Blues open training camp; Kariya joins mix

~ St. Louis' big free-agent signee practiced with his new team.

ST. LOUIS -- Paul Kariya's first day on the ice with the St. Louis Blues left his teammates dreaming of glory.

Making the playoffs is a logical goal for the franchise, shut out of the postseason the last two seasons. Goalie Manny Legace didn't stop there after watching Kariya work on the first line during a scrimmage Monday.

"I think it gives us a great shot to win the Cup, I really do," Legace said. "He's one of those intangibles.

"If one guy's going to bring it, you know he's going to bring it."

Kariya, who signed a three-year, $18 million free agent deal in July, is by far the Blues' biggest addition. They also reacquired center Keith Tkachuk, who'll center Kariya's line, and signed defenseman Erik Johnson, the No. 1 overall pick of last year's draft, and plan on plugging him into the rotation.

The first day of practice served as an icebreaker for Kariya, who had 76 points last season for the Predators. He was one of several players jettisoned by the franchise to facilitate a sale, and goes to one that is rebuilding two years after inheriting a roster that also had been stripped for a sale.

The Blues were last overall in 2005-06 and were at the bottom for a while last season, but went 11 games above .500 after coach Andy Murray was hired in mid-December.

St. Louis finished one game below .500 and 15 points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Kariya anticipates a productive season playing alongside Tkachuk, the duo providing a mixture of blazing speed and physical play on a line that also will include forward Brad Boyes.

"Keith is an unbelievable player," Kariya said. "He does so many things well and he loves to play that give-and-go style of game. That's a game I love to play, too, so I think it's going to be a pretty quick transition."

Seeing Kariya walk in before practice got Legace revved up.

"Just his presence in the dressing room brings everyone's level up," Kariya said. "I think they're going to see we have an All-Star player on our team.

"They're going to see the way we ended last year is going to be the way we start this year."

Tkachuk, 35, is happy to be back with the Blues after being dealt near the trade deadline to the Thrashers last February. He had 20 goals and 23 assists in 61 games for St. Louis last season.

"This is my home," Tkachuk said. "I'm excited, my wife is excited, this is a perfect situation for me.

"We love living here and then getting a guy like Paul, this puts us in a spot to succeed."

Legace missed the last two months of last season after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery for torn cartilage. He was 23-15-5 with a 2.59 goals-against average and five shutouts, earning a two-year contract extension.

Legace wasn't happy with his play in the first scrimmage on Monday, but was pleased with how the knee felt.

"A couple of weeks ago it was kind of touch and go, but today it felt pretty good," Legace said. "I think it's just getting used to the pounding again, and once I do that it'll be fine."