Blues News: Blues (Might) Sign Wellwood (UPDATED)

Per tweet by TSN’s Bob McKenzie, the St. Louis Blues have signed former Toronto Maples Leafs and Vancouver Canucks forward Kyle Wellwood.

Kyle Wellwood - Image via Aaron Webb (Flickr)

In his NHL career Wellwood has 63 goals and 160 points in 338 career appearances. His last season in the NHL was 2009-10 for the Canucks where he scored 14 goals and 25 points in 75 games. More recently the 27 year old Windsor, Ontario native has been playing for Mytishchi Atlant of the KHL. Registering 5 goals and 8 points in 25 games. He was released from his Russian contract earlier this month due to that level of production.

Wellwood should help the Blues build experienced depth down the middle and in the face-off circle. A area of much needed improvement. In 09-10 he won 390 of 725 draws (53.8%) and in 08-09 he won 357 out of 621 (57.5%). His potential to chip in upwards of 10 goals through season’s end is a plus as well.

Like Marek Svatos before him, Wellwood must clear waivers before he can play for the Blues. Assuming he clears the likely ETA in a Bluenote is the latter two games of the three game California trip this week.

(UPDATE 1:00pm: General Manager Doug Armstrong has called McKenzie’s report “just a TSN rumor” and “no one is being signed today.” It appears Wellwood needs to be released from his KHL contract. Nick Kypreos reports it could take the weekend.)

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