Left wing Jaden Schwartz all cleared for St Louis Blues main squad on entry-level deal-NHL News
The St Louis Blues confirmed on Monday, March 12, 2012, to have signed the former Team Canada’s junior player, Jaden Schwartz, to an entry level contract.
The player has made it to their main squad in the National Hockey League (NHL) straight after the singing, instead of going through the grooming period in their affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).
He was expected to join the team for the next game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Chicago on Tuesday, March 13, 2012.
Schwartz was the Blues’ first-round pick from 2010 draft season, coming out of the Colorado College team.
Blues had a choice to send the player to Peoria, but they decided against it and took him on the main team, given that his game skills were matching the NHL calibre and the team did not have much choice in absence of some of their key players due to different
injuries.
Doug Armstrong, the Blues’ general manager, said of the player:
“We looked at all the options. When Jaden said he was ready to turn pro, we could have either sent him to Peoria for the rest of the year, or bring him right to the NHL and we had to make a decision. We just felt with his skill-set and our injuries, we thought
it was worth signing him and bringing him into St. Louis."
According to some commentators, Blues had gambled on their chances by directly introducing the player instead of giving him a three-year grooming period in the AHL.
However, the team is said to be willing to gamble on him because of the lack of alternatives in absence of few players. Also, the management feels that the player is worthy to risk-taking, hoping he will prove them true to their choice, contrary to the criticism.
Schwartz was named in the Team Canada squad for 2012 World Junior Championships in Edmonton and Calgary. He was named captain after getting an invitation in 2011 but had to cut short the tournament due to an ankle injury.
Yet he was able to score two goals during the six games he played. This included one goal against Russia when he was named Canada’s player of the game. In total, he managed to secure five points.
He said:
"A tournament like that playing for Canada, there's so many good players to pick across from Canada. When you make a team like that and you play an important role, it's going to give you confidence."
The player further said that turning pro was a great experience for him, adding that his family, which was struggling to cope with the death of his sister, was especially pleased with the outcome.
Now, he is excited to play against Blackhawks on Tuesday, which will mark the beginning of his professional hockey career and he is aiming to make most of it.
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