MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- After three training camp practices, the St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars kick off the preseason slate with the first matchup on Saturday at 6 p.m. from American Airlines Center in Dallas (stlblues.com, blues app, ESPN+).
“Once you get into game action, it’s a big difference,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “Practice is set up, you know what the drill is you know what the purpose is. And we expect them to execute. If they’re not executing what we’re giving them, that’s a real fire alarm for us. But the in-games, now we see instincts, and now we see the guys that can make plays offensively, guys that are getting what we want in the structure without the puck.”
The Blues will get their first looks from a number of players, including defenseman Logan Mailloux, acquired from the Montreal Canadiens on July 1 for Zack Bolduc.
Mailloux will be paired on defense with Philip Broberg as the featured unit for the visitors as well as quarterback the first power play unit.
“I’m excited; he skates extremely well,” Mailloux said of Broberg. “It’s definitely something I’m looking forward to, kind of get out there, play with him and feel it out.
“I’m ready to get going here tonight. It’s always good to get back after it after the summer, especially a new place, so I’m excited. … I’m focused on getting here, making an impact, whatever way that is.”
Montgomery said they want to get Malloux running so they can process what information to relay after seeing him in games since this will be his Blues debut.
“We’ve got to get him up and running, we’ve got to get him playing in our systems so we can give him feedback and start doing video with him,” Montgomery said. “So then the things that we like, ‘This is what we like, this is what you’re doing, and here’s areas that we want to do this in our structure.’”
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The featured Blues line will include 2023 first-round pick Dalibor Dvorsky centering a line with 2020 first-round pick Dylan Holloway and 2025 first-rounder Justin Carbonneau.
It’s a continuation of early camp where the younger first-round picks get looks with older, more established NHL players.
“It’s an opportunity for them to play with a high-end player in the NHL and see if they can think and play at the same pace as him,” Montgomery said.
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Defenseman Theo Lindstein, also a 2023 first-round pick (No. 29) will make his Blues debut as well and be paired with Matthew Kessel.
Montgomery’s thoughts seem to be a little mixed through the first three days.
“Really poised with the puck,” the coach said. “Kind of plays the game in a rocking chair. We’d like to see a little more playing on his toes, killing plays defensively.”
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The Blues held their first scrimmage of the preseason prior to the game group going on the ice, and it finished 1-0 for Team White over Team Blue on a goal by defenseman Michael Buchinger.
The teams played a 30-minute game.
Montgomery said there was plenty to like.
“Really liked the pace, and I saw players making plays offensively and defensively, especially defensively,” Montgomery said. “That’s the hardest part of your game to get down because guys are skating all summer and they’re all skating and playing with the puck and trying to make plays offensively. But defensively getting the structure back in, getting back on pucks, I was really happy with.”
As for any players that stood out?
“I thought [Dylan] Peterson and [Jakub] Stancl of non-(roster players) that played last year, they jumped out,” Montgomery said. “I think of the vets, [Jimmy] Snuggerud caught my eye quite a bit, [Pius Suter] caught my eye a bit, [Nick] Bjugstad, especially in the defensive end doing good stuff.”
There was one instance where Mathieu Joseph getting in the way and blocking a shot from the left point drew stick taps and cheers from teammates of the White team.
“Guys are already sacrificing, playing to a Blues identity that we think is our blue collar work ethic,” Montgomery said. “I’m glad you brought him up because I thought he was really good out there today.”
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Blues Projected Lineup:
Dylan Holloway-Dalibor Dvorsky-Justin Carbonneau
Alexey Toropchenko-Nathan Walker-Aleksanteri Kaskimaki
Simon Robertsson-Matthew Peca-Nikita Susuev
Antoine Dorion-Adam Jecho-Matt Luff
Philip Broberg-Logan Mailloux
Theo Lindstein-Matthew Kessel
Lukas Fischer-Will McIsaac
Jordan Binnington is projected to start in goal; Colten Ellis is projected to be the backup.
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Stars Projected Lineup:
Adam Erne-Radek Faksa-Nathan Bastian
Colin Blackwell-Sam Steel-Mavrik Bourque
Oskar Back-Justin Hyrckowian-Kole Lind
Emil Hemming-Antonio Stranges-Arttu Hyry
Vladislav Kolyachonok-Nils Lundkvist
Trey Taylor-Alexander Petrovic
Kyle Capobianco-Gavin White
Remi Poirier is projected to start in goal; Antoine Bibeau is projected to be the backup.
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