St. Louis Blues Preseason: What To Watch For Game 3 vs Winnipeg
By Tyler Andrus
The St. Louis Blues take on the Winnipeg Jets in tonight’s Central Division matchup. This is the first time the two teams are meeting since the Blues downed the Jets in the first round of the NHL playoffs last April.
The St. Louis Blues have had a great showing throughout the first two preseason games, and now some more veteran players will be able to make their preseason debut’s tonight in Winnipeg.
St. Louis Blues’ All-Time Record vs Winnipeg
22-12-12
Since re-entering the NHL scene after a brief hiatus, the Winnipeg Jets have not found a ton of success against our St. Louis Blues. The Blues get a point in roughly 62 percent of the games played against the Jets. While preseason may not mean a lot, it is an interesting stat to keep in mind going forward.
Opponent’s Record
1-1-0
The Winnipeg Jets began their preseason with a shutout loss to the Edmonton Oilers. They rebounded two days later with a 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. Blake Wheeler, Andrew Copp, and 22-year-old defenseman Sami Niku currently lead the team with two points each.
St. Louis Blues’ All-Time Record vs Winnipeg
22-12-12
Since re-entering the NHL scene after a brief hiatus, the Winnipeg Jets have not found a ton of success against our St. Louis Blues. The Blues get a point in roughly 62 percent of the games played against the Jets. While preseason may not mean a lot, it is an interesting stat to keep in mind going forward.
Players to Watch
Playoff MVP Ryan O’Reilly is set to make his preseason debut in tonight’s game. While there are no concerns about his ability and hockey IQ, O’Reilly did admit to playing with a broken rib during the playoffs. Hopefully, he will be able to come out tonight and play at a good speed with limited complications. I would imagine he gets a lot of minutes and has a high probability of collecting a point against a Winnipeg team that seems to be in a locker room flux.
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If you have not seen Zach Sanford’s goal against Washington the other night, stop reading this and go look it up. The way he used his 6-4, 200-pound frame to protect the puck around the boards and then to have the skill to bury the wrister in close is incredible. This is a man who could be fighting for a job in the top-six. He certainly has the potential. He is a must-watch tonight because of the skill and intensity that he brings on a nightly basis.
No matter your opinion on Jake Allen’s play the last couple of seasons, you have to give him the respect he deserves after respectfully taking a back seat to Jordan Binnington‘s playoff mastery. Expected to be a solid back-up, and potentially a 1b goalie, Allen needs to come out and play sharp. He still has a lot to play for with Ville Husso a little bit closer than the review mirror may show.
Sami Niku (Jets):
Maybe it’s wrong to throw a Jets player into our BLUES players to watch, but this is a kid who intrigues me. Dustin Byfuglien‘s NHL future is up in the air, potentially opening the door to a full-time position for Sami Niku. Niku split time between in the NHL and AHL clubs last season, and at just 22 we could be seeing a lot more of this kid in the future. I am curious to see how hard he plays with some early preseason scoring momentum and more than just a foot in the door.
St. Louis Blues Finish Unbelievable Year: Zach Sanford. dark. Next
Tyler’s Take
Overall, I am very excited about this preseason game. Maybe it’s O’Reilly being back, how we typically own the Jets, or because I hit my head, but this preseason game has me going. Several young, high-potential players are fighting for a spot on the big-league club. After Sanford’s performance against the Capitals (1 G, 3 hits, 2 blocked shots), he is reason enough to watch the game. Oh, and I guess you can expect the Blues to win as well (not that it matters a whole lot at this stage).