Fresh off securing a playoff berth last night, the St. Louis Blues have added even more firepower to their red-hot team in the AHL’s leading scorer. The team announced today that they have recalled forward Kenny Agostino from the Chicago Wolves on an emergency basis and he is expected to be in the lineup tomorrow against the Central Division rival Nashville Predators.
There is no word yet on what warranted Agostino’s emergency recall or if he is replacing a major contributor in the lineup, but coach Mike Yeo and the Blues could do much worse than giving the 24-year-old left winger a shot down the stretch. Agostino already has a goal and two assists in seven games with St. Louis this season and has been on a tear in the minors, recording 79 points in 63 games, including nearly an assist per game. Agostino is in his first season with the Blues organization after signing as a free agent this summer – a move that is paying off in spades so far for GM Doug Armstrong and company. Just three years removed from a prolific career at Yale University, Agostino, then a Penguins prospect, was dealt to the Calgary Flames in the Jarome Iginla trade in 2013 while still in college, but has seen a major uptick in offense in 2016-17 relative to his first to pro seasons with the Flames organization.
The Blues are 7-1-2 in their last ten games and are rolling toward the postseason. A win tomorrow against Nashville would go a long way in locking down that second spot in the Central Division and a first-round date with the Minnesota Wild. Should Agostino play, he should be able to jump in and contribute right away in the crucial game and may even earn a spot on the postseason roster with his play over the next week. If not, the AHL Wolves have already clinched a playoff spot as well, so Agostino is postseason bound, one way or another.