against the defending champion Los Angeles Kings 2-0. In March, Elliott was struggling and rookie Jake Allen was recalled. Elliott didn't even see the ice for 11 straight games. But, according to Blues defenseman Barret Jackman: (Elliott) is a huge reason that we're in the playoffs, and then the last two games, he's really stood on his head at the moments that we've needed him, giving us an opportunity to be in a position where we're up 2-0."

Kevin Shattenkirk had an assist in St. Louis' 2-1 overtime win on Tuesday.
Shattenkirk logged 20:56 minutes in Game 1 of the Blues' first-round series, which ranked him fifth among Blues defenseman. After adding Jay Bouwmeester and Jordan Leopold, St. Louis' defense is incredibly deep and could propel them deep into the playoffs.

Alexander Steen tallied both goals, including the overtime winner, for St. Louis in a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles in their playoff opener Tuesday night.
He opened the scoring in the first period on the man advantage and scored the winner while the Blues were shorthanded. Kevin Shattenkirk had an assist on Steen's power-play strike and he was in the penalty box, serving a double-minor for high sticking, when Steen scored again to give the Blues a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Ryan Reaves and Adam Cracknell threw their weight around in the match with nine and five hits, respectively against the Kings.

Brian Elliott made 28 saves on 29 shots in a 2-1 overtime victory against Los Angeles in St. Louis' playoff opener Tuesday night.
The Kings forced overtime in the final minute of regulation, but that was the only time they beat Elliott. Los Angeles outshot the Blues 10-6 in overtime, but St. Louis bottled up the Kings in the opening three periods and allowed just 19 total shots. Elliott was good when he had to be though and his hot streak from the regular season continues.

Jamie Langenbrunner (hip surgery) is skating but the St. Louis Blues would have to advance for him to have a chance to play this season.
Langenbrunner underwent surgery in mid-February and it seems extremely doubtful he'd be able to return this season. Stranger things have happened, but we'll continue to consider him out for the season for the time being.

St. Louis Blues rookies Vladimir Tarasenko and Dmitrij Jaskin will not play in Game 1 on Tuesday but will probably play in the playoffs, according to coach Ken Hitchcock.
Hitchcock said he's always believed the first game of a playoff series is better suited for veterans. When they'll get in, however, is a question, with Hitchcock only promising the two rookies will "probably get time in playoffs." Hopefully you didn't draft either promising youngster in your playoff pools.

St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock confirmed Tuesday that T.J. Oshie (ankle) will be back in the lineup for tonight's Game 1 vs. the Kings.
Oshie's been sidelined since March 28 with the injury but practiced Monday and appeared ready to return. Hitchcock said the Blues wouldn't rush Oshie back into the lineup, which means he should be as close to 100 percent as possible at this time of the year. Those owners that drafted Oshie in their playoff pools are feeling much better right now. Rookie Vladimir Tarasenko will sit for Oshie.

The St. Louis Blues are prepared for a first-round rematch with the Los Angeles Kings, who swept them out of the playoffs in the second round last spring.
The Blues have had a lot of difficulty with the Kings, who have eight straight over St. Louis dating back to last year's sweep. "Look, we haven't beaten them in two years," coach Ken Hitchcock said Monday. "I think we're really hungry for this series. It's a matchup that quite frankly if we're going to go far, the confidence if we could win this series would be astronomical."

The NHL named Brian Elliott the second star of April on Monday.
He compiled an 11-2-0 record, with a 1.28 goals-against average, a .948 save percentage and three shutouts in 13 games between the pipes for the St. Louis Blues. Elliott helped the Blues lock down the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, while Jaroslav Halak recovered from a groin injury. He will probably enter the postseason as the team's starter.

Brian Elliott was 11-2 in his last 13 starts.
Elliott was absolutely outstanding as he has returned to the form he showed last season with a 1.28 GAA and a .948 save percentage. He struggled early on but will lead the Blues into the post-season on a high. He is worth selecting if you think the Blues are going to go deep into the playoffs.

While the St. Louis Blues seem optimistic about getting him back for the start of the playoffs, it's worth noting that T.J. Oshie didn't practice on Sunday.
The young forward has been sidelined since March 28 with an ankle injury that required a surgical procedure. It's difficult to tell if the Blues are merely being overly optimistic regarding his return.

