St. Louis Blues Make Smart Move With Dmitrij Jaskin
By Todd Panula
The St. Louis Blues have made some roster moves of late, including the demotion of Dmitrij Jaskin to the AHL. Those moves have confused many Blues fans however.
In unpopular fashion, not only have these roster moves not involved some blockbuster trade – that isn’t likely to happen anyway – but they’ve sent or kept players in the minors many thought could become staples of the Blues’ lineup. Petteri Lindbohm was not brought up to the NHL club when Alex Pietrangelo got injured and just today, Jaskin got sent down to the Chicago Wolves.
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As curious as these moves seem on the surface, they make perfect sense. Neither player was going to play given the current roster. The Blues have been riddled with injuries, but as of right now there simply wasn’t room to have those players in the NHL.
Lindbohm was pretty much penciled in as one of the top six defensemen coming into the year. When others shied away, Lindbohm brought some energy and physicality to the roster last season. However, unfortunately for him, younger players like Joel Edmunson and Colton Parayko came alive during preseason camp and claimed their spots.
Lindbohm has been given a few chances (admitedly only a few) this season, but at least in the coaching staff’s mind he has not done enough to remain in the NHL. Some will argue that Pietrangelo’s injury should have opened a spot for Lindbohm, but I say no. The team brought up unkown, 32 year old Peter Harrold.
They haven’t used Harrold even after a Carl Gunnarsson appeared to get injured few games ago. Clearly the intention was to not use whoever was brought up from Chicago unless absolutely forced to, so it makes sense to leave Lindbohm with the Wolves so he can continue to play. Anyone who also follows European soccer knows that it’s more important to play and grow than be with the main team.
The same holds true of Jaskin. It’s disappointing that someone Ken Hitchcock touted so highly just a few seasons ago hasn’t quite panned out, but the same idea holds true. If the return of Jaden Schwartz leaves Jaskin as the odd man out, it makes more sense for him to play in Chicago than to sit in the press box in St. Louis.
Despite his physical prowess, Jaskin only has three goals and ten points in 49 games. Also despite his size, his style doesn’t really fit with the fourth line. Thus the decsion to play him with the Wolves, who are on the outside looking in on a playoff spot and can use all the help they can get.
Jaskin’s demotion is disappointing, but more because he was built up before we actually saw him. Lindbohm is more disappointing, personally, because you could see the energy he was willing to bring and he was just the odd man out when others stepped up.
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I still believe both of them will have a spot on the Blues’ roster in future seasons. They both still have room to grow and lots to prove, but are not even close to lost causes. They both have productive NHL careers in their futures.
Everyone has their opinions on each individual player, but there just isn’t anyone you could honestly replace on the roster with Jaskin or Lindbohm. Many will say Gunnarsson or Kyle Brodziak are replaceable, but I already pointed out that Jaskin doesn’t fit the fourth line and there isn’t any way the staff takes Gunnarsson out if healthy. For right now, these moves are the correct ones.