Blues enforcer D.J. King will miss an estimated 8-10 weeks with a fracture and dislocated bones in his hand, the team announced today. King, of course, was injured in Saturday’s first-period fight with Dallas’ Krys Barch.

“There’s a small, small fracture and they’re going to pin it,” Blues President John Davidson said. “They’re going to do it Wednesday. They’d do it today, but the swelling is up a little bit. So the poor guy . . . we all really feel for him. He’s a hell of a guy, he’s a team guy and he’s worked his tail off in all areas and he got a bad shake on it. But we expect him to be 100 percent when he comes back.”

The Blues had been criticized for holding onto both King and Cam Janssen this offseason, but with King’s injury, it’s a good thing they still have both players.

“We all insurance on our cars, don’t we?” Davidson said. “We all have insurance on our homes. You have to try to protect yourself best you can when you’re allowed a 23-man roster.

“D.J. is one of the . . . if not the toughest guy in the business. Cam is not as big as D.J., but Cam knows how to do that job very well . . . not only just fighting, but he knows how to play the game, he knows how to forecheck, he knows how to hit. Both of them have really improved. I wish we could have seen D.J. more because he’s worked at his game, just like Cam has. A lot of times in our business . . . I think the guys that have been around our game know how much you need those guys. For D.J. it’s a tough one, but we’ll welcome him back when the time comes.”

The Blues were down to 11 healthy forwards at Monday’s practice. They have recalled forward Yan Stastny from Peoria, but Stastny must pass through re-entry waivers before he can join the team. The Blues will know Stastny’s status before they leave Tuesday afternoon for Carolina. Stastny has been Peoria’s best player so far this season and was recently named captain of the Rivermen.

Derek Armstrong, in case you missed it over the weekend, has been sick with the flu.

********

Monday’s practice was very physical, but that was not necessarily the intent of the coaching staff. David Backes seemed like a man possessed with all of the banging he was doing.

“I think it was interpreted (as a physical practice,” Blues coach Andy Murray said. “The main purpose of practice today was to get some movement in the offensive zone . . . get some better cycles, some quickness, pursuit, to hang onto the puck more. I thought the guys got into it. There was battling going on out there. Backes was probably as physical has he has been at any time. He got into it.”

It was good news for the Blues to see defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo back on the ice today and participating in the physical practie. Colaiacovo left the game Saturday with an upper-body injury, following a submarine hip check from Dallas’ Steve Ott.

“Obviously (Colaiacovo) did everything, so there’s no issues there,” Murray said.

********

Defenseman Eric Brewer also took part in Monday’s physical drills, and afterwards the team said that he is close to returning to the lineup.

Brewer recently took some strength tests (bench press, etc.) and the team reports that his strength is about 90 percent of what it was pre-injury.

“He looked better again today,” Davidson said. “He’s got to be cleared by his own doctor in Los Angeles, and once we get that taken care of and he feels comfortable, then we’ll look at it. But he’s certainly getting close.

“You know what’s good about him, he’s not had a setback all the way through this. So he’s obviously followed the road map very well. He was in those battle drills again today and no residual effect from the other day . . . he’s close.”

Said Murray: “He’s in good shape, you can tell . . . with all the workouts he’s gone through. It’s amazing his strength, his physical strength is almost 90 percent, which is amazing considering the amount (of time) he was out.

********

Congrats to Blues defenseman Barret Jackman and his wife, Jenny Jackman, on the birth of their son, Cayden James. Cayden, who was born over the weekend, weighed 8 lbs., 2 oz. and is 20 inches.

Cayden is the name of the baby defenseman, despite what is being spread around in the Blues’ locker room.

“I went into the locker room,” Murray said, ”and the boys, they think I like ‘Jacks,’ so they’ve got it (written on the board) . . . Andrew Murray Jackman.”

Jackman was at the rink today and will be back on Tuesday. He skated on Saturday for the first time since suffering a high-ankle sprain on Oct. 8, but said he doesn’t know if he’ll skate again Tuesday.

“It’s still sore,” Jackman said. “There were some restrictions with some movements. But it kind of gave me a measuring stick on how it feels. Patience is the key right now. Keep up with the therapy and we’ll keep testing.”

JR