With Paul Kariya unable to jump back into the lineup – due to his lingering hip flexor injury — the Blues will be up against it this weekend.

Rookie Patrik Berglund may not answer the bell either, thanks to a groin muscle strain suffered in practice. It is getting more and more depressing to ready Jeremy Rutherford’s updates in his Morning Skate blog.

As you know, Andy McDonald (broken leg) and T.J. Oshie (high-ankle sprain) were already facing long-term disability

Their shrinking cast of offensive-minded forwards will have to work doubly hard to generate an attack.

The rest of the group will look like an AHL lineup, with struggling winger David Backes forced into the No. 2 center role and fill-ins Steve Regier, B.J. Crombeen, Brad Winchester, Yan Stastny and Cam Paddock forced to play big roles.

You can see why the Blues had to let tough David Koci go to make room for another utility forward. The team is scrounging for help.

This is not what John Davidson, Larry Pleau and Doug Armstrong had in mind back in training camp.

If Brendan Shanahan wants to make real money this season – rather than play for a contender close to his New York home – then he ought to finally give St. Louis serious consideration. According to various reports, he is still mulling offers from the Devils and Flyers.

AROUND THE RINKS: If the Capitals are willing to take Brent Sopel instead of Dustin Byfuglien, that team might be able to move Michael Nylander to the Blackhawks and add some help for the blue line. Chicago is overloaded on the blue line and really needs a playmaking center to reestablish its offensive depth . . . The Sharks seem ready to get No. 1 goaltender Evgeni Nabakov back, but Marc-Andre Fleury could miss a couple more goals for Pittsburgh with his undisclosed injury . . . Thrashers goaltender Kari Lehtonen could miss a while with a back injury, if anybody cares by now. Good thing Atlanta held onto its goaltending depth . . . With several Rivermen forwards also knocked out by injuries, the Blues are scrambling to man their farm teams in Peoria and Alaska. Where is Konstantin Zakharov when you need him?