Goaltender Jordan Binnington, the Blues' third pick (88th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, has signed an entry-level contract.

LINK to article at Blues dot com.

In his third season with the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario League, Binnington posted a 21-17-0-1 record and played 2304 minutes in 39 games. The 6'2, 167-pounder from Richmond Hill, Ontario posted a career-low 2.99 GAA and a career-high 90.6% save percentage this season, along with his second OHL career shutout, a 31-save effort vs. Peterborough on Feb. 11.

Binnington signed an Amateur Tryout (ATO) contract with Peoria after the Attack bowed out of the 2012 OHL playoffs, and made his pro debut on Apr. 15, turning aside 35 of 38 shots faced and earning the game's third star in a losing effort on the road at Allstate Arena vs. the Chicago Wolves.

Binnington, who turns 19 years of age on Jul. 11, will "slide" the first year of his ELC to 2013-14 if, as expected, he is returned to junior after the Blues' training camp in September. He is not yet age-eligible to turn pro in the AHL (although he can do so immediately after the Attack play their last game of the 2012-13 season), so the Blues or Owen Sound are his options to begin next season.

Veilleux, I believe, was on the ice for the GWG.

Developing...

Veilleux no points or PM, three hits, 1-for-1 on faceoffs.

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL...

On behalf of myself, Sean, Jesse, and all the other members of the "Game Time" family who have served, I ask you all to take a minute this weekend and remember our fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins who have given back to our country, and especially those who paid the ultimate price.

"All gave some, some gave all."

PROSPECT PROMOTIONS / DEMOTIONS:

None to report this week.

PROSPECT TRADES:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SICK CALL:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS RETURNED TO DUTY:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SUSPENSION:

None to report this week.

LAST MAN STANDING:

There are three championships left to be decided in the hockey world -- the Stanley Cup, the AHL's Calder Cup, and the Memorial Cup.

The Memorial Cup will be decided today, and the last Blues' prospect still playing this season will be front and center.

Yannick Veilleux, the Blues' fourth-round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, will take the ice this evening with his team, the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL. Shawinigan, the host team for this year's Memorial Cup, will take on the powerhouse London Knights, champions of the Ontario League, in a winner-take-all battle for major junior hockey supremacy.

LINK to a preview of tonight's game at the Master Card Memorial Cup official site.

The preview linked above also contains a link to the webcast and radio feeds for tonight's game. The seminfinal game on Friday, which was won by Shawinigan over Saint John, had Peoria assistant coach Drake Berehowsky as part of the broadcast team, so Rivermen fans may be able to hear more on Berehowsky's plans for the future during tonight's broadcast. Berehowsky's contract has expired, and he is said to be interested in a head coaching poisition if one is offered to him.

Most of Shawinigan's top players in this game -- Michael Chaput (CBJ 2011), Brandon Gormley (PHX 2010), Michael Bournival (MTL 2011) and Kirill Kabanov (NYI 2010) -- are players in their last year of major junior eligibility. This leaves Veilleux and 2012 draft-eligible forward Anton Zlobin as the top players likely to return to Shawinigan next season.

Veilleux is a left wing with decent size who broke through this year to become a primary scoring threat for les Cataractes. His 58 regular-season points (27 G, 31 A in 59 GP) and 11 playoff points (5 G, 6 A in 11 GP) ranked him third on the club in both segments of the season. In five games at the Memorial Cup tournament, Veilleux has two goals (including the game-winner on Friday vs. Saint John) and six minutes in penalty time with an even plus-minus. Veilleux is also among the team leaders in hits, with 13 of les Cataractes' total of 97 hits in five games -- including a team-high five hits registered in Shawinigan's 6-2 win over London in the preliminary round of the tournament back on May 20.

May 25, 2012: Host Shawinigan defeats Saint John 5-4 to advance to Memorial Cup Final. Yannick Veilleux broke a 4-all tie with a goal at 13:14 of the third period, and the Shawinigan Cataractes added tow more goals in the last minute to ice a 7-4 win over defending Memorial Cup champions Saint John.

Shawinigan will take on the London Knights in Sunday's Final game.

Veilleux was even for the contest, and picked up a boarding penalty early in the second period. For Saint John, both Stephen Macaulay and Ryan Tesink were minus-3 for the night, and Tesink picked up an slashing penalty and a ten-minute misconduct at 10:19 of the second.

May 24, 2012: Shawinigan Destroys Edmonton, 6-1. There will be at least one Blues' prospect playing this weekend for a shot at major junior hockey's ultimate prize.

Yannick Veilleux scored his first goal of the tournament, and the first goal of the game, as the host Shawinigan Cataractes trounced the WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings by a 6-1 score.

With the win, Shawinigan earns the right to face QMJHL rival Saint John tomorrow night in the semifinal match. The winner of tomorrow's semifinal game will take on the OHL champion London Knights on Sunday for the 2012 Memorial Cup.

May 23, 2012: Saint John defeats Shawinigan, 4-1. Ryan Tesink scored his third goal of the tournament, and was named the game's first star in Saint John's victory. Stephen Macaulay was held of the scoresheet but was a plus-1 in the game, won six of 16 faceoffs taken, and also picked up a high sticking minor. Yannick Veilleux was also held scoreless in the game, posted a minus-1 and recorded three hits, and received an unsportsmanlike conduct minor in a game that saw 72 total penalty minutes called.

Shawinigan plays Edmonton tonight in a tiebreaker game for the right to face Saint John in the seminfinal. London has advanced to the final, and will await the winner of the Saint John-(tiebreaker winner) game to play for the Memorial Cup this weekend.

PROSPECT STATS:

Macaulay: 3 GP, 0-0-0, even, 2 PM, 0 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW.

Tesink: 3 GP, 3-0-3, plus-1, 2 PM, 1 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW.

Veilleux: 3 GP, 0-0-0, minus-2, 4 PM, 0 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW.

