e St. Louis Blues took to the ice today for the first day of training camp. General Manager Doug Armstrong spoke yesterday about his goals and expectations for the upcoming season, noting that this will be his final season as GM. Armstrong expressed confidence that there will be competition among the younger players, particularly for spots on the third line. He also emphasized the importance of veteran players such as Brayden Schenn, Robert Thomas, Colton Parayko, and Justin Faulk continuing to step up and avoid complacency.
Overall, Armstrong reiterated that the additions of Dylan Holloway and Broberg have accelerated the Blues’ development, and he feels confident in the team’s depth.
At camp, captain Brayden Schenn spoke to the media about the new players on the roster.
“Love the additions. Most importantly, they’re good people. Guys that seem easy to get along with, and people speak really highly of them,” he said.
Dylan Holloway, who missed the end of last season including the Blues’ short-lived playoff run, returned to the ice today. He shared his excitement about getting back into the routine: “It’s great and super exciting anytime you’re able to get back in the groove of things and into the routine. It’s always really fun. I thought we had a good skate today, and it’s exciting to see the group that we got.” Holloway also addressed his recovery, saying, “I feel good. I was fortunate that the injury healed faster than anticipated, so I was able to have a full summer of skating and working out at 100%.”
Newcomer Logan Mailloux spoke after his first skate with the team, noting, “It was good. High pace, guys were skating, and I’ve been here for a few weeks. The guys have really been great showing me around.” When asked about his chances to make the team out of camp, he said, “I think I just have to come in and earn it every step of the way.” Mailloux also mentioned his relationship with Parayko and Fowler: “It’s cool that I’m able to pick their brains. It’s cool learning little things from them every day.”
Head coach Jim Montgomery reflected on the first day of camp: “Pretty good overall. Intensity was good. Pace was slow in a couple of drills, but good in the drills where we had to battle each other. Execution is not where we want it, but you expect that on day one. If you don’t have a good camp, you don’t have a good start.” Montgomery stressed the importance of starting the season strong and believes the team will improve on day two.
