ST. LOUIS — While the full NHL schedule still hasn't been announced, the St. Louis Blues will open the regular season at home Jan. 19 against the Detroit Red Wings.
The NHL is expected to release a 48-game schedule this weekend once the NHL Players Association ratifies the new collective bargaining agreement. As soon as that happens, the Blues and other teams will put tickets on sale.
The Blues will open training camp for 25 players at 11 a.m. Sunday at Scottrade Center and the two-hour session will be open to the public.
Blues coach Ken Hitchcock also will hold scrimmage sessions at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday to simulate NHL game times.
Hitchcock said the condensed schedule means making full use of the roster, including playing time for goaltenders Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott.
"The amount of days you have to play the games doesn't look bad, it's just the crunching of the games doesn't look great," Hitchcock said. "You're going to have to really find a way to manage your players, your time...there's going to be a lot more than just coaching hockey that goes into it here."
Blues training camp schedule
Sunday: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; 1:30 p.m. Blues fan question and answer session with the team.
Monday: 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Tuesday: 7-8:30 p.m. (scrimmage)
Wednesday: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Thursday: 10:30-11:30 a.m.; 7-9 p.m. (scrimmage)
Friday: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Blues experience little turnover
There hasn't been many major changes for the Blues. Forward prospects Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz have been added to the mix along with defensemen Jeff Woywitka and Taylor Chorney.
Young defensemen Ian Cole has spent extensive time with the Blues previously. Major roster subtractions include veterans Jason Arnott, Carlo Colaiacovo and B.J. Crombeen.
"The whole team is pretty much the same core group of guys, so it's always good to have that," Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. "Especially after what you went through last year, losing the way we did. It's just going to make everybody more hungrier than we already are."
Contact reporter Norm Sanders at nsanders@bnd.com or 239-2454.
