For the St. Louis Blues, those contract extensions for Jori Lehtera and Vladimir Tarasenko are looking pretty good right now, while the trade of TJ Oshie to the Washington Capitals is suddenly a little iffy after the team announced on Thursday that forward Patrik Berglund had undergone shoulder surgery and would miss the start of the 2015 NHL season. Per the Blues, Berglund will be "re-evaluated" in four months, which likely means they expect him to be out even longer.
"St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today that forward Patrik Berglund will undergo surgery on his right shoulder on Friday."
Berglund initially dislocated the shoulder during the 2013-14 season. The injury was revealed after the team was ousted from the playoffs that year. He suffered the injury during a loss against the Dallas Stars late in the season and wound up missing the season finale. There was concern that he would be unable to return for the playoffs, but Berglund managed to suit up for four of the Blues' six postseason games against the Chicago Blackhawks. Berglund was already slumping prior to the injury and wound up finished St. Louis' short-lived playoff run with no goals and no assists and a minus-seven rating, leading some to question why the team kept the 27-year-old in the lineup.
Per the team, Berglund re-injured the shoulder while training for the 2015-16 season.
In 77 regular season games last year for St. Louis Berglund managed 12 goals and 15 assists. He added two goals and two assists in another short Blues playoff stint. His name has popped up time and again in the trade rumor mill, but it now seems he's likely to remain with the team at a cap hit of $3.7 million at least until he can return to health.
