Growing up in St. Louis, Mike McKenna heard stories from his grandfather about what it was like trying to muster a hockey game in Missouri.
McKenna’s grandfather was one of half a dozen guys who would travel two hours to Springfield, Illinois, to play on a real rink. St. Louis finally received a National Hockey League expansion team, the Blues, in 1967, and as more Blues players settled in the area, the seeds of youth hockey germinated and eventually blossomed.
Nottingham Panthers tough guy and former NHL star Cam Janssen shows his softer side.
The 31-year-old American joined at the start of the season and has played an important role in helping the club go top of the early-season Elite League standings.
Tkachuk and Berisha sit 1-2 in league scoring through four games. The 17-year-old Tkachuk has two goals and 10 points while the 20-year-old Berisha has four goals and eight points.
Paul Stastny thrives as the No. 1 center: The Blues signed Stastny to a four-year, $28 million contract in 2014 to become their top center. But Stastny, who had 46 points in 74 games last season, was mostly relegated as the No. 3 center with Patrik Berglund and Dmitrij Jaskin.
“We have to be fair with Bolls. That trade” — the 2014 draft day deal that brought him to Calgary in exchange for a third-round draft pick — “probably surprised him and even shocked him a little bit. So it took him time. He’s a great team guy and everything but towards the end of (last) year we saw, I think, the real Brandon Bollig.
“He’s had a great summer. I’ve talked to him many times over the summer. So have Jacques (Cloutier) and Marty. He came to camp in great shape and he’s been a very positive story for us.’’
Varady cited assistant coach Mark Abalan, who is in charge of the Musketeers’ power play unit. Five players recorded power play assists in the first two games, including Jake Ryczek, who last season, scored 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) on the man advantage.
Kunin has developed his hard, accurate shot while with the United States Development Team. He can produce a powerful shot from down low or a long, accurate show from the point or higher in the slot.
It has been a fairly quiet training camp for Wideman, who appears on the cusp of landing an NHL job for the first time in his career by taking the spot left open by Chris Phillips. Phillips suffered a cracked vertebra during rehabilitation over the summer following back surgery.
Opilka was selected by the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL in the 2013 Priority Draft. He had signed a Letter of Intent to attend and play hockey for the University of Wisconsin Badgers before being selected by the Blues in the fifth round of this year’s NHL Draft.
Former NHLer Keith Tkachuk was one of the best American-born talents to ever play in the NHL, and now son Matthew Tkachuk is well on his way toward following in his father’s footsteps.
