最新杏吧原创

Bally Sports Midwest. FanDuel Sports Midwest. Joe鈥檚 Pizza Joint Midwest.

Whatever the entity that has been the longtime Blues and Cardinals telecaster ends up being named, multiple sources told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday that the core Blues broadcast team is returning.

The club鈥檚 regular-season schedule begins on Tuesday, but as of Thursday afternoon 鈥� five days before the puck drops in a game that counts 鈥� there has been no official announcement about the team鈥檚 local television plans. That鈥檚 despite a federal bankruptcy judge in Houston last month approving a plan by Diamond Sports Group, parent company of Blues telecaster Bally Sports Midwest, that keeps its deal in place to televise the Note plus eight other NHL teams.

鈥淲e look forward to returning to Bally Sports for our regular season and first-round playoff broadcasts in 2024-25,鈥� Blues CEO Chris Zimmerman recently said, adding that the club is 鈥減rogressing towards being able to share full local broadcast details with our fans in advance of the regular season.鈥�

That information still has not been announced, but multiple sources said the lineup again will feature John Kelly on play-by-play and Jamie Rivers providing commentary, with Bernie Federko, Andy Strickland, Scott Warmann, Alexa Datt as well as Joey Vitale in key support roles.

The long wait in announcing the TV lineup is highly unusual. But so is the situation with BSM owner Diamond, which has created a maze of bankruptcy uncertainty for the NHL, MLB and NBA teams in its portfolio for more than a year 鈥� including the surprise announcement this week that it could drop its Cardinals telecasts next season.

Name game

The reason for the delay with the Blues鈥� TV announcement, sources said, is because of uncertainty over what the network will be called. It switched from Fox Sports Midwest to Bally Sports Midwest about 3陆 years ago, selling the name to casino operator Bally鈥檚 Corp. with the idea to cash in on the growing sports-betting market.

But that deal is ending, and multiple reports say that sports betting behemoth FanDuel is poised to pay to have the Diamond regionals rebranded in that company鈥檚 name.

What now is BSM also retains the Blues鈥� streaming rights, which will be available without an extra fee to those who subscribe to a service that carries the network. The package also can be purchased 脿 la carte by those who do not, .

Many of the team鈥檚 exhibition games are being streamed by Victory+, a free direct-to-consumer service that the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks plan to use extensively this season. A source said the Blues鈥� foray with it has been experimental, with positive results.

• There also is no change to the Blues鈥� radio lineup, with Chris Kerber (play-by-play), Vitale (analysis) and Alex Ferrario (studio host) back. All games again will be carried on WXOS (101.1 FM).

Getting started

The Blues鈥� first two games will be national network exclusives, so it鈥檚 still a while until the first locally produced telecast 鈥� Friday, Oct. 11 from Las Vegas.

The club plays in the league鈥檚 first game of the regular season, on Tuesday in Seattle, at the unconventional weekday start time of 3:30 p.m. (最新杏吧原创 time). It鈥檚 part of an opening day tripleheader to be shown on ESPN, a game to be followed by Boston-Florida at 6 p.m. and Chicago-Utah at 9. The nightcap will be the regular-season debut of the Utah Hockey Club, formerly the Arizona Coyotes.

It should be a busy day for Ray Ferraro, who finished his 18-season NHL playing career by being in 15 games for the Blues in the 2001-02 campaign. He鈥檚 set to serve as ESPN鈥檚 analyst for the game in Seattle, then fly to Salt Lake City to fill the same role for the network there that night.

The Blues鈥� second game, on Thursday in San Jose, is to be exclusively streamed by ESPN+ and Hulu. After their local-TV debut the next night in Vegas, they return to ESPN for their home opener 鈥� at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, against Minnesota. That ends a run of national exclusives for more than a month.

Here are the broadcaster assignments for the first three national productions:

Tuesday vs. Seattle, ESPN: Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Ray Ferraro (analyst), Stormy Buonantony (reporter), Dave Jackson (rules analyst).

Thursday vs. San Jose, ESPN+, Hulu: Monaco (play-by-play), Cassie Campbell-Pascall (analyst), Jackson (rules analyst).

Oct. 15 vs. Minnesota, ESPN: Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), AJ Mlezcko (analyst), Emily Kaplan (reporter), Jackson (rules analyst).

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If some selective amnesia came over Kasperi Kapanen, he wouldn鈥檛 mind it.

Of course, games like Thursday鈥檚 4-3 preseason overtime win over the Stars might help just as well. Kapanen had a goal and an assist against Dallas, potentially securing a spot in the season-opening lineup for the Blues and pushing a disappointing 2023-24 season further away.

