With Blues fans sweating out the Erik Johnson injury diagnosis, a hot topic at Blues camp was Mathieu Schneider.

The Ducks will deal the veteran offensive defenseman any minute now, in order to create the salary cap room needed to sign Teemu Selanne – who suddenly seems eager to play two more seasons.

The Blues camp was somewhat surprised the cross-town Kings haven’t snapped Schneider up, since that team is more than $9 million below the NHL salary floor. (The Kings appear to be no hurry to spend money, as the team has shown during protracted talk with restricted free agent Patrick O’Sullivan.)

Are the Blues interested? Certainly. Johnson is this team’s only legitimate offensive defenseman, which is why the front office is being coy about his injury.

The Blues are budget-conscious this season, but the franchise doesn’t have cap trouble. The team would want to move some salary rather than just eat Schneider’s $5.6 million in one bite.

Coach Andy Murray looked ready to open with Johnson and Paul Kariya as his power-play point men. Eric Brewer, Steve Wagner and Jeff Woywitka are second-unit possibilities.

Rookie Jonas Junland had a nice prospects camp in Traverse City, but it’s too soon to promote his candidacy for such a key role at the NHL level. And rookie Alex Pietrangelo is still playing catch-up after missing valuable training time during the spring and summer.

Both have long-term potential for the power play, but what will the team do to get through this season?

AROUND THE RINKS: Center Patrik Berglund is off to a terrific start in this Blues preseason and the team will give him every chance to land scoring-line work. Beyond Andy McDonald, Murray’s options at center are limited. Does he want Keith Tkachuk there at this late stage of his career? David Perron has the skill to play anywhere, but could he handle the defensive responsibility? The same could said for Brad Boyes and T.J. Oshie, who are similarly versatile . . . The on-again, off-again Mats Sundin bidding is reportedly on again. HockeyBuzz.com reports that a surprising entry from the Central Division is making a push . . . Old friend Rod Brind’Amour aggravated his surgically repaired knee, knocking him out of preseason play for the Hurricanes . . . Scott Bowman loomed large over the Blackhawks organization as camp opened. Chicago is driving to rejoin the Western Conference elite and Bowman’s front-office presence puts coach Denis Savard under the microscope . . . Crazy Mike Keenan is attempting to justify his acquisition of Todd Bertuzzi by playing him with Jarome Iginla and Daymond Langkow. But will Big Bert respond to all that ice time and get his skates moving again? Calgary assistant coach Wayne Fleming pulled the chute on Iron Mike, leaving the franchise to coach the Russian team employing Jaromir Jagr . . . Old friend Doug Weight could get lots of ice time with the Islanders, since top returning centers Mike Comrie and Mike Sillinger are still recovering from hip injuries suffered last season.