SUNDAY, 5/20. Shawinigan defeats London, 6-2. Yannick Veilleux is kept off the scoresheet, but picks up a boarding penalty in the second period and is a plus-1. Veilleux also leads both teams with five hits in the game.

MONDAY, 5/21. Saint John defeats Edmonton, 5-2. Ryan Tesink scores an ENG for Saint John with five seconds left to seal the win; the goal is Tesink's second of the tournament. Stephen Macaulay does not get on the scoresheet, but wins 8 of 14 faceoffs taken. Neither Tesink or Macaulay were assessed any penalty time, and both posted an even plus-minus for the game.

BLUES' PROSPECT STATS AS OF 5/21:

Macaulay: 2 GP, 0-0-0, minus-1, 0 PM, 0 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW.

Tesink: 2 GP, 2-0-2, even, 0 PM, 1 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW.

Veilleux: 2 GP, 0-0-0, minus-1, 2 PM, 0 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW.

NEXT GAME(S) INVOLVING PROSPECTS:

Wednesday, 5/23: Shawinigan vs. Saint John, 6:00 PM CDT.

Big Finnish blueliner already used to playing for a team called the Blues

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Blues Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced Monday the club has signed their fourth round pick (104th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft, defenseman Jani Hakanpää.

Terms of the NHL contract were not disclosed, but Hakanpää also recently signed a one-year extension of his SM-Liiga contract with Blues Espoo. Unless he makes the NHL roster this year, which is a long shot as he is a right defenseman, Hakanpää will be loaned to Blues Espoo for the 2012-13 season.

In 41 games with Blues Espoo this season, Hakanpää put up five goals and seven assists for 12 points, to go with a plus-6 mark and 30 minutes in penalty time. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in late February, and did not appear in any playoff games for the Finnish Blues, but did skate for Finland in the World Junior Championships last Christmas. In seven games for the fourth-place Finns, Hakanpää tallied a goal and two assists, with a plus-3 and six penalty minutes. His goal was a power-play tally and the game winner in the first period of Finland's 10-1 thrashing of Denmark on Dec. 30.

The 6' 5, 218-pound Hakanpää is a native of Kirkkonummi, Finland, which is located approximately 30 km west of Helsinki near the coast of the Gulf of Finland. Espoo, where Hakanpää has played the last two seasons, is located midway between Kirkkonummi and Helsinki.

LINK to article at stlblues.com.

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

Another short and sweet week, as there's just not much to talk about right now in the World O' Prospects. After the Memorial Cup, there will be heavy emphasis on the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

PROSPECT PROMOTIONS / DEMOTIONS:

None to report this week.

PROSPECT TRADES:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SICK CALL:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS RETURNED TO DUTY:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SUSPENSION:

None to report this week.

PROSPECT NEWS AND NOTES:

ITEM: MEMORIAL CUP UPDATE.

Three Blues prospects have made it to the Memorial Cup tournament with their teams, all from the QMJHL.

The Saint John Sea Dogs have repeated as QMJHL champions, and prospects Ryan Tesink and Stephen Macaulay will have another opportunity this season to do their thing in the annual tournament to determine major junior hockey supremacy.

Tesink drew first blood among Blues prospects in last night's 5-3 loss to OHL champion London; the 2011 draftee (162nd overall) scored a power-play goal at 12:01 of the third period to bring the Dogs back to a one-goal deficit, but the powerhouse Knights scored on their own power play with less than a minute to play in order to seal the win.

Tesink finished with an even plus/minus, while Macaulay was a minus-1 and won just three of the 11 faceoffs he took.

The other Blues prospect in the Memorial Cup is 2011 draftee (102nd overall) Yannick Veilleux of the host team, the Shawinigan Cataractes. Veilleux scored at just about a point-per-game clip in the regular season (27-31-58 in 59 GP) and playoffs (5-6-11 in 11 GP), but was held off the scoresheet and was a minus-2 in les Cataractes 4-3 loss to WHL champion Edmonton on Friday night.

Shawinigan faces London today at 6:00 PM CST, while Saint John takes on Edmonton on Monday, again at 6:00 PM CST. Scoresheets, highlights, webcasts, etc. can all be accessed by clicking HERE, on the Master Card Memorial Cup 2012 official website.

...

ITEM: TARASENKO WATCH.

As was reported here and at The Post Dispatch online, along with several other places, during the last week, the powers-that-be in charge of the Russian entry in the World Championships have elected to deny Blues' draftee Vladimir Tarasenko a spot on this year's WC squad.

The "official" reason given for T-90's exclusion from the Russian squad -- who will face Slovakia today for the 2012 World Championship -- can be discerned from this tweet by Alexander Zaytsev (a Russian who covers the KHL, NHL, and Team Russia at the RussianHockeyFans.com website), retweeted by Russian hockey journalist Alessandro Seren Rosso (Twitter @AlexSerenRosso.)

Alexander Zaytsev ‏@AlexandrZaytsev ... Bilyaletdinov: "Tarasenko is overweight. We tried to help him lose weight but to no avail. He is not ready physically." #STL ... Retweeted by AlessandroSerenRosso

"Bilyaletdinov" refers to the head coach of Team Russia for this year's entry (and, not coincidentally, for Russia's 2014 Sochi Olympics entry as well), one Zinetula "Bill" Bilyaletdinov. A former player for Moscow Spartak in the old USSR, Bilyaletdinov served as an assistant coach for the old Winnipeg Jets from 1994 to 1996, and moved with the team to Phoenix for one season in 1996-97.

There has been a great deal of speculation that Tarasenko's exclusion from Team Russia was due more to politics than to any perceived weight issue. To begin with, Tarasenko played deep into the KHL playoffs with SKA St. Petersburg, where he was among the league's playoff scoring leaders with 10 goals and 16 points in 15 playoff games. That impressive performance followed up a solid regular season split between SKA and Tarasenko's hometown club of Sibir Novosibirsk.

