GameThread for Tampa Bay Lightning at St. Louis Blues, Feb 3, 2015

Jeff Gordon is calling Ian Cole out to step up in Kevin Shattenkirk's absence:

Cole, though, could be the key to this team surviving the absence of Shattenkirk, an offensive catalyst who was earning some Norris Trophy chatter with his breakout season.

Cole has all the tools to be a strong two-way defenseman. "I can do a little bit of everything," he said Tuesday. "I need to do all those things at a high level."

He can't dangle with the puck like Shattenkirk, but he can move it up the ice and make deft passes. He skates well and has a nice shot from the point.

Well, then, let's hope he's right, because we're living in the Ian Cole era for the foreseeable future.

This is your GameDay Thread: Comment like you're getting your Shattenkirk separation anxiety off of your chest. Better now than later!

Let's do this. Let's go Blues.