The Blues believe T.J. Oshie will be fully recovered from his ankle injury to play in Game 1 of their playoff series with the Kings.
Coach Ken Hitchcock reiterated the team didn't want to rush Oshie back, which explains why he did not dress for any of the team's last few regular season contests. "We're not taking any risks there," Hitchcock said. "We'll wait until the first possible playoff game and then go from there." Feel free to draft Oshie as you normally would in playoff pools.

Brian Elliott will begin the postseason as the Blues starting netminder.
Elliott has been absolutely brilliant over the past month, allowing St. Louis to climb to fourth in the Western Conference after they were once in ninth position. With Jaroslav Halak still nursing a knee ailment and Elliott on a terrific hot streak there's really no debate at this point.

Brian Elliott made 22 saves in St. Louis' 3-1 win over the Blackhawks on Saturday night.
It was a result the Blues were expected to wind up with because Chicago scratched so many lineup regulars, but it was an important one nonetheless as it gives the Blues home-ice advantage in the first round. Elliott has won his last three starts. The Blues will face the Kings in Round 1 of the playoffs.

Jaden Schwartz scored twice to lead the Blues to a 3-1 win over the Blackhawks on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old wraps up his regular season with seven goals and six assists. Patrik Berglund recorded the other goal for St. Louis, his 17th. Kris Russell and David Backes chipped in with two assists apiece.

Evgeny Grachev has been summoned by the St. Louis Blues.
Grachev has 11 goals and 15 assists in 76 games this season. He also has a goal and four points in 34 career NHL contests.

Jeff Woywitka has been called up by the St. Louis Blues.
Woywitka has a goal and 11 points in 34 AHL games this season. He's an organizational depth defenseman.

Taylor Chorney has been promoted by St. Louis.
Chorney has four goals and 24 points in 73 games this season. The 26-year-old has played in 61 career NHL contests.

Barret Jackman (ankle) will not play in St. Louis' season finale.
Jackman said that he would be playing if this was a postseason game. With that in mind, expect him to return for Game 1 of the first round.

T.J. Oshie is not expected to play Saturday when the Blues wrap up the regular season against Chicago, but the opening game of the playoffs - Tuesday or Wednesday - is a legitimate target.
Oshie missed eight games before the surgery, when his injury was labeled as a serious bruise, and Thursday he sat out his fifth game since the surgery. "He's a notoriously quick healer," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. "He and (Barret) Jackman have the highest pain thresh-hold of our group, so I'm not surprised."

Brian Elliott, who stopped 18 of 19 shots Thursday in the Blues` 4-1 victory over Calgary, will back in the St. Louis net for the team`s regular-season finale against the Chicago Blackhawks.
It`s an important game for the Blues in that a win would give them home-ice advantage in the first round of the NHL playoffs, which begin next week. Chicago already is cemented in first place and will start netminder Carter Hutton, an undrafted free-agent signed last summer who has never played in the NHL.

Defenseman Barret Jackman, who sat out Thursday because of an ankle injury, could be back in the St. Louis lineup today for the Blues`important regular-season finale.
The Blues need a win over the Chicago Blackhawks today to secure home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Barret Jackman missed Thursday's game due to an ankle injury.
Jackman also missed the third period of Tuesday's contest due to the ailment. Blues coach Ken Hitchcock has made it clear that his priority is to make sure Jackman is ready for the start of the playoffs, so it wouldn't be shocking if the Blues give him as much time off as possible by keeping Jackman out of the season finale on Saturday.

Andy McDonald found the back of the net for the Blues in a 4-1 win over Calgary Thursday.
This marks the second straight game in which McDonald has potted a goal, giving him seven on the season. Ryan Reaves added a pair of tallies in the win while Alexander Steen counted once.

Brian Elliott stopped 18 of 19 shots Thursday as the Blues cruised to a 4-1 win over Calgary.
Elliott has enjoyed quite the in-season roller coaster ride this year, but he and his teammates appear to have things back on track entering the postseason. He has notched a victory in 10 of his last 12 appearances.

T.J. Oshie (ankle) hasn't skated for the past two days, but his time off the ice has been by design.
"Fully part of the plan," coach Ken Hitchcock said Thursday. "He'll be a full-time participant starting tomorrow. He'll be ready to go." Oshie hopes to be ready for the start of the playoffs.

