Jeremy Rutherford: Good news for the Blues. Eric Brewer will make his long-awaited return to the lineup tonight against Phoenix.

Ryan: JR, once Brewer and Jackman return to the lineup and assuming everyone else stays healthy, who's the odd man out? Even assuming Strachan is returned to Peoria, that still leaves the team with 8 defensemen. Does the return of Brew & Jax make it more likely Petro gets returned to his junior team? Do you see someone getting traded? If so, who? What's your gut telling you?

Jeremy Rutherford: Well, first an update. Eric Brewer will be in the lineup tonight and Barret Jackman skated again today, although he isn't quite ready to return. Colaiacovo won't play tonight, so my guess is that Strachan will sit tonight.

When everyone is healthy, the Blues will have some tough decisions on their hands. As you mentioned, I think they'll send Strachan back to Peoria because they can. With eight defensemen still, the option of a trade does exist. But JD and Larry Pleau always say that you can't have to many d-man. I don't think they will send Pietrangelo back to junior based on a numbers game. If he's playing well enough to stay here, they'll find room for him.

Everyone says Mike Weaver will be a healthy scratch at that point. Well, I know Andy Murray really likes Weaver. He and Roman Polak shut down Staal and Whitney Wednesday night. It's going to be interesting, but my guess would be that Pietrangelo stays, but doesn't play every night, and you're going to see a veteran in the press box as a healthy scratch. Competition is good.

joedirt1955: Hey JR,
Thoughts on Jay Mac...?
Thanks -legend of dirty joe

Jeremy Rutherford:
Keeping in context what each player's role is on this team, McClement to me is one of the top three or four players on roster. He does everything you could ask of third-line stopper, including giving you some offense and leadership.

Tim: JR thanks for taking questions today. Pietrangelo seems to be getting more and more comfortable out there in the play. His shot last night against Carolina looked alright, would have been better on goal. Although, his shot is deceiving, real fluid and it explodes off of his stick. What is your take on Alex Pietrangelo so far? What is being said around the front office and locker room about his play?

Jeremy Rutherford:
His first game was so-so, but I think now we all can look back and say that any 19-year-old trying to make the team would have some nerves in that first game. He's looked a lot more poised in his last two. His shot is noticeable, even where I sit way up in the press box. It gives the Blues a dimension that maybe only Erik Johnson gives them on the backend. If he continues to progress like he has the past couple of games, he should be able to stick this year and be a contributor.

tcohen: Hey JR,

Thanks as always for this.

Have you noticed a new laxness, or just an inconsistency, on calling interference when two guys are going for the puck? I've seen several instances in recent games where a puck is coming around the boards and two players are racing for it, and one clearly bodies the other out well before either have touched it with no resulting penalty call. In one case, an opposition defenseman knocked down a Blues forward without either of them having the puck or having recently touched it. I've also seen Blues d-men nudge away an opposing forward in similar situations.

I don't necessarily have a problem with this, but it seems inconsistent with the general interpretation of interference in other instances.

Your thoughts?

Regards,

Tom

Jeremy Rutherford: I really haven't noticed it. I know there haven't been any interference penalties the past few games, so you could be right. But earlier this season, there were a few that were extremely flagrant and those were called.