In 39 games with Sibir, Tarasenko put up an 18-20-38 scoring line (plus-12, 15 PM, 7 PPG, 4 GWG). After his trade to St. Petersburg in mid-January, Tarasenko added five goals and nine points in 15 games, playing mostly on the fourth line with a reduction of average minutes played. With Sibir, Tarasenko played an average of 18:48 per game; with a stronger St. Petersburg squad made up of more veteran players, the 20-year-old saw his ice time reduced to just 11:22 per game.

Tarasenko still managed to finish the regular season with an impressive 23-24-47 scoring line (plus-18, 15 PM, 7 PPG, 6 GWG) in 54 total games. In the playoffs, he led SKA in goals and overall scoring despite getting just 12:16 of ice time per game.

Those are not numbers put up by a player that is out of shape, and immediately after SKA's elimination from the KHL playoffs on Apr. 3, Tarasenko reported to Team Russia's camp. So, if the "official" version of the story is to be believed, in just over four weeks' time, a 20-year-old player who had just come off of a solid regular season and an arguably dominant post-season was unable to get into good-enough shape to satisfy his coach.

(NOTE: The opinion expressed in the following is my own, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of "St. Louis Game Time" or the management thereof.)

Male bovine excrement.

Tarasenko is being punished by a coach with an agenda, because he (Tarasenko) has expressed repeatedly his desire to play in the NHL, and because he is on the brink of making that jump as we speak. Bilyaletdinov and the powers-that-be in Russia are trying to pressure Tarasenko and other young Russian stars to stay in Russia in order to make the KHL more competitive vis a vis the NHL.

To Tarasenko's credit, he has not publicly complained of the less-than-first-class treatment of his situation by Bilyaletdinov, and his only public statement has been that he will make his decision after the World Championships so as not to overshadow his countrymen in the pursuit of the gold medal.

I'm not Vladimir Tarasenko, but if I was, the decision would have already been made for me.

The Edmonton Oil Kings win the Ed Cheynoweth Trophy and the last spot in the Memorial Cup tournament by defeating Portland 4-1 at home on Sunday evening.

Ty Rattie was held off the scoresheet for the Hawks, and finished the game with a minus-2. For the playoffs, Rattie finishes with a 19-14-33 scoring line (plus-10, 12 PM) in 21 games.

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

A VERY HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY TO ALL YOU HOCKEY MOMS OUT THERE...

...especially Prospect Mom out here in Coyotes Country, and Friends of "Prospect Sunday" Angela and Jenn-Jenn.

Another short and sweet week, as there's just not much to talk about right now in the World O' Prospects. After the Memorial Cup, there will be heavy emphasis on the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

Oh, and the Russians inexplicably continue to refuse to give Vladimir Tarasenko a chance to earn a spot on the World Championships roster. Are the powers-that-be in Russian hockey punishing T-90 for publicly expressing a desire to play in the NHL? And will this drive Tarasenko to sign with the Blues sooner rather than later, notwithstanding any threats about being banned from the Sochi Olympics in 2014 if he abandons the KHL?

I will try to stay on top of this story as best I can, with any details or breaking news posted here as soon as I hear them.

-- B.

PROSPECT PROMOTIONS / DEMOTIONS:

None to report this week.

PROSPECT TRADES:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SICK CALL:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS RETURNED TO DUTY:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SUSPENSION:

None to report this week.

PROSPECT NEWS AND NOTES:

ITEM: PROSPECT PLAYOFF UPDATE.

NHL: Nothin'.

AHL: Nothin'.

ECHL: Nothin'.

EUROPE: Nothin'.

QMJHL: The Saint John Sea Dogs are your President's Cup champions for the second consecutive season, earning a spot in the Memorial Cup tournament to be played May 20-27 in Shawinigan.

Blues' prospects Stephen Macaulay or Ryan Tesink were not key contributors on offense in the final series, being overshadowed by Saint John's more high-profile forwards. Tesink posted an assist, two penalty minutes, and a plus-1 in the four games of the Final series, and finished the playoffs with a 7-6-13 scoring line (plus-5, 24 PM, 2 PPG, 2 GWG) in 17 games. Macaulay, meanwhile, picked up a goal and an assist in the Finals, both coming in Saint John's 6-4 win over Rimouski in Game Three. Tesink and Blues' 2011 Traverse City invitee Maxime Villemaire assisted on Macaulay's goal, which put the Sea Dogs ahead to stay in that game.

Macaulay, a 2010 draft pick of the Blues who is likely to sign an ELC this summer and turn pro with the Peoria Rivermen in 2012-13, finished the playoffs with a 6-7-13 scoring line (plus-5, 10 PM, 1 PPG, 1 GWG) in 17 games.

OHL: The London Knights are your Rogers OHL Champions for the 2011-12 season, defeating the Niagara Ice Dogs and Blues' prospect Brock Beukeboom four games to one. The Ice Dogs took the series opener in double overtime by a 3-2 score at London's John Labatt Centre before dropping four straight games to the powerhouse Knights.

Beukeboom, who like Macaulay is also a 2010 draftee (by Tampa, acquired in the Eric Brewer trade) and expected to sign his ELC this summer, picked up a pair of assists and four penalty minutes in four Finals appearances, but was a minus-4 in the Finals and was not dressed for Game Five. In 19 playoff contests, the 6' 2, 197-pound right-shooting blueliner from Uxbridge, Ontario posted a 2-3-5 scoring line, with a minus-1 and 10 minutes in the sin bin.

WHL: Out in the wild, wild West, it all comes down to one game at the historic Rexall Place (formerly Northlands Coliseum) in Edmonton.

Ty Rattie and the Portland Winterhawks evened their best-of-seven Ed Chynoweth Cup Final series with the Edmonton Oil Kings at three games apiece with a 3-2 win at the Rose Garden, across the Willamette River from downtown Portland, on Saturday night. The Hawks got a goal from Pittsburgh first-rounder Joe Morrow, and a pair (including the game-winner) from Columbus prospect Olivier Gabriel to send the series back to Edmonton for what should be a classic Game Seven tonight.

