Blues show promise despite key injury

ST. LOUIS — Erik Johnson wrecked his knee in a team golf outing a few days before the start of St. Louis Blues training camp. The franchise is determined that the season-long loss of their young star defenseman will not wreck their season.

The 20-year-old Johnson was the first overall pick of the 2006 draft and is the centerpiece of the franchise's youth movement after finishing a disappointing 14th in the Western Conference. They'll just have to wait a year to plug him back into the lineup and power play.

"I was done reeling as soon as I hung the phone up and they picked me off the floor," Blues coach Andy Murray said. "It's just something you deal with, and you move on."

Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism for a franchise seeking to end a three-year playoff drought and coming off a major second-half fadeout — five wins in the last 23 games — is the last line of defense. The draft-day pickup of goaltender Chris Mason from the Predators gives them a reliable second option behind Manny Legace, an All-Star last season but worn down by season's end.

Johnson's injury opens the door for this year's fourth overall pick, 19-year-old Alex Pietrangelo. Other young players who could be heavy contributors on the back line are Roman Polak, 22, and Steve Wagner, 24.

Without Johnson serving as quarterback on the power play, Murray plans to go with five forwards. Lee Stempniak, who may be the fill-in for Johnson, also is part of the top-scoring line in the preseason, along with 43-goal scorer Brad Boyes and Andy McDonald. The trio combined for 35 points in five preseason games.

"Things just seem to happen out there, and it's a good sign," McDonald said. "We seem to be in the right spots, finding each other. It's only preseason, but you want to feel good about yourself."