17 games left in the regular season and as the Blues head towards the regular season finish, you can't help but think if they'll get several of their injured players back, whether it be just in time for the playoffs or a bit before.
Of course every Blues fan would like the team to be 100% healthy heading into the playoffs but that rarely happens. So here's my ranking of the players the Blues need back the most, if they hope to go deep into the playoffs.
1. Alex Steen
Steener is one of the hardest working players on the team. He's gritty, tough in the corners and is a play maker. Steen also has a nose for the dirty areas in front of the net and is a goal scorer. His heart and effort alone will be a major boost for this team.
2. Jamie Langenbrunner
Speaking of heart, Jamie Langenbrunner has a ton of it. He and Jason Arnott have helped provide that veteran leadership on the ice and in the locker room and the Blues are really missing half of that right now. Langenbrunner knows what it takes to make a long run in the playoffs and he would help keep the Blues focused when they get to the tough playoff battles.
3. Kris Russell
This is one o
f the most underrated trades Doug Armstrong pulled off early in the year. The swap of Russell for Nikita Nikitin has worked out for both teams and the Blues all of a sudden have a handful of offensive defensemen (Russell, Shattenkirk, Pietrangelo). But let's not forget these guys are still great on defense as well. With Russell in the lineup, the Blues have an offensive threat with every single defensive pairing that's on the ice.
4. Matt D'Agostini
Dags is highly skilled, but he's very streaky and the Blues are very deep at forward. Chris Porter has been doing a great job when he gets a chance and the fourth line of Scott Nichol, B.J Crombeen and Ryan Reaves has been clicking in recent games. Needless to say, the Blues would welcome back Dags if he's ready to go, but in my opinion and with all due respect to him, he may be the one the Blues could live without.
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