The game for all the marbles in the 'Dub is scheduled for 8:00 PM CDT, and the Hawks' radio stream can be found HERE for those interested in listening live online.

Rattie has been held pretty much in check by Edmonton in the Finals, picking up "only" two goals (both on the power play) and four points in five appearances; remember, he sat out Game Two on concussion watch. As a result, he has fallen behind linemate and 2010 Calgary draftee Sven Bärtschi in the WHL playoff scoring race. Bärtschi now leads with 34 points (14 G, 20 A) in 21 games, while Rattie is right behind with 33 points (19 G, 14 A) in 20 games.

The Airdrie, Alberta native continues to lead all WHL players in playoff goals (19) and power-play goals (7), and he has a plus-12, 12 penalty minutes, a shorthanded goal (an OT game-winner vs. Tri-Cities in Game 2 of the Western Conference final) and two game-winning goals to add to that impressive scoring line.

Defeat Chicoutimi 8-0 to take a four-game sweep

Blues' prospects Stephen Macaulay and Ryan Tesink did not score in the eight-goal outburst; Macaulay finishes the QMJHL playoffs with a 6-7-13 scoring line (plus-5, 10 PM, 1 PPG, 1 GWG) in 17 games, while Tesink ends with a 7-6-13 scoring line (plus-5, 24 PM, 2 PPG, 2 GWG), also in 17 games played.

Macaulay was drafted in the sixth round (164th overall) by the Blues in 2010, and must be signed by June 1, or he can re-enter the Entry Draft. Tesink was drafted in 2011 by the Blues, also in the sixth round, 162nd overall, and is expected to become one of Saint John's top-line forwards next season after much of the Sea Dogs' forward depth graduates to the pros.

LINK to Game Four story at the QMJHL website (in English).

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

We will be keeping this short and sweet today; Game Four of the Blues-Kings series is on everyone's mind, and it's an early game. If the Blues win, no one is going to want to talk about prospects, and if the Blues lose, no one is going to want to talk about prospects. So just the highlights (such as they are) this week...

...and go see "The Avengers." It. Is. Awesome.

PROSPECT PROMOTIONS / DEMOTIONS:

None to report this week.

PROSPECT TRADES:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SICK CALL:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS RETURNED TO DUTY:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SUSPENSION:

None to report this week.

PROSPECT NEWS AND NOTES:

ITEM: PROSPECT PLAYOFF UPDATE.

NHL: Jake Allen made his NHL debut earlier this week, playing all of 67 seconds against LA as a result of a Keenan-like goalie switch by Ken Hitchcock. Jaden Schwartz has yet to appear in a playoff game, and likely will not this year, but graduated prospects Ian Cole and Ryan Reaves will skate in Game Four today.

ECHL: The Alaska Aces were defeated in five games by the Las Vegas Wranglers in the ECHL Western Conference final. Defense prospect David Shields finished the playoffs with an 0-2-2 scoring line (plus-1, 0 PM) in three playoff games for the Aces.

JUNIOR: The Blues are down to four prospects left standing in major junior playoff action; five if you consider that Yannick Veilleux and the Shawinigan Cataractes are hosting the Memorial Cup in a few weeks.

QMJHL: Saint John leads Rimouski two games to none in the QMJHL President's Cup final. Neither Stephen Macaulay or Ryan Tesink have scored in the two games played this far; in the playoffs to date, Macaulay has a 5-6-11 scoring line (plus-3, 10 PM, 1 PPG, 1 GWG) in 15 games, while Tesink is 5-7-12 (plus-4, 24 PM, 2 PPG, 2 GWG) in 15 games.

Game 3 of the series is scheduled for Wednesday evening at 6:30 CDT. The Saint John radio feed can be heard HERE, for those interested.

OHL: The Niagara Ice Dogs and the London Knights are tied at one win apiece in the Rogers OHL Championship series. Niagara took the first game on Thursday with a 3-2 OT win in London, and the Knights returned the favor by defeating the Dogs in St. Catharines last night by a 5-3 score. Niagara defenseman Brock Beukeboom tallied an assist in last night's game, and in 17 playoff contests, the Blues' prospect has a 2-2-4 scoring line (plus-1, 8 PM).

Game 3 of the series is set for 6:00 Monday night in London; for the Niagara radio feed, click HERE, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on the IceDogs link (next to Alice Cooper).

WHL: The Oil Kings are tied at one game apiece; both the current Edmonton Oil Kings franchise and the former Oil Kings, known since 1976 as the Portland Winter Hawks, have won a game in the Ed Chynoweth Cup final series out West.

The Hawks split the two games in Edmonton, losing the first contest 3-2 on Thuirsday night. In the third period of that game, über-prospect Ty Rattie took a big hit and went head-first into the boards. Rattie was helped off the ice and held out of Game 2 on concussion watch. The Hawks rallied without Rattie to win on Friday 5-1, and got more good news afterwards when it was revealed that Rattie was not concussed, and would play in game 3, which is scheduled for this evening at 8:00 CDT. The Hawks' radio stream can be found HERE.

In the playoffs, Rattie continues to lead all WHL players in scoring with a 17-13-30 line (plus-12, 12 PM, 5 PPG, 1 SHG, 2 GWG) in 16 games. Only Saint John's Charlie Coyle (15 G, 17 A), a Minnesota prospect, has more playoff points among all major junior scorers.

According to an NHL source, Stillman has his financing and legal work in place and is just waiting for the right moment – probably when the Blues are finished in the NHL playoffs – to make the announcement. The final step will be the stamp of approval from the league’s board of governors, although that is not going to be a problem since Stillman is NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s preferred buyer.

NOTE:

European prospect stats are featured this week.

After the jump, the most current and complete set of Blues' college prospect scoring, penalty, and goaltending statistics available anywhere in one place on the 'Net.

