The upcoming training camp will be HUGE for defenseman Roman Polak, who is now 22 years old. For the first time since he was drafted in 2004, Polak has a chance to make the Blues’ roster.

Defensemen Eric Brewer, Barret Jackman, Jay McKee and Erik Johnson are all locks and Steve Wagner should have no problem making the team, either. That leaves Roman Polak, Jeff Woywitka, Jonas Junland and perhaps 2008 draft pick Alex Pietrangelo competing for two spots.

With that in mind, here’s an interview I did with Roman Polak this week . . .

JR: How was your summer?

RP: “I was back at home (in the Czech Republic) all summer. I was just chillin, playing soccer with my friends and hanging out with my girlfriend.”

JR: Are you a big soccer player?

RP: “Oh yeah, I play almost every day . . . soccer and tennis. I’m not a golfer. We don’t have it (golf) too much back home, so I’m not a golf player at all.”

JR: Are you surprised that soccer isn’t as big in the U.S. as it is in Europe?

RP: “You guys have more different sports like football and basketball and hockey. I’m not surprised. Back home, we’ve got like two sports . . . soccer and hockey, that’s it.”

JR: Was this is an important offseason for you because you’ll have a lot riding on training camp next month?

RP: “Oh yeah, I want to make it (in the NHL). I don’t want to go back to Peoria again. So, it was different. Maybe I’m more confident than last year because I feel like I have a big chance right now.”

JR: Don’t you think it said a lot about the Blues’ feelings for you when they traded guys like Bryce Salvador and Christian Backman and let Matt Walker leave via free agency?

RP: “Yeah, but you never know what can happen. They can buy another guy, a defenseman, older . . . so you never know what happens. I have to be prepared for that. I have to be my best in the NHL camp.”

JR: Are you completely over your ankle injury from last year?

RP: “Yeah, yeah. It’s like it never happened. Everything is good.”

JR: What kind of player do you want to be in the NHL? In Peoria, you were physical and liked to hit. At times you also showed an ability to shoot the puck from the blue line. How do you envision your game in the NHL?

RP: “I want to be strong on the puck. I want to be more of a defensive defenseman, make the first easy pass and that’s it . . . just doing my job.”

JR: Was it important for you to get to St. Louis early and start skating with your teammates?

RP: “Yeah, sure. I was practicing with my old team in the Czech. It’s a Czech league, so everything is different . . . bigger rink, everything. The practices are slower over there. I want to be with the guys in the camp, so I came here a month early to be prepared.”

JR: You’re staying at a hotel in Earth City with many of the younger Blues players. The rest of them are saying there’s nothing to do in Earth City, so how are you passing the time until camp?

RP: “Nothing to do, exactly. We just stay at the Mills (the Blues’ practice facility) and the hotel . . . that’s it for a month.”

JR: There’s a Dave & Busters restaurant not too far away from your hotel. I’ve actually seen you there before . . . why not going over to D&B’s and play some video games?

RP: “Yeah maybe (laughing). But I’m not big on video games. I just go for the food . . . just eating.”

That’s it for this week. Come back next week and I’ll have more interviews with players  trickling into town.