鈥淧ersonally, (I鈥檇 like) to learn from last year,鈥� Kapanen said, 鈥渂ut to also kind of forget about it.鈥�

On Thursday night, Kapanen was arguably the best player on the ice. He was around pucks on the forecheck. He was physical at times. He was using his speed. He was active in shooting pucks. With a chance to prove himself worthy of a role in 最新杏吧原创, Kapanen delivered.

Philip Broberg also had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who were lifted when Jordan Kyrou scored 1:43 into overtime. Mathieu Joseph also scored for 最新杏吧原创, and Jordan Binnington made 17 saves.

Kapanen entered camp on the bubble, and if he wasn鈥檛 to make the NHL roster, would have to face waivers for the first time since the Blues claimed him off waivers in Feb. 2023. At times during the preseason, Kapanen appeared on the outside looking in. When the Blues split into NHL and AHL groups, Kapanen was in the AHL group. Other times, he skated on an extra line.

Blues coach Drew Bannister said after Kapanen鈥檚 first preseason game that he wanted more out of the 28-year-old Finnish forward. Now, those messages have dissolved.

鈥淚 think he鈥檚 a player that maybe overthought things early on in the camp,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淚 think now, he鈥檚 more focused on his strengths and I think we saw that last game where I felt like he was trying to make an impact. Today, obviously, he made an impact offensively with the play he made to Matty and obviously with the goal being around the net. I thought he played extremely well here today.鈥�

Kapanen on the communication with Bannister: 鈥淛ust playing aggressive and using my speed. I think sometimes, I start to overthink and wonder what鈥檚 going to happen during my shift. I think can I get into a rhythm and let my instincts do the work. When I play like that, I think it shows and I鈥檓 just using my feet and trying to shoot and be around the net.鈥�

On Thursday night, Kapanen helped form a line with Joseph and Brayden Schenn that contributed two goals. During Kapanen鈥檚 12:25 of ice time at 5 on 5, the Blues outshot the Stars 10-2, and had a 0.92-0.19 advantage in expected goals.

Kapanen picked up an assist on Joseph鈥檚 goal after Schenn won a wall battle with Mason Marchment. Kapanen scored on Broberg鈥檚 rebound to the side of the net, spinning a no-look backhand into the net.

That doesn't include Kapanen's almost-assist on a disallowed Ryan Suter goal in the second period, or Kapanen's miss of an open net in the first period.

鈥淚 thought we played a great game,鈥� Kapanen said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we spent too much time in our zone, which is always a plus. MoJo and Schenner are two great players, so I thought we had some good chemistry and it was a good game.鈥�

Last season, Kapanen endured the worst season of his career since he became an NHL regular. He managed just six goals and 16 assists. Kapanen began the year in the top-six, and was a healthy scratch for two games down the stretch.

Kapanen was supposed to carry over his strong finish in the spring of 2023 (14 points in 23 games with 最新杏吧原创), but instead failed to provide secondary scoring.

鈥淓verybody knows it wasn鈥檛 my best, and I know that,鈥� Kapanen said. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to hold myself to a higher standard. That鈥檚 hockey and that鈥檚 just sports in general. Sometimes, you have bad years and you鈥檝e got to forget about that and move on.鈥�

For Kapanen, moving on is better when he has someone to talk to, he said. And that someone is his father Sami Kapanen, who played 831 career NHL games for the Whalers/Hurricanes and Flyers.

鈥淚f it bothers you like it bothered me a little bit, I think it鈥檚 important to talk to somebody about it,鈥� Kapanen said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got a great guy that listens to me, my dad. Obviously, he鈥檚 been in the league for a while and knows the ups and downs of hockey. I just try to talk to him.

鈥淗onestly, I was happy to spend some time with my family and my friends back home. It was a long summer, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Try to play some golf, and mentally, be fresh coming into camp. I feel great right now.鈥�

It also wasn鈥檛 always certain that Kapanen would be back in 最新杏吧原创 this season. His contract expired at the end of last season, and the Blues appeared ready to let their unrestricted free agents walk. Instead, Kapanen signed a one-year contract worth $1 million on the first day of free agency to return to the Note.

Kapanen said 鈥淚 love being here, and I love being a Blue.鈥�

So far, Kapanen appears to have earned a spot 鈥� jumping over Zack Bolduc in the process 鈥� on the opening day roster. But that鈥檚 not the end of Kapanen鈥檚 journey. Brandon Saad will return to the lineup after his wife gives birth. Oskar Sundqvist is recovering from knee surgery. Bolduc, and prospects Dalibor Dvorsky and Zach Dean will push.