Continue reading this post »

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

THE SKINNY:

Each of the major junior league championship series will feature at least one Blues' prospect... and a rookie pro is skating for Alaska in the ECHL Western Conference final series as well.

Portland of the Western League (Ty Rattie), Niagara of the Ontario League (Brock Beukeboom), and Saint John of the QMJHL (Stephen Macaulay and Ryan Tesink) will all compete for their league championships in the days ahead, while three other Blues' prospects (Cody Beach and Joel Edmundson of Moose Jaw/WHL, and Max Gardiner of Dubuque/USHL) saw their playoff dreams evaporate for the 2011-12 season in the last week.

Also, following Peoria's disappointing elimination from AHL playoff contention, rookie defenseman David Shields has been assigned to Alaska to help the Aces in their pursuit of yet another Kelly Cup championship.

AFTER THE JUMP:

After the jump, your weekly look at the players in the Blues' organization who are "Trending Up." Stay tuned...

Continue reading this post »

JADEN SCHWARTZ:

Drafted by the Blues 14th overall in 2010, Jaden Schwartz has been a top scorer at every level where he's ever played. His sister Mandi's illness and tragic passing has been a source of inspiration for the Melfort, Saskatchewan native and his family for some time, and should continue to inspire him to new heights for years to come.

Schwartz signed an entry-level contract with the Blues in March, after the completion of his sophomore season at Colorado College. He scored his first NHL goal on his first NHL shot, but has seen more press box time than ice time since, despite recently being named the No. 8 prospect in the NHL by the Hockey's Future website.

Here's a LINK to a Schwartz feature at the USHL.com website ("Big NHL Debut for USHL Alum Schwartz"), including video of Schwartz' first NHL goal and an interview.

There's a good possibility that Schwartz will start the 2012-13 season as a first-line scoring threat for Peoria, biding his time for the seemingly inevitable mid-season rash of injuries to create an opening on a scoring line in St. Louis.

...

Here's some more Schwartz video, also courtesy of the USHL website, as part of their "Alumni Voices" series:

Biographical information below taken from Schwartz' page at the Colorado College men's hockey website.

2010-11: Schwartz averaged 1.57 points per game, tops nationally among freshmen, and led Colorado College in scoring despite missing 15 outings due to a stint with Team Canada and an injury he sustained at the Junior World Championships...factored in on the game-winning goal in all four of CC's post-season victories, scoring a pair and assisting on two more while compiling 14 points (4g,10a) in seven playoff games overall...named to the all-tournament team at the NCAA West Regional, as well as national Rookie of the Year by Inside College Hockey and national Rookie of the Month for March/April by the Hockey Commisioners' Association...earlier was voted to the All-WCHA Third Team and Rookie Team...recipient of four major team awards, including MVP, and was involved in eight game winners altogether...recorded four assists in a game on two occasions, in victories over Denver (9-2) and Michigan Tech (7-3), while recording 14 multiple-point outings in only 30 appearances overall...collected five points in two games at both the WCHA Final Five and NCAA Regional.

HIGH SCHOOL/JUNIORS: Named Forward of the Year in the United States Hockey League in 2009-10 after winning the USHL scoring title with 83 points (33g,50a) in 60 games...an alternate captain for the Tri-City Storm, he helped lead the team to its first playoff berth since 2007 and added three goals during a first-round series against Omaha...a first-team All-USHL selection who earlier dished out an assist in the league’s 2010 all-star game...the youngest player since 1982-83 to lead the USHL in scoring, he also topped in the league with 16 power-play goals.

PERSONAL NOTES: Born Jaden Schwartz, son of Rick and Carol Schwartz of Wilcox, Saskatchewan, as well as younger brother of CC junior and Tiger teammate Rylan...first-round draft pick (14th overall) of the St. Louis Blues in June 2010...enjoys watching football and playing golf in his leisure time.

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES

New faces likely at Carver Arena in 2012-13

After the jump, a graphic look at the 2011-12 Rivermen roster, and a look ahead at players who may "play in Peoria" for 2012-13. Stay tuned...

Continue reading this post »

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

PROSPECT PROMOTIONS / DEMOTIONS:

None to report this week.

PROSPECT TRADES:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SICK CALL:

02-24-12 -- D Jani Hakanpää (Blues Espoo/SM-Liiga) out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. (LINK, in Finnish).

01-09-12 -- F Jay Barriball and D Jake Gannon (Peoria/AHL) remain on IR with concussions. (LINK).

01-08-12 -- C Jori Lehtera (Sibir Novosibirsk/KHL) out for the season with a broken leg. (LINK).

PLAYERS RETURNED TO DUTY:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SUSPENSION:

None to report this week.

PROSPECT NEWS AND NOTES:

ITEM: MAJOR JUNIOR PLAYOFF UPDATE.

The Blues will have prospects playing in the championship series of all thee major junior leagues.

Starting out East in the QMJHL, the Saint John Sea Dogs have become one of major junior hockey’s most dominant clubs over the course of the last decade, and are the defending QMJHL and Memorial Cup champions. The Dogs eliminated Chicoutimi last night with a 3-2 OT victory, and will face the winner of the Halifax-Rimouski series (which could end this afternoon with a win by Rimouski) in the QMJHL final.

The two Blues’ prospects skating for Saint John -- winger Stephen Macaulay and center Ryan Tesink -- have been providing timely supplemental scoring in support of Saint John’s bigger names, and both are just shy of being point-per-game players at this point of the postseason.

In the Ontario League, the Niagara Ice Dogs, based in St. Catharines, Ontario, finished off the Ottawa 67’s on Friday night and became the 2012 Bobby Orr Trophy winners (OHL Eastern Conference champs) with a 3-2 win before over 3100 fans at the Gatorade Garden City Complex in St. Catharines.

