St. Louis Blues Making Right Decision With Second Line
There were not many positions open for the taking heading into opening night on Wednesday, but a spot on the St. Louis Blues’ second line was up for grabs, and Sammy Blais took advantage of it.
The St. Louis Blues will have mostly the same lineup that they finished game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals with. Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. However, the second and third line will look a little different, but it’s for the better.
St. Louis finished the season with a second line of Zach Sanford, Ryan O’Reilly, and David Perron. Coming into the season-opener against Washington, Perron, and O’Reilly will stay on the team’s second line, but it will have a familiar face.
Blais led the way this preseason, like he always does, and has yet again put himself on the map with a stellar camp.
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The 23-year-old could be the greatest preseason player of all-time, but this season has far-reaching implications for Blais and the Blues. He was dominant in the second round against Dallas, showing skill and strength on the puck.
In training camp, he has picked up right where he left off and has earned a spot on the second line with O’Reilly and Perron, and it is a perfect fit for all three players.
Sanford could have earned a spot during camp, but general manager Doug Armstrong and head coach Craig Berube have not exactly loved what they have seen out of Sanford during the preseason, but in the end, it looks like he will be a healthy scratch to start the year.
Robby Fabbri was also a candidate to earn a spot in the top-6 group for the Blues and played very well in the preseason, but because he was going up against a preseason legend, Fabbri finds himself on the third line to begin the season.
Blais was far and away one of the best players on the Blues roster who was competing for a spot, and he has all the tools to make an immediate impact on the roster from the first drop of the puck.
O’Reilly is one of the best two-way centers in the entire league, and he will probably win the Selke trophy again this season. With him feeding Blais pucks for 82 games, there’s no reason to think that Blais can reach the 20-goal plateau.
With Perron on the opposite wing, Blais won’t be relied upon heavily for his offensive input, but his big body could open up enough space for he and O’Reilly to do some damage as a compliment to the team’s first line.
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Whether or not Blais can play at a level that will keep him on the second line remains to be seen. However, if he can play at even a fraction of what he has done in camp, the St. Louis Blues will be in great shape.