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TARASENKO SAYS "NYET" TO AHL, BUT SCHWARTZ AND COLE WILL "PLAY IN PEORIA"
As all Blues' fans are now aware, only one of the team's 2010 first-round picks will skate in the AHL this year despite both having been originally assigned there.
14th overall selection Jaden Schwartz (pictured above) was among 30 players taking the ice at Carver Arena in Peoria yesterday, while 16th overall selection Vladimir Tarasenko rested up after playing his first game for SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL on Friday night.
As was reported here last week, SKA and Tarasenko had originally failed to agree on terms of his contract, and all signs pointed to Tarasenko's reporting to Peoria with the rest of the Blues' assignees. The word was that Tarasenko wanted an "out clause" in his contract that would allow him to leave Russia to play in the AHL before the NHL lockout ended, presumably as a hedge against SKA coach Milos Riha giving him fourth-line minutes, as he did last year after Tarasenko's trade to SKA from Sibir Novosibirsk. It is not known whether SKA caved in to Tarasenko's request, clearing the way for Tarasenko to join the Russian club, or whether Team Tarasenko dropped this demand in order for Tarasenko to skate in the KHL immediately.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-in-reply-to="250437559371563008"><p>.@<a href="https://twitter.com/tomorrowsblues">tomorrowsblues</a> AHL helps his NHL career. KHL only helps his wallet.</p>— Dave Eminian (@icetimecleve) <a href="https://twitter.com/icetimecleve/status/250438085521842178" data-datetime="2012-09-25T03:34:27+00:00">September 25, 2012</a></blockquote>
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RIVERMEN CAMP NEWS AND NOTES
Former Blues draft pick Trevor Nill, who had been scheduled to attend Peoria's camp on a pro tryout basis, has failed his physical and been released by the Rivermen.
Per Peoria Journal Star Rivermen beat writer Dave Eminian, the Rivs have broken their training camp roster into two teams, Team Backes and Team Demitra. Here are the rosters for each team:
TEAM BACKES: David Shields, T.J. Hensick, Brett Sonne, Sergey Andronov, Mark Cundari, Derek Nesbitt, Evgeny Grachev, Anthony Peluso, Cade Fairchild, Stefan Della Rovere, Cody Beach, Jaden Schwartz, Corey Durocher, Jesse Perrin, Jake Allen.
TEAM DEMITRA: Brett Ponich, Sebastian Wannstrom, Adam Cracknell, Taylor Chorney, Tyler Shattock, Andrew Murray, Jay Barriball, Ian Cole, Phil McRae, Chris Bruton, Anthony Nigro, Scott Ford, Tyler Shelast, Brent Regner, Mike Glaicar, Paul Karpowich, Mike McKenna.
The Rivermen will host their long-time upstate rival, the Chicago Wolves, on Monday at Carver Arena in their first pre-season game of the 2012-13 season. The Rivs will practice at Carver from 3:00 until 6:00 (free and open to the public), with game time at 7:05 PM.
The page format changes are driving a revision to the previous "Trending Up" format. Where there used to be a "Fab Five" every week, there will now be a more hockey-themed "Three Star" selection each week, with two Honorable Mentions each week as well. We will also begin using a point system (4 points for First Star, 3 for Second, 2 for Third, 1 for HM) to determine the final Three Star selections of the 2012-13 season, based on the players' performances this year.
Each of the eight players honored last week -- Jordan Binnington, Jani Hakanpää, Jori Lehtera, Tyrel Seaman, Ryan Tesink, Petteri Lindbohm, Niklas Lundström and Ty Rattie -- will receive a point in the standings for having been selected prior to the start of the new point system.
Without further ado, then, here are this week's Three Stars and two Honorable mentions.
| *** FIRST Star *** | ** SECOND Star ** | * THIRD Star * |
| Dmitrij JASKIN | Ryan TESINK | Jordan BINNINGTON |
 |  |  |
| Moncton (QMJHL) | Saint John (QMJHL) | Owen Sound (OHL) |
| ** 3 games played this week | ** 2 games played this week | ** 2 games played this week |
| ** 4 G, 1 A, even | ** 3 G, 1 A, plus-2 | ** 125 mins, 5 GA, 1-0-1 |
| ** 2 PM, 0 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW | ** 0 PM, 2 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW | ** 2.40 GAA, 92.9% sv pct |
HONORABLE MENTION:
MCKENZIE MACEACHERN, RW, Chicago (USHL): 2 GP, 0 G, 2 A, plus-1, 2 PM, 0-0-0.
VLADIMIR TARASENKO, RW, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL): 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, even, 0 PM, 1-0-0.
"GAME TIME" SUMMER PROSPECT POLL
2012 second-round pick Sam Kurker received the most votes, and thus settles into the last available slot in the listing of the 2012 "Game Time" Top Twenty Blues Prospects.
The site format changes have made the "old" Top Twenty graphics look sloppy and unprofessional, so there is a graphics change coming. I'm fond of the "Prospect File" graphics that I've developed over the years, and they lend themselves well to being used in the new Gallery feature, so that's what I'll be doing with the Top Twenty prospects. I don't have a file graphic made up for all of the Top Twenty yet, however, so until next week, enjoy this Gallery of the Blues' picks from the 2012 NHL Entry Draft (which includes your #20 prospect Kurker).