Prospect defenseman Brock Beukeboom has two goals thus far in the playoffs, and both have been scored in the deciding games of his team’s playoff series to date, though they were not the series-deciding goals. Beukeboom’s first-ever OHL playoff goal was scored on April Fool’s day, an empty-netter with less than two minutes on the clock in Niagara’s 4-1 win over Oshawa in the first round. In the second round, where the Ice Dogs swept the Brampton Battalion in four straight, Beukeboom tallied the first goal of the game in the series-clinching 3-1 win on Apr. 12.

Finally, out in the wild, wild West, the Portland Winter Hawks and breakout scorer Ty Rattie are in the Western League final series, where they will face the Edmonton Oil Kings. The final series pits the current Oil Kings franchise against the original Oil Kings franchise, as the Winter Hawks were formerly the Edmonton Oil Kings before moving to the Rose City in 1976 to become the first-ever US-based major junior club.

Edmonton reached the finals by eliminating the Moose Jaw Warriors, with Blues' prospects Cody Beach and Joel Edmundson, in five games.

FEATURES THIS WEEK:

RIVER READINGS

In a sneak peek at the next print edition of "Tomorrow's Blues," we present a look back at 2011-12, and a look ahead to 2012-13 for the Peoria Rivermen. Details at 1:00 PM Central Time today.

ON THE RADAR

This week's feature takes a closer look at 2010 first-rounder Jaden Schwartz, who may get his chance to shine on the big playoff stage this week. Details at 2:00 PM Central Time today.

TRENDING UP

And then there were five... This week's "Trending Up" will feature the five Blues' prospects who are still active in playoff competition. Details at 3:00 PM Central Time today.

WEEKLY PROSPECT STATISTICS REVIEW

In the last nine NHL Entry Drafts, about 40% of all players chosen by the Blues have been Europeans. This week, the statistical breakdown of all the Euro prospects in the Blues' system. Details at 4:00 PM Central Time today.

NOTE:

NCAA Division I player stats are featured this week.

The feature on undrafted seniors that could be free-agent targets, which was teased in the "omnibus" Prospect Sunday post, will be posted separately.

After the jump, the most current and complete set of Blues' college prospect scoring, penalty, and goaltending statistics available anywhere in one place on the 'Net.

Continue reading this post »

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

THE SKINNY:

The only Blues' prospects still playing are those in major junior and the USHL... and most of them were sitting back this week and waiting for the second round of their league playoffs to start. There were a couple of exceptions, however, as one series out West went to a Game Seven, and the USHL playoffs just got under way in the last week.

When this week began, there were ten prospects who were still alive in the postseason; only three of those saw their seasons end this week -- and one of them even got to skate his league's championship trophy on a lap around the ice. So every prospect who played this week will be featured today, either in the "Fab Five" or at least an Honorable Mention

AFTER THE JUMP:

After the jump, your weekly look at the players in the Blues' organization who are "Trending Up." Stay tuned...

Continue reading this post »

STEPHEN MACAULAY:

Drafted by the Blues 164th overall in 2010, the Nova Scotia native is currently enjoying his third consecutive solid playoff performance for the Saint John Sea Dogs, one of the most dominant major junior teams of the last decade.

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Biographical information below taken from Macaulay's page at the Saint John Sea Dogs website.

Selected in round three (52nd overall) of 2008 QMJHL Entry Draft… Scored first career goal on Nov. 15, 2008 vs. Rouyn-Noranda… Played for Team Atlantic at the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge... Selected by St. Louis Blues (Round six, 164th overall) at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft... Has played defense in a pinch... Clutch playoff scorer with OT winner over Lewiston in Game 1 and the series-clinching goal in Game 4 of the 2011 President's Cup semifinal series... Also scored game-winning goal in Game 3 of 2011 President's Cup final vs. Gatineau... Winner of team's Irving Oil Team Player Award in 2010-11 and 2011-12, voted by teammates.

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES

New faces likely at Carver Arena in 2012-13

When your team misses the playoffs in spite of...

•• Winning more games than you've lost.

•• Posting a plus-10 goal differential.

•• Finishing with the 7th-best power play and 3rd-best penalty kill in the league.

•• And having six 20-goal scorers take the ice for you, more than any other AHL team.

...you should expect to see more than a few changes coming your way for next season.

The Peoria Rivermen were the third seed in the AHL Western Conference just a few weeks ago, and today they're packing up equipment and going their separate ways to spend a long summer thinking about what could have been. And, as head coach Jared Bednar points out in this article from Saturday's Peoria Journal Star, there's one big reason for that.

"After looking at those stats, why aren't we in the playoffs? Consistency," Rivermen coach Jared Bednar said. "We didn't get to our team game enough on a night-to-night basis. Was this a playoff-caliber team? Absolutely. I can't help but say that we underachieved. I'm the coach so I'll take full responsibility for us not getting into the playoffs."

The Rivermen featured a large number of experienced veterans on this year's roster, many of whom have significant NHL experience as well. Five of those veterans -- forwards Brett Sterling, Jonathan Cheechoo and Kyle Hagel, and defensemen Danny Syvret and Brennan Evans -- are unrestricted free agents, and two more forwards -- Brett Sonne and Anthony Peluso -- are restricted free agents who are due qualifying offers in the next few weeks.

There is no guarantee that any of those players will be brought back for next year's Rivermen. Sterling and Cheechoo (two of Peoria's six 20-goal men this year), and offensive defenseman Syvret, may be looking for one more kick at the can with an NHL club. Hagel missed most of the year to injury, and has settled into a front-office PR slot the Rivermen. Evans played every game, and was effective for the most part, but may not be retained as the veteran leader on defense.

Sonne and Peluso should get qualifying offers at least, and both played key roles this year for the Rivs. Sonne was a big part of Peoria's excellent penalty-killing unit, and Peluso is developing into a bigger and younger version of Ryan Reaves, the enforcer who graduated to the Blues on a full-time basis this year after several years in Peoria.

