7:05 pm: Per the St. Louis Blues, Dakota Joshua has officially been sent down to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, a move that was expected, and necessitated, by Bozak’s activation off of LTIR. Joshua has been a solid contributor this season, putting up eight points in 30 games this season at the NHL level, and 17 points in 33 games for Springfield in the AHL.
6:13 pm: The St. Louis Blues announced that forward Tyler Bozak will return to the lineup tonight as the team takes on the Ducks in Anaheim. The veteran forward has missed nearly a month-and-a-half with a lower-body injury, last playing on March 13th against the Winnipeg Jets.
According to NHL.com’s Lou Korac, because Bozak was on LTIR after the injury, the Blues will have to make a subsequent roster move to get him back on the roster (link). No move has been formally announced yet, however Dakota Joshua’s name is notably missing from the Blues roster, says Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (link).
Production-wise, Bozak is not the player he once was with the Toronto Maple Leafs, however the veteran is still a key piece of the playoff-bound Blues’ lineup. With Torey Krug and Brayden Schenn out for St. Louis, getting a player like Bozak back is all the more helpful. In 47 games for the Blues this season, Bozaak has just three goals and eight assists, but has been a leader for the team and an asset on their penalty kill.