The St. Louis Blues have recalled defenseman Theo Lindstein to provide depth on their upcoming four-game road trip. Lindstein broke camp with the Blues but was to the AHL after four appearances and five healthy scratches.
He has since scored one goal and one assist in two games with the Springfield Thunderbirds.
On the back of that production, Lindstein could get a chance to fill in for Colton Parayko. The veteran defender missed Friday’s practice due to an upper-body injury and is “probable” for Saturday’s match against the Detroit Red Wings, head coach Jim Montgomery told NHL.com’s Lou Korac.
Lindstein’s call-up will give St. Louis two rookies to choose from should they need an extra defender. They’re also carrying Quinton Burns, who earned the first call-up of his career last Saturday.
He is yet to make his NHL debut. Burns recorded one point and 29 penalty minutes through the first seven games of the AHL season.
While Burns would offer an aggressive and physical style to the lineup, Lindstein would be the better bet to replace Parayko’s play-driving. He has stood out as a puck-mover and two-way defender through his early career, despite some measly production.
Lindstein recorded one assist in four games through his early stint with the Blues. He also scored four points in 17 NHL games last season, to complement 14 points in 59 AHL games.
Lindstein has had moments of impressive play in the Blues lineup. Should Parayko need to miss action, an extended trip could be a chance for him to fill big minutes on the road.
The Blues would need to shift around their lineup to fit either left-defender – Burns or Lindstein. Those moves would likely bump fellow rookie Adam Jiricek back into the top-four next to Cam Fowler, while the chosen replacement joins Justin Barron on the bottom-pair.