The Blues recently signed two college prospects to two-way ELC's, offensive whiz Jaden Schwartz and goaltender Paul Karpowich. Karpowich will almost certainly find himself in Peoria next season backing up Jake Allen, and there's a good possibility that Schwartz also starts the season, at least, in Peoria while waiting for a permanent roster spot to open up in St. Louis.

Michigan State forward Trevor Nill is also a graduating senior this year, and might find a home in Peoria next year as well. Nill is jot a big scorer (6-15-21 in 128 games with MSU over the last four years), but he is very good on faceoffs and plays a solid defense-first game, both attributes that would slot in well with Peoria's solid penalty-killing unit.

Three major junior prospects are also likely to be in Peoria next year, as they will be age-eligible (20 years old) to compete in the AHL and will have completed at least three years in major junior. Of these three, only power forward Cody Beach (Moose Jaw/WHL) has already signed an ELC with the Blues, but supplemental scorer and special-teams player Stephen Macaulay (Saint John/QMJHL) and defense prospect Brock Beukeboom (Niagara/OHL) have already reached their 20th birthday, and all bring attributes to the 2012-13 Peoria roster that will be welcome in central Illinois.

European forwards Vladimir Tarasenko, Sebastian Wännström and Sergei Andronov, along with defensemen Teemu Eronen and Jani Hakanpää, all played the final year of their current European contracts this season. Of these players, only Tarasenko is expected to cross over, and if he does, he will almost certainly slot in with the Blues' top 9 forwards from Day One.

ROLLIN' ON THE RIVER THIS WEEK:

Check out these features after the jump.

ITEM: RIVS' REPORT CARD.

The Rivs' Peoria Journal Star beat writer, Dave Eminian, joins forces with head coach Jared Bednar to bring you the 2011-12 Rivermen Report Card.

ITEM: QUICK SHIFT WITH JAKE ALLEN.

Eminian caught up with Jake Allen earlier in the season, and this video is one of a series of "Quick Shifts" with Rivermen players posted by Eminian this year.

Continue reading this post »

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

Thanks to everyone that voted in last week's poll for a new Prospect Sunday header picture. The winning shot is shown above.

PROSPECT PROMOTIONS / DEMOTIONS:

4:20 -- Forwards Adam "Release The" Cracknell and Evgeny Grachev, and defenseman Danny Syvret, recalled from Peoria (AHL) for "Black Aces" practice squad. LINK.

4:20 -- Goaltender Paul Karpowich signed to a two-year ELC from Clarkson University (ECAC). LINK.

PROSPECT TRADES:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SICK CALL:

02-24-12 -- D Jani Hakanpää (Blues Espoo/SM-Liiga) out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. (LINK, in Finnish).

01-09-12 -- F Jay Barriball and D Jake Gannon (Peoria/AHL) remain on IR with concussions. (LINK).

01-08-12 -- C Jori Lehtera (Sibir Novosibirsk/KHL) out for the season with a broken leg. (LINK).

PLAYERS RETURNED TO DUTY:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SUSPENSION:

None to report this week.

PROSPECT NEWS AND NOTES:

ITEM: RAT TRICKS.

The "rat trick" is back in Florida, where fans throw plastic rats onto the ice after every Panthers' playoff win, in honor of the slaying of a rat in the Panthers' dressing room by Blues' assistant coach Scott Mellanby during Florida's last deep playoff run a decade ago.

"Rat Tricks," or more specifically, "Rattie Tricks," may soon become a staple of the Blues organization as well. 2011 second-round pick Ty Rattie continued his breakout 2011-12 season by scoring three goals in the Portland Winter Hawks' come-from-behind 5-4 OT win over the Tri-City Americans in WHL Western Conference playoff action on Saturday night.

Rattie, who leads the WHL in playoff scoring with 16 goals and 27 points in 13 games, was the subject of a nice write-up at NHL.com for his efforts.

FEATURES THIS WEEK:

RIVER READINGS

The Peoria Rivermen could have a significantly new look in 2012-13; there could be as many as five rookies taking the place of five veterans who could potentially depart as unrestricted free agents this summer. Also, links to Dave Eminian's 2011-12 Rivermen Report Card and a video "Quick Shift" with Brian Elliot's current doorman, Jake "The Snake" Allen. Details at 1:00 PM Central Time today.

ON THE RADAR

A new "stand-alone" feature debuts this week with "On The Radar," an in-depth look at one of the Blues' current prospects in the AHL, ECHL, Europe, junior or college. This week's feature takes a closer look at 2010 draftee Stephen Macaulay, who is providing some solid secondary scoring and intangibles for a powerhouse Saint John (NB) Sea Dogs club that is dominating the QMJHL. Details at 2:00 PM Central Time today.

TRENDING UP

The Blues have just seven prospects still playing, all in major junior or the USHL, so the potential field for this week's "Fab Five" is narrowed down considerably. We will also feature a handful of Honorable Mentions for prospects who's playoffs are now over (or, in one case, just on hiatus). Details at 3:00 PM Central Time today.

WEEKLY PROSPECT STATISTICS REVIEW

Last week, we featured the junior players in this space; this week, the focus shifts to college players. We will also have some notes on a handful of undrafted seniors at big-time NCAA schools who could be targets for a depth free-agent signing or two by the Blues this summer. Details at 4:00 PM Central Time today.

LINK.

Per the Twitter feed of Brendan Burke, the voice of the Peoria Rivermen:

The Blues have signed goaltender Paul Karpowich to a two-year contract. He becomes Allen's backup in Peoria or ECHL starter next season.

More to come re: Karpowich when "Prospect Sunday" hits the 'Net later this weekend...

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

Just like General MacArthur, I Have Returned...

First of all, thanks to everyone who is reading this right now. There are going to be some changes made here, and they start right now... I will no longer be referring to myself as a plural. The "Game Time" Prospect Department is me, Brian, and that's how it's going to be from here on out.