Jaroslav Halak will serve as Brian Elliott's backup in Thursday's match-up against Calgary.
Halak has missed the team's last 12 games with a groin injury. It's probable that he'll get the nod in the Blues' regular-season finale versus the Chicago Blackhawks Saturday night, but we'll keep you posted on that matter once we hear something.

Kris Russell will dress Thursday night in the place of injured defenseman Barret Jackman.
He has played only one of the Blues' last 12 games when he skated as a forward in Detroit on April 7. Russell has five points and a plus-4 rating in 31 games this season.

Jay Bouwmeester is getting ready for his first postseason game.
Bouwmeester, 29, has played in 762 career contests without participating in a playoff game. However, the St. Louis Blues have clinched a playoff berth. "I think they have a good team here, we have a team that's kind of built for that (playoff) kind of hockey," he said. "That's the focus now, it's not just getting in. We want to win. It's fun winning, we've had a pretty good stretch here. It's a young group of guys; I kind of feel a little old sometimes but it's been fun. I've enjoyed my time here -- and hopefully I have a long time here." Bouwmeester is signed through the 2013-14 campaign.

Brian Elliott will play between the pipes on Thursday.
"Points are so important, seeding's so important," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "I think momentum is important. Brian's playing (Thursday) and we'll just see on Saturday." Elliott has a 1.33 GAA and .947 save percentage in 11 games this month.

Jaroslav Halak (groin) may be able to back up Brian Elliott Thursday night when the Blues host Calgary.
"It's kind of one day at a time with Jaro right now," said coach Ken Hitchcock. "He's close, but I think until he feels comfortable 100 percent, where he feels like if he had to go in in case of an injury, he's got to feel comfortable. And so far, he hasn't given us that sign. We're hoping for it in the next day or two, but it's not there yet." Hitchcock added that the decision will likely be left up to Halak.

Barret Jackman didn't play in the third period of Tuesday's win over Colorado after he blocked a shot just below his ankle.
Coach Ken Hitchcock said after the game that the injury is not serious, but Jackman won't play Thursday versus Calgary. "We'll give 'Jacks' the day off," Hitchcock said. "He's day to day, and for him, Game 1 (of the playoffs) is critical. Making sure he's ready for Game 1 is going to be important. I don't think he needs any more games to be ready for it. He's not a guy that needs to be constantly on the ice to play. Right now, our focus for him moves to Game 1 of the playoffs." Kris Russell will dress Thursday in his place.

David Perron's demotion to the fourth line didn't last long, as he played most of Tuesday's game with Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Tarasenko.
Coach Ken Hitchcock wasn't pleased with Perron's turnover in Sunday's 5-3 loss to Colorado. The Blues bench boss was impressed with his response though even though he didn't get a point in Tuesday's win over the Avalanche.

After their win Tuesday night, the St. Louis Blues have assured themselves of a playoff berth for the second consecutive season but left winger David Perron isn't celebrating all that much.
Perron has been demoted to the Blues' fourth line by coach Ken Hitchcock. Perron's demotion occurred after Sunday's sloppy performance in Denver that included a costly turnover in his own end. The Blues last won with more than two goals April 5. Perron entered Tuesday with one goal and five points in the last 19 games. Hockey types, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, refer to Perron as "liking the puck on his stick." As a point guard he would stand accused of being dribble happy. At his best, Perron is an artist who rendered 35 assists as a 21-year-old and 42 points in 57 games last season. However, his flair leads to suggestions that he paints with oils when a minimalist coach believes a straight-line drawing better.

Chris Stewart and Andy McDonald generated a goal and an assist each to help St. Louis clinch a playoff spot Tuesday night.
Their two-point efforts helped the Blues post a 3-1 win over Colorado. Defenseman Jordan Leopold had a two-point night as well with a pair of assists versus the Avalanche. Patrik Berglund's 16th goal of the campaign early in the second period held up as the game winner.

Brian Elliott defended 17 of 18 Colorado shots to post his 12th win of the season on Tuesday night.
He was burned for four goals on 19 shots versus the Avalanche in a 5-3 loss on Sunday, so it was good to see him to rebound. Elliott has enjoyed a confidence boost down the stretch, with nine wins in 11 appearances this month. The Blues clinched a playoff birth with Tuesday's victory.