If Kapanen has a spot now, a future one isn鈥檛 promised either.

鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to fight for a spot,鈥� Kapanen said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a ton of great players in this organization and I鈥檝e just been trying to find my way into the lineup. If I keep playing like that, I鈥檝e got a good chance.鈥�

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What looked like a successful training camp bid for Zack Bolduc to make the opening day roster has tailed off as the Blues approach the season opener on Tuesday in Seattle.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Bolduc skated with the fifth forward line, a potential indication that he鈥檚 on the outside looking in as training camp winds down. Initially, it looked as if Bolduc was in line for a top-six role with the Blues, especially with the possibility that Brandon Saad misses the first road trip of the season awaiting the birth of his third child.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say his play has dipped,鈥� Blues coach Drew Bannister said of Bolduc. 鈥淚 think, right now, it鈥檚 kind of leveled off. We鈥檝e tried to put him in positions to have success and play up in the lineup in games, practices he鈥檚 been playing with top linemates. Put him on the power play. There鈥檚 a lot of good things with Boldy that he鈥檚 doing.

鈥淚 spoke about it before, the deficiencies in his game that we鈥檇 like more (progress), I haven鈥檛 seen a drastic improvement from game to game. But I see a lot of growth in his game at the same time. I think he鈥檚 a player that鈥檚 extremely close to being an everyday NHL player. He鈥檚 just got to find that next level in his game and his consistency in his game.鈥�

Bolduc has played three preseason games and has zero points. He has 10 total shots on goal, including six last week in Columbus. On Wednesday and Thursday, Bolduc has skated with Saad and Zach Dean as extras.

鈥淲hen you have a player that鈥檚 21 and his play isn鈥檛 consistent at this level, then it鈥檚 hard to get him into the lineup,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淲e have to be able to trust him and the way he plays to see a more consistent game. His assets that he can bring to the team are very valuable to us, but you still want to see a more well-rounded player. We ask that of all of our players on both sides of the puck. There鈥檚 certain areas of the game where it has gotten better, but it still needs to improve on his end.鈥�

Bolduc, a first-round pick in 2021, split time last season between AHL affiliate Springfield (Massachusetts) and 最新杏吧原创. When he was recalled to the NHL, he had nine points in 25 games, including when he had five points in the final five games of the season.

In Bolduc鈥檚 place in the lineup was Kasperi Kapanen, who previously looked to be on the wrong side of the roster bubble. Kapanen was on the right wing of captain Brayden Schenn and Mathieu Joseph during morning skate on Thursday.

On Tuesday against Columbus, Kapanen had two shots on goal and two hits during his 12:32 of ice time. Kapanen has one goal in his three preseason games.

鈥淚 thought Kappy was engaged a lot more than he was in the previous two games that he played in,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淚 saw somebody that was trying to make a difference. He was physical. Although he didn鈥檛 get on the scoresheet, a lot of offense didn鈥檛 happen, but I saw a player that was trying to make his mark in the game by different ways and his ability to use his speed, a physical aspect.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just looking for players to make impacts, and it鈥檚 not always going to be offensively on the scoresheet. There鈥檚 other ways you can impact the game in a positive way, and I thought he made an impression on me that he tried to impact that game.鈥�

Broberg at the point?

When the Blues practiced their power-play units on Thursday morning, it was defenseman Philip Broberg who was at the point on the second unit. Broberg was there instead of other options like Ryan Suter, Nick Leddy or Colton Parayko.

Broberg has rarely used on the power play in Edmonton, averaging about 14 seconds of power play time per game during his first three NHL seasons. Last season in the AHL with Bakersfield, Broberg had 16 power-play assists.

That ranked fifth among AHL defensemen, and he played about 10 fewer games than the players in front of him.

鈥淚鈥檝e talked to people externally about his play,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淗e did run the power play at the American League level and ran their top unit and had success. I think this is a great opportunity for him. It鈥檚 a great opportunity for us to him in that situation and how he does.鈥�

The rest of the second unit was Dylan Holloway (net front), Schenn (flank), Kapanen (bumper) and Alexandre Texier (flank).

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The past three years. Impressive but not extraordinary.

OK, so this needs to be the season it all comes together. There have been too many scoreless stretches. Too many floundered power-play opportunities. Too many questions about your tenacity on defense and on the boards. You鈥檙e a guy with extreme speed, exceptional hands and exquisite abilities when attacking the net. You鈥檙e now 26. Come into your own.

Oh, and only once have the Blues ever missed the postseason in three straight seasons. For your team to avoid tying that dubious mark, you need to maximize what鈥檚 inside your body 鈥� and your head.

