St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today the team has placed forwards Ryan O’Reilly (broken foot) and Vladimir Tarasenko (hand injury) on injured reserve.
O’Reilly will be re-evaluated in six weeks, while Tarasenko will be re-evaluated in four weeks.
In addition, the team recalled forward Jake Neighbours from its AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.
“Injuries are part of the profession, part of the game,” Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong said during a conference call with the media. “Winning people and winning organizations don’t dwell on what they don’t have – they looking forward to working with the things they do have… Guys who have been [wanting] more ice time are going to get it.”
O’Reilly, 31, has dressed in all 37 Blues games this season, logging 16 points (10 goals, six assists) and six penalty minutes. The Clinton, Ontario, native was acquired by the Blues via trade from the Buffalo Sabres on July 1, 2018. In 975 career NHL regular-season games, including stints with Colorado, Buffalo, and St. Louis, O’Reilly has tallied 688 points (250 goals, 438 assists) and 142 penalty minutes.
Tarasenko, 31, has dressed in 34 games this season, ranking third on the Blues with 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists). Drafted by the Blues 16th overall in 2010, the Yaroslavl, Russia, native has amassed 553 points (262 goals, 291 assists) and 185 penalty minutes across 640 regular-season games with the team.
Neighbours, 20, has appeared in 13 games with the Blues this season, collecting one goal and four penalty minutes. The 6-foot, 201-pound forward has also recorded 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) and two penalty minutes in 19 games with the Thunderbirds. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Neighbours was drafted by the Blues 26th overall at the 2020 NHL Draft.