Jaroslav Halak (lower body) practiced Tuesday and said he'll address his status Wednesday.
Halak was injured during a game on April 1 and has been sidelined ever since. Meanwhile, Brian Elliott has taken over the Blues' starting job and has been excellent, giving the Blues the chance to wait for Halak to fully recover. Check back Wednesday afternoon for a full update from Halak.

St. Louis Blues recall Jani Hakanpaa from AHL Peoria.
Hakanpaa appeared in 14 games with Peoria this season, registering one goal and three assists. The 20-year-old blueliner was the Blues' fourth-round pick in the 2010 entry draft.

It looks like Brian Elliott will get the start in between the pipes Tuesday night.
Elliott has been fantastic since returning from a recent stint in the minors, posting a 1.37 GAA, a .947 save percentage and three shutouts in 10 appearances in the month of April. Fantasy owners should ride him while he's hot.

T.J. Oshie (ankle) skated on Tuesday.
Oshie underwent ankle surgery a week ago and his returning to the ice so quickly bodes well for the playoffs. He has seven goals and 20 points in 30 games this season and is worth looking at in playoff pools if you like the Blues.

Alex Pietrangelo has been a plus-six since the arrival of Jay Bouwmeester.
Pietrangelo's defense partner has helped out the young defenseman. Pietrangelo still has not found the back of the net in his last 20 games after scoring five times in his first 23 games but he has an assist in each of his last four games, giving him 24 points in 44 games this season.

Brian Elliott has been selected as the St. Louis Blues' Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominee.
Elliott has had an up-and-down season and even spent some time in the minors. However, he's bounced back in a huge way with a 1.37 GAA and .947 save percentage in 10 games this month.

Adam Cracknell was a healthy scratch on Sunday.
His spot in the lineup was taken by Dmitrij Jaskin as coach Ken Hitchcock was not thrilled by the play of Cracknell of late. "He just has to play better," Hitchcock said. "The last game, he did some good things when he got down low, but ... we want the puck management to be a little bit better."

David Backes was one of few St. Louis Blues to contribute in a 5-3 loss to Colorado Sunday.
Backes registered a goal, an assist and two penalty minutes in the losing effort and while he hasn't scored consistently this year he's still a reliable fantasy commodity, especially in leagues that reward PIM. Kevin Shattenkirk and Jaden Schwartz were the other goal scorers for the Blues in the loss.

Brian Elliott allowed four goals on 19 shots before being removed from a 5-3 loss to Colorado Sunday.
Elliott has been experiencing an astounding hot streak of late so a game like this was bound to occur. The St. Louis netminder spent the final 23 minutes on the bench while Jake Allen come on in relief and allowed one goal on the 12 shots he faced.

Goaltender Jaroslav Halak skated with teammates during an optional practice on Friday, but there is still no timetable for his return.
Halak has already missed 10 games with a knee injury, but Brian Elliot has been exceptional in his stead, meaning the team will absolutely ensure Halak is back to 100 percent before allowing him to return.

Andy McDonald is one of many members of the Blues who have helped the team become extremely effective in shootouts this season.
McDonald has scored in all four of his shootout attempts this season, but he isn't the only weapon the team possesses for these situations as Alexander Steen is 4-for-5 and Chris Stewart is 2-for-3. In total, the team is 9-1-1 this season in games that end beyond regulation time.

Forward Dmitrij Jaskin will probably be in the lineup for the Blues when they take on Colorado Sunday.
Jaskin will likely find himself on the fourth line, but it's not yet known who will be out. Coach Ken Hitchcock offered some praise of Jaskin's play, saying "I really like Jaskin a lot. He's going to be a good player for us for a number of years." He's likely not worthy of consideration for your fantasy roster at this time, but he's a player to keep an eye on for the future.

Defenseman Kris Russell is likely to be re-inserted to the Blues lineup for Sunday's game against Colorado.
Russell has suited up only once, as a forward, in the 10 games since the Blues acquired Jordan Leopold and Jay Bouwmeester to bolster their back end. It's not clear who will get the night off to make room for Russell, but it's not likely to be someone you are counting on in your fantasy league.

To nobody's surprise goaltender Brian Elliott will be in goal for the Blues when they take on Colorado on Sunday.
Elliott has been incredible during the month of April while Jaroslav Halak nurses an injury and coach Ken Hitchcock has no reason not to ride the hot hand until he cools off.

