NHL Injuries: St. Louis Blues' Roman Polak Will Require Surgery To Repair Wrist

The St. Louis Blues’ official website is reporting that defenseman Roman Polak, injured in the team’s 1-0 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins, will be “sidelined indefinitely” after it was determined surgery would be required to repair a tendon in his right wrist. The surgery is scheduled for Thursday.

The Blues had previously reported that surgery would not be necessary, but the Post-Dispatch reports that further evaluation made it clear Polak would require full use of the tendon to perform at a high level.

Polak, who had played in all seven of the Blues’ games this season, had one goal. St. Louis Game Time’s season preview determined that if he were a breakfast cereal, he would be Raisin Bran.

Nathan Oystrick was recalled from Peoria to replace Polak on the roster. Oystrick, signed by the Blues as a free agent in July, appeared in three games for the Anaheim Ducks last season, and 53 for the Atlanta Thrashers the year before.

NHL Injuries: Cam Janssen Will Miss Two Weeks From Game One Hit

Twitter reports are coming in that the St. Louis Blues’ Cam Janssen, who with Brad Winchester put this hit on a Philadelphia Flyer, will miss an estimated two weeks with “concussion and sternum [injuries].”

Janssen, the Blues’ popular enforcer, is no stranger to the giving and receiving of concussions. The Post-Dispatch has more, including this quote from Blues head coach Davis Payne:

“I think it was a combination of the hit, the stick, a little bit of the ice,” Payne said. “It was a pretty hefty collision there.”

NHL Rosters: Alex Pietrangelo Makes The St. Louis Blues' Roster, Ian Cole Does Not

The St. Louis Blues made a decision about their surplus of young defensemen Tuesday, electing to keep 20-year-old Alex Pietrangelo on the NHL roster and sending 21-year-old Ian Cole, a first round pick in 2007, back to the Peoria Rivermen.

Pietrangelo, the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, played nine games with the Blues in 2009-10, scoring one goal and picking up one assist. Of Ian Cole, Blues GM Doug Armstrong told Jeremy Rutherford, “We wanted Ian as part of the six or playing quite a bit. Ian had an excellent camp… We just want him to play.”

NHL Injuries: St. Louis Blues' NIkita Nikitin Breaks Wrist, Should Miss Four Weeks

St. Louis Blues defenseman Nikita Nikitin, in America for the first time after being drafted by the Blues in 2004, will miss "at least four weeks" after breaking his right wrist in the Blues’ preseason game against Chicago.

Nikitin had spent his entire career in the Russian Superleague prior to coming to an agreement with the Blues in June. St. Louis Game Time, reacting to the early Twitter reports, hopes to see Ian Cole stick with the big club.

St. Louis Blues Roster Cuts: Blues Brings Roster Down To 30

The St. Louis Blues have cut their roster down to 30, reports St. Louis Game Time. Dean Arsene, Brennan Evans, Adam Cracknell, Graham Mink, Ryan Reaves, Brett Sonne, and David Spina were all sent to the Peoria Rivermen of the AHL.

T.J. Hensick, whom the Blues acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in June, was waived.

St. Louis Blues Training Camp Opens September 17, Free To Public

The St. Louis Blues’ training camp schedule has been released on the team’s official website. On-ice testing will start at 9 AM Friday, September 17, at the Ice Zone rink at St. Louis Mills. All practices at St. Louis Mills are free and open to the public.

On September 19 an intrasquad scrimmage will be held at the Scottrade Center, which will also be open to the public.

St. Louis Blues Training Camp: Erik Johnson Among Alternate Captains

The St. Louis Blues named their alternate captains (or assistant captains, depending on which side of that ecumenical debate you fall) Friday morning, choosing a group that subsumes seemingly every possible hockey-player demographic. Former number one overall pick Erik Johnson and Alex Steen are both alternates for the first time in their careers. 

Veteran defenseman Barret Jackman and forward David Backes were also named alternates; Eric Brewer remains the captain.