Also, I'm thinking it's time for a change to the background picture used in the header above. I want this to be a picture that I've actually taken, as the one above is, and I want this to be reflective of your preferences. So here are thumbnails of five potential new background shots for the header (you can click on the link provided with each picture for a larger view). Please vote in the poll below for the picture you like best, and the winning shot will be the header for next week and the weeks to follow.

LINK to Header 01.

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LINK to Header 02.

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LINK to Header 03.

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LINK to Header 04.

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LINK to Header 05.

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Based on feedback from you -- some of it positive, some not so much -- there will be less of the features "above the fold," and more after the jump. I was informed, not very politely, that some people don't want to see the entire feature on the front page all at once... so there will be more jumping in the future, unless you tell me to do otherwise.

Today's 12:00 noon start time for Prospect Sunday will be the start time going forward, and there will be a total of five weekly features, including this "omnibus" page. Details below.

Finally, thanks from the bottom of my heart for the support and well-wishes I received from several of you during my hiatus. This is still something I love doing, and I hope it's something you love seeing.

PROSPECT PROMOTIONS / DEMOTIONS:

04-15-12 -- G Jake Allen called up to St. Louis (NHL) from Peoria (AHL). LINK.

PROSPECT TRADES:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SICK CALL:

02-24-12 -- D Jani Hakanpää (Blues Espoo/SM-Liiga) out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. (LINK, in Finnish).

01-09-12 -- F Jay Barriball and D Jake Gannon (Peoria/AHL) remain on IR with concussions. (LINK).

01-08-12 -- C Jori Lehtera (Sibir Novosibirsk/KHL) out for the season with a broken leg. (LINK).

PLAYERS RETURNED TO DUTY:

None to report this week.

PLAYERS ON SUSPENSION:

None to report this week.

CHANGES COMING:

The plan going forward is to make this a separate feature, like "River Readings" and "Trending Up." We will be bringing back the Player File graphics, like this one for Jani Hakanpää (in a larger and more readable size)...

...and we will dig a little deeper for biographical information on the players as well, again in response to feedback received from a good friend of this website, this feature, and your GTPD.

The "new" feature will debut next week with 2010 draftee Stephen Macaulay in the spotlight, and will appear in the 2:00 CDT time slot.

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FEATURES THIS WEEK:

RIVER READINGS

The Rivermen were officially eliminated from the AHL playoff race last night, following a devastating 6-1 shellacking by Charlotte at home on Friday the 13th. Has the inconsistency of the Rivermen in their AHL lifetime been due to a lack of first-rounders skating for them, compared to other teams? Details at 1:00 PM Central Time every week in the future, and after the jump today.

TRENDING UP

There will no longer be any "regulars" on the "Fab Five;" five players will make the cut each week based on their performances, with a maximum of three Honorable Mentions each week if warranted. Details on this week's "Fab Five" at 3:00 PM Central Time every week in the future, and after the jump today.

WEEKLY PROSPECT STATISTICS REVIEW

One of the most valuable pieces of reader feedback that I received has been a suggestion to break up the prospect stats a little bit. Rather than update stats from the entire organization each week, break it down into smaller chunks so as to not present you, the reader, with an overload of stats, or with a big page of numbers that can be daunting to read through.

So, prospect statistical updates will be done on a rotating basis, and the chart has a new look as well. The entire organization will be updated on a monthly basis, as follows:

-- Week One, Peoria and Alaska stats, plus updates on any prospects on callup to the NHL.

-- Week Two, junior players from the OHL, QMJHL, WHL and USHL.

-- Week Three, collegiate players.

-- Week Four, Europeans.

Depending on the results of the 2012 Entry Draft, the college player stats may be combined with the junior stats for next season. As of now, the Blues have only one prospect still in college, Max Tardy of Minnesota-Duluth. The other college prospects have either turned pro (Jaden Schwartz) or are seniors (Paul Karpowich, Trevor Nill). In any case, look for prospect stats updates at 4:00 PM Central Time every week in the future, and after the jump today.

AFTER THE JUMP:

On the other side, our weekly features in smaller, "bite-sized" format. We're beginning the Stats Update this week with the major junior players, since Peoria was eliminated from playoff contention last night. Look for our Rivermen Season In Review feature in two weeks, when the minor pro stats rotation comes up.

Continue reading this post »

Led by resurgent goaltender Jake Allen, and by returned scoring leader T.J. Hensick, the Peoria Rivermen took a 3-1 win over the Chicago Wolves last night.

Hensick and Adam Cracknell each hit the 20-goal plateau for the Rivermen last night; former NHL goal scoring leader Jonathan Cheechoo, who now has 19 goals, scored the other Peoria goal. Allen turned aside 38 of 39 Chicago shots to claim the win, Peoria's fourth in a a row.

Jake "The Snake" Allen, about whom we wrote the following on this site and in the print edition a few weeks back...

One of two things will happen. In the best case, Allen is inspired by the opportunity much like he was inspired by the opportunity to tend goal for Team Canada in the 2008 U-18 World Juniors, and he rises to the occasion with a solid gold shutdown performance as he did in the U-18’s.

...has opted for the best case. Since the Ben Bishop trade, Allen is 5-3-0 with a 1.98 goals-against average and a 94.1% save percentage.

The Rivermen are one point ahead of the Chicago Wolves and Charlotte Checkers for first place in the AHL Midwest Division, and currently hold the number three seed in the upcoming Calder Cup playoffs.

Peoria doesn't play again until next Tuesday, so their place in the sun will probably not last long as Chicago and Charlotte make up some of the games they have in hand on the Rivermen. But it's been a long time since Peoria was in first place this late in the season, so enjoy it while it lasts.

PLAYOFF STATISTICS NOTE:

Playoff statistics, for those prospects competing in league playoffs, make their debut here this week. Stats for NCAA Division I players currently participating in postseason tournaments will continue to be accumulated as regular-season statistics.

After the jump, the most current and complete set of Blues' prospect scoring, penalty, and goaltending statistics available anywhere in one place on the 'Net.

Continue reading this post »