Brian Elliot continues to sizzle in the Blues' net.
He stopped 21 of 22 shots in St. Louis' 2-1 win voer Dallas Friday night. In his last six games, Elliot has only allowed five goals. That's pretty impressive.

Cam Stewart scored the winning goal in the Blues' 2-1 victory over the Stars Friday night.
Despite the fact that Stewart has been a very streaky scorer this season, he still has 32 points in 44 games. Tough guy Ryan Reaves scored the other St. Louis goal, while Alexander Steen, Alex Pietrangelo and Chris Porter registered assists.

Brian Elliott will start on Friday.
Elliott has been superb this month with a 1.02 GAA and .961 save percentage in eight games. It's no surprise that the Blues want to continue to ride the hot hand, especially with Jaroslav Halak sidelined.

The St. Louis Blues have a 9-2 record in overtime and shootout games this season.
That includes Thursday's 2-1 shootout victory over Phoenix. Their ability to earn that extra point has been vital this season. If they had even gone a mediocre 5-6 instead, they would not be in the top eight in the Western Conference right now. St. Louis has excelled in general when it comes to close games this season and that could be a positive indicator of how they'll do in the playoffs.

David Perron scored his 10th goal of the season for St. Louis in a 2-1 shootout victory over Phoenix Thursday.
The goal broke a dreadful 16-game drought for Perron, who had been enjoying a solid offensive season before hitting this terrible streak. David Backes and Alex Pietrangelo drew assists on the marker.

Brian Elliott stopped 33 of 34 shots Thursday in a 2-1 shootout victory over the Coyotes.
Elliott has been exceptional since he was handed the reins at the start of April, notching wins in seven of his eight appearances and racking up three shutouts. There's no reason not to ride the hot hand at this point.

T.J. Oshie (ankle) wants to be ready for the start of the playoffs.
He had surgery on his ankle on Tuesday and hasn't resumed skating yet, but a return by then could be realistic if everything goes smoothly.

Scott Nichol (lower body) practiced Thursday and he hopes to return before the end of the regular season.
"It's frustrating because it feels good and you want to push it, and then you have to take a step back," said Nichol, who has been out of commission since April 1 due to a lower-body injury. "So, I'm trying to be patient. But if you sit out too long it's kind of hard to jump on a moving train. So I'm hoping to get back soon."

Adam Cracknell will draw back into the lineup Thursday at the expense of rookie Dmitrij Jaskin.
"I really like Jaskin a lot," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "That's a good line based on the opponent tonight, but I like what Jaskin does. He's going to be a good player for us for a number of years." He played just 6:32 of ice time in his NHL debut Tuesday versus Vancouver.

Andrew Murray has been recalled by St. Louis.
"Peoria has only two games remaining and if Andrew got hurt, it would be shame on us," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He's an extra guy. He's available to us. We're going to need him and we want to make him part of the group right away." The Blues have injuries to T. J. Oshie, Scott Nichol and Jamie Langenbrunner and Peoria won't make it to the AHL playoffs. Murray has skated in one NHL game this season.

The St. Louis Blues aren't too concerned about playoffs positioning, they just hope they get a spot.
"Our players look at what happened and are thinking maybe it could be us . if we can just get in," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We're going to have some real tough games here the next little while. But I think everybody feels that if you can just get in, you've got a chance. We're just trying to get in right now." St. Louis is in a pretty good spot in that regard. They have a three-point cushion over the ninth place Detroit Red Wings and have played in one less game. The Blues are a team to watch in the postseason. They have strong goaltender and a balanced squad. That hasn't translated in the regular season success, but if there's a team that will be the 2013 version of the Kings, then the Blues are a good candidate.

Jay Bouwmeester recorded his first goal with the Blues in a 2-1 shootout win versus Vancouver on Tuesday night.
He had three assists in his first two games with St. Louis, but had gone five straight matches without a point entering Tuesday's match-up. Still, Bouwnmeester has been a solid addition to the Blues' lineup since he was acquired from Calgary. David Perron and Alex Pietrangelo assisted on his marker, while Andy McDonald and Alexander Steen scored in the shootout to give St. Louis the win.

Brian Elliott blocked 21 shots and two in the shootout to get a 2-1 shootout win against Vancouver on Tuesday night.
He has been red hot of late and his teammates rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the third period to help get him his sixth win in seven appearances this month.