from Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,

Armstrong had to do something, and he did. There should be an undeniable instant gratification. There assuredly has to be a civic connection. To be determined is how it translates on ice.

Stastny and Lehtera make the Blues deeper and hopefully more potent up front. Their arrival creates intrigue about how Backes and Patrik Berglund will look on the wing. Coach Ken Hitchcock’s line permutations should become even more fascinating.

Best of all, Stastny declined to play the over-the-top pander card. He acknowledged his familiarity and appreciation for the area but declined to say it was the overriding factor in his decision.

“I know the lay of the land,” he said, which certainly includes knowledge of this franchise’s legacy of postseason frustration. He referred to his verdict as “a hockey decision.”

More relevant, Stastny cited this roster’s capacity to create four balanced lines or two dominant ones. He senses a window of opportunity opening, not closing. “There are so many good players available.”

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