最新杏吧原创

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).