3 ways Blues can recover from Fabbri's season-ending injury
The St. Louis Blues received devastating news Wednesday when they learned young forward Robby Fabbri will miss the entire year after he injured the same knee which he had surgically repaired this offseason.
It's a big blow to a St. Louis squad which has already lost forward Alex Steen and defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to short-term injuries, in addition to center Patrik Berglund, who will be out of the lineup until December.
A long list of key injuries could leave Blues general manager Doug Armstrong little choice but to explore the market in order to help his ailing club. With that in mind, here are three options he should consider:
Run with a rookie
Before looking elsewhere, the easiest and cheapest option for St. Louis is to promote from within. The team already has little cap space to work with - about $2.2 million, according to CapFriendly - and moving Fabbri's entry-level deal to the long-term injured reserve doesn't free up much more wiggle room.
As training camp cuts loom, several young forwards have put on a show to make final decisions difficult for Blues' management. Center Ivan Barbashev is among those who have impressed in exhibition action, as he's picked up three points in four contests. The Russian forward was selected 12 picks after Fabbri in 2014.
Also intriguing is Klim Kostin, added this year with the draft pick acquired for Ryan Reaves, as he's scored two goals in four games.
Make a deal for Duchene
Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic has been patient in finding the right return for center Matt Duchene, and an opportunity may have fallen into his lap with the Blues.
The Avalanche have insisted on getting an up-and-coming blue-liner in return, and St. Louis may have the perfect center piece of a deal in Vince Dunn. The 20-year-old defenseman is among the 32 players remaining at Blues' camp and looks poised to push for a spot after he posted 45 points in the AHL last season. Could the Blues package Dunn plus a high-end pick (and a contract, for salary cap considerations) to get a deal done?
Duchene's addition would also shore up the Blues in the middle of the ice. The team rolled the dice on newly-acquired Brayden Schenn, with the plan to use him as a center despite him seeing more time on the wing while with the Philadelphia Flyers. Alongside Paul Stastny, the pair make an interesting one-two punch, but adding Duchene further solidifies St. Louis at center.
Dive into free agency
The Blues can also try their luck in free agency to cover Fabbri's loss. While the options are limited, free agency brings the advantage that it only costs cash - no other assets required.
On one hand, St. Louis could be the next destination for the legendary Jaromir Jagr, who remains unsigned despite his pleas via social media.
But a more likely scenario could be veteran winger Jarome Iginla, also in the hunt for NHL work. After struggling with the Avalanche last season, Iginla looked rejuvenated through his short tenure with Los Angeles, as he recorded nine points in 19 games. Signing in St. Louis would also reunite Iginla with Armstrong, who was with the Dallas Stars when the team drafted him more than two decades ago.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)
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