Blues Buzz Roundtable (#1): Lineup Predictions

Five Blues players are injured and the season hasn’t even started yet. Robby Fabbri’s big return will need to wait another season. Alexander Steen, Patrik Berglund, Zach Sanford, and Jay Bouwmeester are the other impaired. Holes need to be filled, so here are our projected lineups.

Photo: Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports
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​The Blues are looking for three wingers, a centerman, and a defenseman. Who’s coming up? Below are Blues Buzz’s roster predictions for the Oct. 4th season opener vs. Pittsburgh.

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Peyton Myrick (peytonmyrick_)

Tage Thompson- The exciting nineteen-year-old righty deserves his chance. Tage brings the size (standing at 6-foot-5), the physicality, and the skill set that earns him a spot on my projected roster.

​Klim Kostin- This is a bit of a reach, but Kostin has been playing like he wants the roster spot. He weighs in at 196 pounds as an 18-year-old, and has great puck control. Kostin also looked great in Traverse City.

My projected lines:
Schwartz - Stastny - Tarasenko
Sobotka - Schenn - Kostin
Paajarvi - Barbashev - Jaskin
Thompson - Brodziak - Thorburn

Pietrangelo - Bortuzzo
Parayko - Gunnarsson
Edmundson - Prosser

Allen
Hutton

Scratches: Dunn, Sundqvist

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PJ Cox (@patrickjamescox)

Instead of talking about which prospects will make the roster, I want to bring up the possibility of moving Brayden Schenn to the wing and putting Ivan Barbashev at second-line center. I know, I know; we got Schenn because we needed a center.

But now, with all of these injuries, the Blues need players in general.  

My projected lines:
Schwartz - Stastny - Tarasenko
Sobotka - Barbashev - Schenn
Paajarvi - Jaskin - Kostin/Megan
Thompson - Brodziak - Thorburn

Pietrangelo - Bortuzzo
Parayko - Gunnarsson
Edmundson - Dunn

Allen
Hutton

Scratches: Blais, Prosser, Sundqvist

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Peter Hempstead (@petehempstead)

Tage Thompson- Tage has experience in the AHL already, which I think gives him the edge over Kostin.  Tage’s strong showing at Traverse City and his ability to play center solidify this pick for me. 

Samuel Blais- Blais was given opportunities to play with the best, and he has taken full advantage.  Blais has AHL experience and is significantly younger than Wade Megan which makes him my second pick to crack the roster. 

Wade Megan- Oskar Sundqvist has been painful to watch during the preseason.  Beau Bennett was recently waived for not producing like the young guys. Megan has not only produced, but impressed. I think it is very possible the Blues waive Sundqvist and have Megan begin the year as an extra.

My projected lines:
Schwartz - Stastny - Tarasenko
Sobotka - Schenn - Blais
Thompson - Barbashev - Jaskin
Paajarvi - Brodziak - Thorburn

Pietrangelo - Bortuzzo
Parayko - Dunn
Edmundson - Gunnarsson

Allen
Hutton

Scratches: Prosser, Megan

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Kellen Gracey (kellengracey)

Klim Kostin - I am rolling the dice here, but I think Kostin cracks the roster. Especially if Fabbri is sidelined longer than 10 days.

Wade Megan - There is simply no arguing the fact that Megan is playing these preseason games like he wants a roster spot. 

My projected lines:
Schwartz - Stastny - Tarasenko
Sobotka - Schenn - Kostin
Megan - Barbashev - Jaskin
Paajarvi - Brodziak - Thorburn

Pietrangelo - Bortuzzo
Parayko - Gunnarson
Edmundson - Prosser

Allen
Hutton

Scratches: Sundqvist, Dunn

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Thanks for reading. Let us know who you think is going to be in the Opening Night lineup!