Make no mistake, Mathieu Joseph knows what the Blues want from him.
“I know my role in terms of being hard on pucks and hard to play against, good defensively, bring some offense here and there,” Joseph said. “Creating chaos, being good on the forecheck. When I use my speed, I feel like I can be dangerous and giving a hard time for the other six, seven D on the other side every night. It’s hard to play against a guy that’s always in your face.”
It’s just about execution and consistency now.
With two weeks to go until the start of the regular season, Joseph finds himself squarely embroiled in the main battle going on at Blues training camp, as he tries to force his way into a spot in the St. Louis bottom six. Also competing for ice time are Alexandre Texier, Justin Carbonneau, Dalibor Dvorsky, Milan Lucic, and — in different ways themselves — Oskar Sundqvist and Nathan Walker.
In the first week of training camp, Joseph has made his presence known. He was noticeable with his effort and speed during the first scrimmage of the preseason a week ago, even dropping down to block a shot late in the game that drew cheers from his own bench.
“I feel like there were six, seven shots blocked over the scrimmage, so I think mine was a little desperate move but just trying to play hard, trying to play to your strength,” Joseph said. “We’re all trying to make teams and show some effort out there. I thought everyone had a pretty good scrimmage, a little bit chaotic for the first time.”
He wore a letter during the club’s exhibition Sunday in Columbus, and when the Blues trotted out an NHL-style lineup Tuesday, Joseph found himself on a line with Jake Neighbours and Brayden Schenn. That’s good news for his hopes.
“I think I’m just trying to bring that and bring some energy and some leadership when I got to play in Columbus,” Joseph said. “It’s my 10th camp, so you’re used to how things go, and it’s been a good camp so far under Monty.”
Last season was Joseph’s first in St. Louis after the Blues acquired him and a third-round pick from Ottawa over the summer. He tallied four goals and 10 assists in 60 games and was a healthy scratch for four of the seven games in the first round against Winnipeg. His goal in Game 7 vs. the Jets would have been the game winner had the Blues held on to a late 3-1 lead.
Joseph scored two goals in his first six games with the Blues, then suffered a lower-body injury Oct. 26 in Montreal. After that, he went almost four months between goals, a 30-game drought that was the longest of his career.
Joseph was a healthy scratch 15 times during the regular season.
“I think it was more of a transition year for me personally,” Joseph said. “I thought I started the season pretty well, and I got hurt and my confidence was a little affected. I was in and out of the lineup here and there. When you’re just trying to prove yourself every night, I feel like you’re not playing to your strengths, you’re not playing freely. I came back at the end of the year, and I thought I had a good second half of the season in terms of how I wanted to play.”
For Joseph, there’s two battles he’s fighting through: There’s one to make the 23-man roster in St. Louis. Then there’s a second to push his way into the 12 forwards on the ice nightly. Even if he makes the roster, it’s no guarantee that he pushes past players like Sundqvist, Walker or Nick Bjugstad into the everyday lineup.
Joseph would have to pass through waivers to be sent to the minors, and he’s in the final year of a contract that has a $2.95 million cap hit. The Blues would only be able to bury $1.15 million of his cap hit in the AHL, meaning Joseph would still count $1.80 million against the cap if he were in the AHL.
“I think sometimes it’s a little easier for some guys, sometimes it’s harder to be in a transition year, get new teammates, new team, new organization,” Joseph said. “I feel much more comfortable coming in this year in terms of knowing everybody around and the coaching staff and the system that I’ve been in last year. I wouldn’t say it was my worst season, I just thought in terms of consistency, I can do a much better job this year.”
The Blues held off-ice workouts Thursday and return to the ice Friday at Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights. The first group will take the ice at 9:45 a.m. on the NHL rink, and the second group will be on the ice at 11:45 a.m. on the USA rink.
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Matthew DeFranks | Post-Dispatch
Hockey reporter
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