Since taking over the Blues this week, Ken Hitchcock has been very complimentary of defenseman Ian Cole. But in an effort to get newly acquired blueliner Kris Russell in the lineup tonight, Hitchcock has decided to make Cole a healthy scratch.
Cole has played two games since being called up from Peoria and has a plus-1 rating while averaging 18 minutes, 16 seconds of ice time. He will sit tonight in favor of Russell, however, a move Hitchcock said has nothing to do with his history of coaching Russell in Columbus.
"Whether this was Kris Russell or Billy Smith, it wouldn't have mattered," Hitchcock said. "I just know what it's like being a new player, you want to make them part of it. But that's not to say that Ian Cole becomes the seventh guy either. That's not it for sure. Because, to me, it's all about winning the next hockey game and whoever gives you the best chance goes ... it depends strictly on performance."
Hitchcock said the Blues need another puck-moving defenseman on the left side, which has Carlo Colaiacovo and Barret Jackman.
"The one thing that Kris Russell brings to us is transition on that left side," Hitchcock said. "I think that we have the transition on the right side, and if we can help ourselves on the left side, that's going to really help us."
Russell, who will wear No. 4 with the Blues, will be paired with Roman Polak tonight. He has two goals, which ties him for the most among Blues' defenseman with Alex Pietrangelo.
"I can be an offensive player," Russell said. "I can get pucks to the net. The transition game is a big part of my game."
Russell can play on the power play, but he won't tonight. Since saying it would take "one practice" to fix the power play, the Blues have scored a man-advantage marker in back-to-back games under Hitchcock.
"We've had really good success rotation-wise on our power play the last two games and we don't want to lose sight of that," he said. "The power play has done exactly what we've wanted them to do and we don't want to lose sight of that."
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TONIGHT'S LINEUP
Forwards
Alex Steen-David Backes-T.J. Oshie
Matt D'Agostini-Patrik Berglund-Chris Stewart
Vladimir Sobotka-Jason Arnott-Jamie Langenbrunner
Evgeny Grachev-Scott Nichol-Ryan Reaves
Defensemen
Barret Jackman-Kevin Shattenkirk
Carlo Colaiacovo-Alex Pietrangelo
Kris Russell-Roman Polak
Goalie
Brian Elliott
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STEEN, SOBOTKA SWAP SPOTS
Hitchcock has made his first change with the forward combinations, swapping Alex Steen and Vladimir Sobotka, but it's not for the reason line changes are usually made.
The Blues aren't looking for better chemistry. Instead, Hitchcock is giving himself an complete line to put on the ice after Blues' power plays or penalty kills. With Steen and Sobotka in their old spots, the power-personnel had players from the team's top three lines, so when the PP expired he had to mix up the combinations.
"I have this phobia about three lines making one line for a power play and two lines making one PK pair," Hitchcock said. "It's not based on 'Well, this guy is going to help there.' They're both going to help either line. But it's more just continuity. When you come out of special teams, it ends up in massive confusion ... you're coming out and trying to put a line together where all three guys don't even play together. For me, this is about continuity that I want to see.
"I will say, I got Sobotka out with 'Langs' and Arnott twice and they were really good and created the pressure. I thought the two times they were together, they looked good."
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ELLIOTT GETS START
Blues goalie Brian Elliott will be back in net tonight, his first game since a 3-2 overtime win over Vancouver that took his record to 5-1 with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .941 save-percentage.
"I've got to tell you, I haven't seen Brian play yet this year," Hitchcock said. "I didn't watch any of those games. I just want to make him part of the team."
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BREWER RETURNS
Former Blues captain Eric Brewer is making his first trip back to St. Louis following last February's trade to Tampa Bay.
Brewer helped the Lightning advance to the Eastern Conference finals last season, where they were beaten by Boston in seven games. He had a goal and seven points in 18 playoff games.
"It worked out pretty well ... it could have worked out better, but I can't complain," said Brewer, who signed a four-year, $16 million extension with the Bolts in the offseason.
Tampa Bay has been in the middle of a storm recently because of the way Philadelphia decided not to attack the team's 1-3-1 trap on Wednesday. Brewer said the story has been overblown.
"Way overblown," Brewer said. "Lots of teams play back. If they don't have good position, they're trying not to give away position. It was exaggerated. I'm really not to sure what to make of it. I'm sure there's something more important out there."
Asked if he stopped by the Blues' locker room, Brewer joked: "Yeah, I saw a couple of the guys ... I saw the trainers, who I spent so much time with."
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UPPER-BODY, LOWER-BODY NONSENSE
Hitchcock is not a fan of the NHL's vague description of injuries, which amounts to splitting the body into upper-body and lower-body. For ages, players and coaches have hidden for example that a player has a shoulder injury, calling it an upper-body injury, so that opponents don't target the sore area.
"I don't like that," Hitchcock said."It's stupid because all it does is make you (media) guys do more work and mistrust us. What's the big deal? A guy has a sore shoulder, he has a sore shoulder. I don't like upper-body, lower-body. (Detroit coach Mike) Babcock throws out mid-body ... what the hell's that? To me, if a guy's hurt, he's hurt and I'll tell you what it is and go from there."
Asked then for an update on defenseman Kent Huskins, Hitchcock quickly replied: "Lower body."
After the big laugh, Hitchcock said he hadn't seen Huskins, but would get a report on the defenseman tonight.
