At the start of every NHL season, teams must pare down their preseason training camp rosters to 23 players--enough players to field a 20-man team on a nightly basis with a few extras to rotate in if necessary. Things will be no different for the St. Louis Blues, as they'll have to send a mix of young players on bridge deals, AHL veterans, and other players who've been beaten out for a roster spot.
That goes both ways, however, and the Blues may be able to find some help on the waiver wire.
Internal solutions?
First and foremost, we're hopeful that the Blues have internal solutions to bolster the roster. For example, if a run of injuries depletes the team's bottom six, maybe Dalibor Dvorsky or Otto Stenberg could step up and get some NHL experience early in the season, or maybe Justin Carbonneau makes the team for the first couple of weeks before being returned to the OHL once everyone on the main roster is healthy.
However, sometimes the prospects truly are not ready to hack it at the NHL level, nor have any AHL veterans shown what it takes, either. In that scenario, the Blues might be able to claim a player that another team places on the waiver wire.
Generally speaking, NHL teams don't claim players going through waivers at the start of the season. There is no written rule about such transactions, but general managers seem to take a "hands-off" approach at this time of year.
Doug Armstrong, however, has shown he's not afraid to step on some toes--the dual offer sheets of Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway demonstrate as much. Armstrong's tenure as Blues GM is coming to an end soon as well, so perhaps he'll be less concerned about upsetting the status quo. The most likely outcome is the Blues don't claim anyone, but keep an eye on the waiver wire all the same, as you never know what surprises are in store.