And sorry to bring this up, but after 69 games played last season, you had just 21 goals. But in the final 13 games, you scored 10 goals with seven assists. So credit where credit鈥檚 due on how you finished 鈥� but how did you get to that point after 69 games in the first place?

I asked your coach, Drew Bannister, what a successful 2024-25 season for you looks like. He summed it up in one word (but then followed up with a bunch of them): 鈥淐onsistency. I think if you look at the last four to six weeks last year and how consistently he played, I think that we have to see that consistency in his game over 82 games. And that鈥檚 we know what he brings to the table offensively.

鈥淚 think we saw a concerted effort in his defensive game that maybe took away from his offensive game a little bit. And then I think in the last four to six weeks, he kind of put both of them together. And now we鈥檙e going to look for that for the next eight months.鈥�

As for the list of 14 Blues players who have scored 40 or more goals in a season at least once, it鈥檚 a fascinating fraternity you could join. Of course, you鈥檝e got your Brett Hulls and Brian Sutters and Brendan Shanahans. And there鈥檚 Wayne Babych鈥檚 famous 54-goal season from 1980-81 (he never scored more than 27 in any other season). But there are also some pretty surprising names on there. Tony McKegney scored exactly 40 in 1987-88. And Chuck Lefley had 43 in 1975-76.

Interestingly, only three times has a Blues player netted 40 in the 21st century.

Scott Young had 40 in 2000-01, your old teammate Vladimir Tarasenko had 40 in 2015-16 and Brad Boyes had 43 in 2007-08 (interestingly, the 2007-08 season was the third season of the only three-year span the Blues missed the playoffs).

As for your potential, I truly think you can be the fourth 40-goal scorer this century. But do you have the drive to do it?

鈥淛ust watching him out on the ice (in training camp), I鈥檝e been extremely happy with him in his competitive level,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淪taying in battles, using his speed. I mean, all the things that we know he鈥檚 good at. I see a more focused player that鈥檚 ready for a breakout season. ...

鈥淚 mean, he can (score in bunches), but I think when he鈥檚 playing with confidence, there鈥檚 not a lot of downtime in his scoring. I think he becomes a consistent scorer. As an offensive player, when you鈥檙e feeling it, the goals come easy. But I think just with him, it鈥檒l just be more consistent play of what he did really well towards the end of last season for us.鈥�

As the Post-Dispatch writer Matthew DeFranks has pointed out before, you statistically fare pretty well in five-on-five play (notably when it comes to goals per 60 minutes). But the power-play production (or lack thereof) hurts you and the team.

I want to think that your best center pairing is Robert Thomas. For one, he鈥檚 the best player on the team. And you two are linked forever because of your mirroring contracts.

But I鈥檓 also intrigued by your connection with Pavel Buchnevich playing that center role. Late last year, you connected with Buchnevich and forward Brandon Saad.

鈥淚 mean, He鈥檚 an unbelievable player,鈥� Saad said recently during training camp. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we ever worried about him scoring goals. I think we know how talented he is and how much skill he brings to the team. I know through with playing with him that he can obviously shoot the puck and score goals. He鈥檚 a great player, and I think we all know he鈥檚 going show up for us.鈥�

And that鈥檚 the thing. You鈥檒l show up and finish among the team leaders in goals. But you have the ability to be among the league leaders.

Challenge yourself. Prove yourself.

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Forward Nikita Alexandrov signs 1-year, 2-way contract with Blues 鈥� then is waived

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During Saturday鈥檚 preseason win over the Blackhawks, Walker played a key role in helping the Blues erase a two-goal deficit as they won their first exhibition game of the fall.

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The Blues expect a different Justin Faulk to patrol the 最新杏吧原创 blue line.

So does Justin Faulk.

After a season marred by injuries, Faulk returns this fall healthy 鈥� free from ankle and shoulder ailments that plagued him down the stretch in 2023-24 and ready to take on perhaps his biggest role since arriving in 最新杏吧原创 in the fall of 2019. This season, Faulk will be asked to play with a new partner (Torey Krug has been lost for the season due to ankle surgery) and is the top candidate to run the No. 1 power-play unit (also because Krug is out).

鈥淚鈥檓 pretty aware of when I play well and when I don鈥檛,鈥� Faulk said. 鈥淚 have a standard that I have internally that I think I can play at and an expectation. It鈥檚 just play hard, be hard to play against, make things happen and I know my game鈥檚 still there, and I鈥檓 not too concerned about getting back to it.鈥�

Faulk finished last season with 30 points (two goals and 28 assists) across 60 games, his worst per-game output since 2019-20, his first season in 最新杏吧原创, when he mustered just 16 points in 69 games. His ice time dipped by about a minute and a half per game. He missed about a quarter of the season dealing with injuries.

