ST. LOUIS -- Winger Martin Kariya was assigned to Peoria on Monday by the St. Louis Blues and defenseman David Tanabe was released, but that doesn't mean rookie winger David Perron has nailed down a roster spot.
The Blues are down to 26 players and need to be at 23 by today, but that list also includes forwards Petr Cajanek and Mike Glumac -- both of whom have been placed on waivers. Defenseman Jay McKee is out for a month with a broken bone in his foot, which helped lead to a spot for rookie defenseman Steve Wagner. Perron and veteran right winger Mike Johnson, who still has to be signed since he's in camp on a tryout basis, are still in the hunt for roster spots.
Both could start the season with the Blues. Teams have until 11 a.m.
today to claim Cajanek and Glumac. If they go unclaimed, both will be assigned to Peoria. "If he clears and goes to Peoria, he could be the first callup," Blues President John Davidson said of Cajanek, who also cleared waivers late last season.
"Who knows? He's a good player; last year when he cleared waivers and he came back, he played tremendous." Cajanek, 32, has 46 goals and 153 points in 269 games with the Blues.
He is scheduled to make $2 million this season. "We're getting there," Blues President John Davidson said Monday after meeting with the coaching and front office staff. "We're a team that's trying to make the playoffs, trying to get better long term.
But we're a team that's going to play as many as eight kids -- and that's a lot of kids. "We're probably getting younger quicker than we anticipated." If Cajanek and Glumac clear waivers and are assigned to Peoria, the Blues' list of players 24 or younger would include Jay McClement (24), Lee Stempniak (24), David Backes (23), Steve Wagner (23), D.
J. King (23), goalie Hannu Toivonen (23), Erik Johnson (19) and Perron (19). Perron may have been headed back to his junior team before collecting two dazzling assists Saturday against Chicago.
"If he would have not played well in that game and played weak, there was a good chance he wouldn't have been here," Davidson said. "That's why you play those games. We had to look at people and find out.
"What's good about him is the veteran players respect his game." That Wagner is on the team may be a surprise to some, but not the Blues' front office or coaches. McKee's injury certainly didn't hurt his chances.
"From day one of camp he was pretty good," Davidson said of Wagner, who played last season at Minnesota State-Mankato. "He's a guy that probably moved up the depth chart quicker than anticipated because he just turned pro late last season." Davidson also liked Kariya's camp.
"He showed us a lot," Davidson said, "He's got speed, he's got puck skills and he's got a professional attitude. That's a pretty good combination." BlueNotes Blues players Paul Kariya, Keith Tkachuk, Doug Weight, Barret Jackman, Jamal Mayers, Bryce Salvador, Erik Johnson were among several teammates personally delivering season tickets to fans on Monday.
Contact reporter Norm Sanders at nsanders@bnd.com or 239-2454.
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