Lee Stempniak woke up this morning in Toronto as a member of the Maple Leafs. It was a long 24 hours that begin with a request after practice yesterday to meet with general manager Larry Pleau. He had just finished an interview with several reporters, talking about his solid play this season. Blues coach Andy Murray had just got done telling the same reporters how good Stempniak has been on the power play this season.

And then the news Stempniak had been dealt for defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo and center Alex Steen.

“I was surprised,” Stempniak said. “I guess when you’re told to go up to Larry’s office, you sort of know what’s coming . . . you just wonder where you’re going. But when they told me, it was a suprise that came out of nowhere. Then they said Toronto and almost instantly it turned into excitement. I’m really happy to be going to Toronto. It’s really tough to leave St. Louis. I showed up in St. Louis, 22 years old, fresh out of college, never lived on my own. I spent 3 1/2 years, nearly four years there. I’d like to think I grew up as a player, made some good friends in St. Louis and had a great time interacting with the fans. It was great memories. A lot of great friends and teammates. I really like the coaches, I learned a lot from the coaches. Management treated me great and it was great fans. I really enjoyed my time there, and I’ll have great memories. But at the same time, moving on, Toronto has such a passionate fan base. It’s the hockey capital of the world. There’s so much history with an ‘Original Six’ team and playing for the Maple Leafs, it’s really exciting.”

Stempniak, who had three goals and 10 assists, said he felt like he had his game back on track.

“I felt really good on the ice,” he said. “It was tough getting hurt that first game of the year because I was feeling so good and confident. The last two or three weeks, I’ve been feeling really good, comfortable, making plays . . . really coming into my own.”

Some might the Blues’ line with Stempniak-David Backes-David Perron was the team’s best line lately.

“We were playing pretty well, I thought,” Stempniak said. “David Perron is a really good player and is tenacious on the forecheck. I played with Backes on and off in my time in St. Louis. He’s easy to play with. But that’s a thing of the past now.”

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How will the trade effect the Blues immediately?

- For starters, the Blues are short some skill because Steen and Colaiacovo won’t finalize their immigration paperwork in time to play tonight. They passed their physicals this afternoon, but won’t play until Saturday’s game against Edmonton. The Blues have called up Chris Porter from Peoria, the fourth player brought up from the AHL. Here are the lines tonight:

Steve Regier-Keith Tkachuk-Brad Boyes

Brad Winchester-David Backes-David Perron

B.J. Crombeen-Jay McClement-Yan Stastny

Chris Porter-Cam Paddock-Cam Janssen

- Stempniak will be missed on the power play. He had developed into a terrific player on the point, who was also responsible for bringing the puck into the zone. The Blues’ power play is ranked second in the NHL (25.6 percent), a dramatic turnaround from last year. You wonder how the unit will look without Stempniak. Roman Polak has been penciled into Stempniak’s spot on the power play for tonight.

So the PP will look like this:

Boyes-Tkachuk-Perron

Brewer-Polak

-  Stempniak was well-liked in the locker room, and some wonder how the Blues will respond. The trade sent shock waves through the room yesterday.

Jay McClement: “It was pretty unexpected. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet. But I left him a message. Definitely kind of a shock . . . I’m sure a shock for him. Lots of meals together, a lot of time spent together the first couple of years. But that’s what happens. It’s all part of the game.”

Brad Boyes: “I think everyone was shocked to hear about it. It was a surprise . . . I know ‘Stemper’ was real surprised by it, too. But we’ll see how it goes. We’ve got to fill that void now.”

- The Blues have played well lately, earning seven of eight points in their last four games. How does Blues coach Andy Murray keep the team going in the same direction?

“I think we’re focused on the game tonight,” Murray said. “As a coach, I didn’t reference the trade at all. It’s something that happens in our business. We all lost a friend. Stemper was a great person and played very well for us as well. But when the two young men (Steen and Colaiacovo) get here, we’ll be excited about adding them to our lineup. Tonight, we’ve got our lineup the way it is. We brought in Chris Porter, he’s going to play tonight. We need to play a gritty, hard-working style against a team that works you every night. We know the task we have tonight. I trust the decisions of our management. If they feel this one that will help our team, I support their decision.”

- The trade gives the Blues something they’re lacking: an offensive-minded defenseman in Colaiacovo. But will get more into that after talking to Colaiacovo.

“One of my strengths is definitely my skating and being part of the offense,” Colaiacovo said. “Unfortunately, here (in Toronto), I wasn’t able to be part of the power play, which I’ve been accustomed to.”

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How will the trade effect the Blues in the future?

- Blues President John Davidson mentioned several times yesterday that the emergence of T.J. Oshie played a role in the trade. The team believes Oshie is ready to handle a top-six forward role.

“We have to look at our organization now, and the one player that really jumped up for us was TJ,” Davidson said. “TJ is going to get a lot of time when he comes back from his injury. We’ll see as it marches along here, but (Oshie) certainly has the ability.”

Looking ahead to next season, the Blues’ top-six forwards could include Kariya, Boyes, Oshie, Berglund, Perron and Backes. The team also hopes to re-sign Andy McDonald. That’s seven forwards who the Blues are counting on, which in their minds made Stempniak expendable.

Defensively, the Blues will have a log-jam next year after adding Colaiacovo. The team will come to camp with Eric Brewer, Jay McKee, Barret Jackman, Erik Johnson, Polak and Colaiacovo. Where does that leave Alex Pietrangelo, Jonas Junland, Steve Wagner, Jeff Woywitka and perhaps Ian Cole?

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As far as tonight’s game, Wagner is staying in the lineup and Mike Weaver will sit. When Colaiacovo arrives, he will give the Blues eight defensemen. The Blues will only keep seven, so somebody is on their way out, but Murray said the team hasn’t made that determination yet.

Murray wouldn’t disclose who his goalie tonight would be, but signs point to Chris Mason. Mason will be motivated against the team, Nashville, that traded him last summer. Meanwhile, everyone knows that Manny Legace’s numbers against Colorado, who the Blues play Wednesday, are impressive. He’s 13-2 lifetime against the Avs, with a 2.00 GAA and a .933 save percentage.

Injury update: Berglund (groin) and Kariya (hip) could miss another week  . . . Oshie (ankle) is looking at 2-3 more weeks, before he returns . . . McDonald (ankle) was in the Blues’ locker room yesterday. He was wearing a cast, but said after only one week, he no longer needs his crutches, which is good news.

JR