In the Blues locker room, there’s been a revolving door in the stall next to Blues goalie Manny Legace. Now it’s Chris Mason’s turn to occupy that space and also create some competition with Legace in the crease. Mason, who was acquired in a trade from Nashville, has been in town for two weeks practicing with the Blues and I caught up with him after Tuesday’s practice . . .

Jeremy Rutherford: Are you getting settled into St. Louis?

Chris Mason: “Yep . . . we moved into an apartment last week and we’re just getting unpacked and get everything set up. We’re trying to find our way around and so far we’re loving it. It’s pretty easy to get everywhere. We’ve eaten out a lot the last few weeks and there’s a lot of good restaurants. We’re enjoying it right now.”

JR: Which restaurant stuck out?

CM: “We really liked Cafe Napoli and Araka (Mediterranean style) . . . right by where we live . . . they were awesome.”

JR: This is your second week of practice with your new teammates . . . how’s that going?

CM: “It’s really good. I’m glad that I’m able to work with Rick (Wamsley) and get used to his philosophies and do some of the drills he does before camp starts and we get into the season. I feel really good.”

JR: You worked a lot on your technique this summer with Tyler Love, an instructor at World Pro Goaltending in Calgary. How similar are the things you did there with what Wamsley has introduced?

CM: “Yeah totally, it’s about being more efficient with your movements and trying to get to the middle of the net, as opposed to getting straight across the net . . . just making the moves efficient and making it easier on me.”

JR: Did you know Manny at all before, or did you guys meet when you got here?

CM: “No, I have talked to him a few times just in passing . . . over the years. But this is the first time that I got to hang out with him and get to know him. He’s a great guy. We went out to dinner with him and his wife last week, and they’re a great couple.”

JR: How important is it to have a friendship with the guy you’re competing against?
CM: “I’ve always felt that’s important to have. I mean, you can still be good friends and be competitive against each other for the betterment of the team. If you have two guys (who are friendly), it’s a good situation.”

JR: After earning and then losing the No. 1 job in Nashville, how important is it to you to make a name for yourself in the NHL again and possibly prove that you’re a No. 1 caliber goalie?

CM: “Big time. That’s my whole goal. I want to redeem myself from last season. There’s no better way than to get a fresh start. All the guys here seem really good. That’s my whole focus right now . . . I want to be solid and consistent and (with Legace) I hope we can help this team make the playoffs.”

JR: Probably if you ask people around the NHL, in Toronto or wherever, they’d rank the Blues 25th to 30th in the league right now. You played against the Blues in Nashville and now you’re in the same dressing room . . . is this team better than people give it credit for?

CM: “I know that’s not true. You can say in retrospect last year they struggled a little bit, but the year before once they got Andy Murray, they were the best team in the league the second half. The tools are definitely there . . . it’s just a matter of being able to put it together for the whole season. All of their young kids are a year older and they’ve got at least two new young kids that are looking unbelievable. I don’t see any reason why this team can’t make it . . . it’s so close from the top team to the bottom team. It’s just a matter of staying pretty even throughout the season.”

JR: Looking forward to getting the season going?

CM: “I can’t wait. Ever since I got the call that I got traded, I couldn’t wait until to get here. Now, I’m here and we’re a week away from camp and a month away from the season.”

JR: Some guys get pumped up when they play their old teams, especially if they were traded. Are you holding any ill will toward Nashville?

CM: “Yeah definitely. I want to beat everybody, but I’ve looked on the schedule and I know that we play them the first game (Oct. 10 at Scottrade Center). Yeah, I want to beat them pretty pretty bad. We’re in the same division and we don’t play them eight times anymore, but we still play them a lot and we’re going to be competing with them for a playoff spot.”

- 30 -