Not only did the Carolina Hurricanes play their first game without long time captain, Eric Staal, the Canes also had to go most of the game with just nine forwards as they ended up falling to the St. Louis Blues, 5-2 on Sunday in front of 15,102 at the PNC Arena.
Jay McClement, who was previously injured, Kris Versteeg and Riley Nash all left the game sometime after the first period leaving lots of room on the Carolina bench much of the game. The assumption is both Versteeg and Nash could be close to being traded.