鈥淲ith Justin, what I can tell you about him and what we missed last year is just the leadership qualities, not only in the dressing room but on the ice,鈥� Blues coach Drew Bannister said. 鈥淭hat goes a long way with our group. Play-wise, we know who he is as a player. He鈥檚 an important player for us. It was difficult when we didn鈥檛 have him last year.鈥�

Faulk said his ankle flared up on him three times last season. Once was a minor issue around Christmas. The big one was in the final minute of a loss to Colorado on Dec. 29, when his leg got caught under his body during an awkward fall, leading to him missing five games. Then he suffered a setback in Calgary on Jan. 23, forcing him out for another dozen.

The Blues didn鈥檛 see Faulk on the ice again after April 6, when he suffered a shoulder injury. His last play of the season was a fight with San Jose鈥檚 Luke Kunin, and Faulk missed the last five games of the season.

鈥淲ith a lot of athletes, there鈥檚 a little bit of an ego thing that gets involved that you want to try and get out there and help your team,鈥� Faulk said. 鈥淪ometimes, to be honest, it鈥檚 maybe at the detriment of yourself and possibly the team if you鈥檙e not playing well enough or if you鈥檙e not healthy enough.鈥�

In his first attempt to return to the lineup after the injury vs. Colorado, Faulk was on the ice for 10 of the 16 goals that Blues allowed.

鈥淚鈥檓 not trying to make excuses or anything. I wasn鈥檛 100% from just before Christmas on,鈥� Faulk said. 鈥淢y ankle, I had probably three different times that something came up with it. It was tough. It鈥檚 good to not be dealing with it now, I鈥檒l tell you that.鈥�

Faulk rested his body over the summer and allowed it to heal. Last year, 鈥渋t just wasn鈥檛 ready to be where it needed to be for me to play my game,鈥� he said, but he鈥檚 pain-free now.

Faulk is no stranger to running a power play, but he hasn鈥檛 had to be the No. 1 option since arriving in 最新杏吧原创. Sometimes, he wasn鈥檛 even the No. 2 candidate.

He overlapped one year with Alex Pietrangelo, and then Krug arrived to direct the top unit. Some years, Vince Dunn averaged more power-play time than Faulk. Other years, Scott Perunovich got more work on a per-game basis, even if he was in the lineup less consistently.

In Carolina, though, Faulk was the top option. Across his last three years as a Hurricane, no player had more power-play time than Faulk, and of course, no Carolina player had as many shot attempts or shots on goal with the man advantage, according to Natural Stat Trick.

鈥淧ower play is a big responsibility, and I get to play with some pretty good players if I鈥檓 going to go out there with those guys,鈥� Faulk said. 鈥淚 think I can do it. I鈥檓 not scared of the opportunity again.鈥�

Last year, the Blues power play ranked 24th in the league (18%), which was actually remarkable considering they were the second-worst unit in the NHL (8.4%) when Craig Berube was fired 28 games into the season.

From then until the end of the season, the Blues power play ranked 13th (22.8%), in part thanks to Jake Neighbours鈥� emergence at the net front and a more downhill approach that resulted in more pucks in high-danger areas.

鈥淚t took us a while last year to get it going, and there was times there was probably some games sitting there for us that if we could have potted one on the power play, it could have gone the other way,鈥� Faulk said. 鈥淚t put us in a different spot. Every night is not going to be 2 for 5, 2 for 3, whatever it is. But you have to create momentum. You have to bring some energy to the group. You want to get scoring chances and, at a minimum, not be getting shut down all night.鈥�

Faulk is also likely to be playing with new acquisition Philip Broberg, a 6-3 left-hander plucked from Edmonton via offer sheet over the summer.

鈥淭o be honest, I knew nothing about him,鈥� Faulk said. 鈥淭he way he moves, he鈥檚 a big skater for how big he is. He takes up space. Looks to make plays, too, so it鈥檚 nice. I鈥檓 sure he鈥檚 getting comfortable in the new setting and new teammates. Early impressions are he鈥檚 a good player, he鈥檚 a good skater. That鈥檚 a good start in this league, especially the way it is today. If you can get around the ice well, get your head up, make plays, should be able to figure it out, I think.鈥�

With a healthy body, a new partner and more responsibility, perhaps Faulk is on track to do the same.

鈥淢y confidence hasn鈥檛 changed,鈥� Faulk said. 鈥淚鈥檓 healthy, I feel good. I know what I can do in this league.鈥�

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