Blues slice 19 from roster

The St. Louis Blues trimmed 19 players from its training camp roster Saturday (Sept. 25), assigning 14 to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL and releasing five others from professional tryouts.

The following players were re-assigned to start camp in Chicago:

Cody Beach – A 23-year-old, 6’5,”,. 190 lbs. forward from Kelowna, BC, Beach was selected in the Fifth Round (134th Overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. Last season Beach played 41 games with Chicago and another half dozen with Alaska in the ECHL, totaling nine points (2g, 7a) and 236 penalty minutes combined between the two spots.

Pat Cannone – A 29-year-old, 5’11,” 192 lbs. forward from Bayport, NY, Cannone played the previous two seasons at Chicago and was the team’s Assistant Captain this past season. Last season, Cannone collected 47 points (14g, 33a) and 18 penalty minutes in 64 games.

Jaedon Descheneau – A 20-year-old, 5’9,” 185 lbs. forward, Descheneau was selected in the Fifth Round (124th Overall) of the 2104 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. He is expected to return to the Kootenay Ice for a fourth season. Last year in Kootenay, Descheneau collected 81 points (34g, 41a) and 58 penalty minutes in 70 games.

Jacob Doty – A 22-year-old, 6’3,” 220 lbs. forward from Denver, CO, Doty split time between the Wolves and the Chicago Aces last season in his first season of professional hockey after a four-year stint in the WHL with Seattle and Medicine Hat. Between the two teams last year, Doty collected 17 points (5g, 12a) and 116 penalty minutes in 63 games.

Justin Hodgman -A 27-year-old 6’1,” 203 lbs. forward from Brampton, ON, Hodgman has played pro since the 2009-10 season, sandwiching a three-season European stint with play at various levels in North America. Last season he made his NHL debut and scored a goal in his five games with the Arizona Coyotes, while adding 35 points (11g, 24a) and 55 penalty minutes in 62 games with Portland in the AHL.

Danny Kristo – A 25-year-old, 6’0,” 194 lbs. forward from Eden Prairie, MN, Kristo was selected in the Second Round 56th Overall of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens and signed by the Blues earlier this summer. Last season Kristo played in 72 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL, collecting 46 points (22g, 24a) and 35 minutes in penalties.

Zach Pochiro – A 21-year-old, 6’1,” 154 lbs. forward from St. Louis, MO, Pochiro was selected in the Fourth Round (112th Overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. Last season, Pochiro finished his junior career, playing 41 games with the Prince George Cougars and putting up 42 points (19g, 23a) and 69 penalty minutes before wrapping up with six games at Alaska of the ECHL where he added two more assists.

Ryan Tesink – A 22-year-old, 6’2,” 172 lbs. forward from Saint John, NB, Tesink was selected in the Sixth Round (162nd Overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. Following a four-year junior stint in the QMJHL with the Saint John Sea Dogs and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Tesink played his first season of junior last season, collected 11 points (2g, 9a) and 39 penalty minutes in 36 games with the Alaska Aces in the ECHL.

Yannick Veilleux – A 22-year-old, 6’2,” 205 lbs. forward from St-Hippolyte, QC, Veilleux was selected in the Fourth Round (102nd Overall) over the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. He played 64 games with the Chicago Wolves last season, collecting 13 points (9g, 4a) and 93 penalty minutes.

Konrad Abeltshauser – A 23-year-old, 6’5,” 225 lbs. defenseman from Bad Tolz, Germany, Abeltshauser was selected in the Sixth Round (163 Overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks. Last season he played in 50 games with Worcester in the AHL and six more with Allen in the ECHL, combining to total 26 points (8g, 18a) and 23 penalty minutes.

Jordan Schmaltz – A 22-year-old, 6’2,” 190 lbs. defenseman from Verona, WI; Schmaltz was selected in the First Round, 25th Overall of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. He graduated from the University of North Dakota last spring, picking up 28 points (4g, 24a) and eight penalty minutes, finishing as a +11 in his senior season.

Thomas Vannelli – A 20-year-old, 6’2,” 165 lbs. defenseman from Minnetonka, MN, Vannelli was selected in the Second Round (47th Overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. He played the previous two seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL, collecting 35 points (12g, 23a) and 52 penalty minutes in 44 games and finishing the season with a +19 rating.

Jordan Binnington – A 22-year-old, 6’1,” 168 lbs. goaltender from Richmond Hill, ON, Binnington was selected in the Third Round, 88th Overall of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. He appeared in 45 games with the Chicago Wolves last season posting a Goals Against Average of 2.35 and a Save Percentage of .916.

Niklas Lundstrom – A 22-year-old, 6’1,” 194 lbs. goaltender from Varmdo, Sweden, Lundstrom was selected in the Fifth Round (132nd Overall) of the NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. Last season was his first in North America and Lundstrom appeared in one game with the Wolves and 36 with the ECHL’s Alaska Aces where he compiled a 3.05 Goals Against Average and a Save Percentage of .895.

The following players were released from tryout contracts by the Blues:

Stu Bickel – A 29-year-old, 6’4,” 209 lbs. utility player, Bickel played nine games with the Minnesota Wild and another 43 with Iowa of the AHL last season. At the two spots combined, he totaled 12 points (3g, 9a) and 139 penalty minutes.

Spencer Asuchak – A 23-year-old, 6’5,” 231 lbs. forward from Regina, SK; Asuchak played 28 games with the Allen Americans of the ECHL last season and was also loaned to both the Providence Bruins and Worcester Sharks of the AHL for a total of 21 more games. In those 49 games total, he put up 36 points (14g, 22a) and 92 minutes in penalties.

Evan Trupp – A 27-year-old, 5’10, 154 lbs. forward from Anchorage, AK; Trupp played last season with the Worcester Sharks, collecting 40 points (16g, 24a) and 26 penalty minutes in 72 games.

Eriah Hayes – A 27-year-old, 6’4,” 209 lbs. forward from La Crescent, MN, Hayes played four games with the San Jose Sharks last season and 59 games at Worceter where he picked up 25 points (8g, 17a) and 40 minutes in penalties.

Zach O’Brien – A 23-year-old, 5’11,” 192 lbs. forward from St. John’s NL; O’Brien played 62 games with the AHL Champion Manchester Monarchs last season, totaling 32 points (14g, 18a) and four minutes in penalties.

With these moves, the Blues have a total of 36 players remaining in camp including 18 forwards, 13 defensemen, three goaltenders along with Scott Gomez and Scottie Upshall still on Professional Tryouts.