最新杏吧原创

The Blues recalled defenseman Leo Loof from AHL affiliate Springfield (Massachusetts) on Wednesday morning, a reinforcement on the back end as 最新杏吧原创 begins a three-game Eastern Conference road trip.

Loof practiced with the Blues on Wednesday morning in Maryland Heights as the seventh defenseman. Loof, 22, missed the first two games of the AHL season due to injury and had one assist in 11 games with the Thunderbirds.

Loof (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) was primarily playing with Hunter Skinner in Springfield, eating up some of the minutes vacated by Tyler Tucker鈥檚 injury that forced him to miss the past six games.

鈥淲ith Leo, that鈥檚 kind of his M.O. is that bite to his game,鈥� Blues coach Drew Bannister said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen that in the American League, and we鈥檝e seen that in training camp when he was here this year. Closing quickly on guys and getting under opponents鈥� skin, he certainly brings that to his game.鈥�

The recall to the NHL was the first of Loof鈥檚 career.

鈥淚 was really shocked, to be honest,鈥� Loof said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 believe it. I got really excited and happy, and I鈥檓 pretty shocked. ... That鈥檚 what you dream of as a kid, for my family and everybody around me. Super-happy.鈥�

Loof was originally a third-round pick by the Blues in 2020 out of Farjestad BK in Sweden. After he was drafted, he played one more season in Sweden, followed by two playing for Ilves in Finland鈥檚 Liiga. Loof arrived in North America last season and played 58 games with Springfield.

鈥淚鈥檓 a hard, physical defenseman, and I think they want me to bring that and play physical, play simple (with a) good first pass,鈥� Loof said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a different type of game here. It鈥檚 more physical, and it goes faster, smaller ice. I think I improved a lot last year and keep building on that this year.鈥�

Loof鈥檚 recall to 最新杏吧原创 was necessary because the Blues are without both Nick Leddy and Philip Broberg on the back end. Broberg (lower body) was injured Nov. 2 and is not expected back until December. Leddy (lower body) has not played since Oct. 15 against Minnesota.

Leddy last practiced with the Blues on Oct. 28 in Montreal before he was sent back to 最新杏吧原创 for further treatment. Bannister said Leddy would not travel with the Blues on their current road trip.

鈥淛ust continuing to do rehab and get his injury back to where he can play,鈥� Bannister said of Leddy. 鈥淚 think when we look back at it, we didn鈥檛 realize how long it would take. That鈥檚 probably why we said he was day-to-day at times. It鈥檚 obviously gone a lot longer than that. It鈥檚 the nature of the injury that you don鈥檛 know where you鈥檙e going to be with.

鈥淗e鈥檚 just continuing to rehab. He鈥檚 been on the ice, too, but we鈥檙e just trying to build his strength up and he鈥檒l continue to rehab and see the proper doctors to get it fixed and ready to play.鈥�

Searching for Saad

During Tuesday night鈥檚 3-2 loss to Boston, Blues forward Brandon Saad played just 8:57 and did not receive a shift across the last 11:30 of the third period. It was the third time in Saad鈥檚 career that he played less than nine minutes, and the other two shortened appearances were injury related: 8:16 on Dec. 19, 2019, and 6:21 on March 16, 2014.

鈥淲hen I look at Brandon, the three things that stick out to me when he鈥檚 really playing well is he鈥檚 using his speed, driving D deep into the zone, he鈥檚 always strong on pucks,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淎 lot of times, it鈥檚 where he scores goals are around the net. He鈥檚 heavy on his stick, and he鈥檚 winning those puck battles. With that speed, being able to get to pucks first.鈥�

Saad entered the road trip with two goals and four assists in 13 games. That would put him on pace for about 13 goals and 25 assists across an entire season. In his first three seasons in 最新杏吧原创, Saad averaged 24.5 goals and 20.9 assists per 82 games.

鈥淚 think Brandon right now, there鈥檚 times when he鈥檚 played really well and there鈥檚 times where I think he鈥檚 like a lot of us right now, we鈥檙e second-guessing ourselves,鈥� Bannister said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 tough when you鈥檙e a player to second-guess yourself. You want to be able to just go out and play with confidence. He鈥檚 probably rightfully struggling a little bit with that.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a veteran guy and he鈥檚 had a lot of success in this league, and he鈥檚 going to be an important player for us. He鈥檚 going to get up and running, and he鈥檚 going to be a big impact player for us.鈥