More and more Blues players are arriving at the Mills Mall for informal workouts. Today, Brad Boyes made his first appearance on the ice with his teammates. After the workout, Boyes introduced himself to T.J. Oshie in the team’s locker room and the two shared a few pleasantries. There aren’t too many new faces, of course, but Oshie and Patrik Berglund are meeting many of the Blues players for the first time. After today’s workout, I spoke with one of the crusty veterans (just kidding Barret) about the upcoming season.

Jeremy Rutherford: How was your summer?

Barret Jackman: “A real good summer . . . I spent most of my time here in St. Louis, went to a couple weddings of teammates and spent some time at the Lake as well.”

JR: Dan Hinote and David Backes got married this summer, as did one of your best friends Matt Walker, who’s is now a Blackhawk. You really made the rounds on the wedding circuit this summer?

BJ: “Yeah, I guess it’s the age where a lot of your friends are getting married. It’s good to see guys finally growing up . . . at least for a couple of days and then it’s back to our immature selves.”

JR: Off the ice last year, you hoped to get a contract extension from the Blues. You eventually signed a four-year, $14.4 million deal. You’ve got to be happy with how everything worked out . . .

BJ: “I’m really excited. It was very stressful. I probably went a month of barely sleeping . . . not knowing where the future was going to take us. Both my wife and I are happy to still be a part of the Blues’ organization and part of St. Louis.”

JR: Being drafted by the Blues and winning the Calder Trophy, you definitely have roots established in St. Louis, which is one reason to want to stay with the Blues. But the direction of the organization is probably the biggest reason for wanting to remain here, right?

BJ: “Ever since the Checketts group has been here, and JD, I think the team has really gone in the right direction. They’re not trying to go buy all the high-priced free agents and give them those long-term deals. They’re trying to build with youth and the draft. I think it’s gone well and I see a lot of potential in these younger guys.”

JR: The Blues have a much different looking group of defensemen than last year heading into camp. After losing Bryce Salvador, Christian Backman and Matt Walker, what do you think of this group?
BJ: “Yeah, there’s a lot of question marks I guess with the last couple of spots, but there’s a lot of young guys that really have a chance to step up. We still have a few of the mainstays – myself, Eric Brewer and Jay McKee and Erik Johnson – but the rest of those guys are going to be in a battle for the remaining spots.”

JR: I’ll ask you about the battle for those spots in a minute, but Erik Johnson . . . he really came on at the end of last season and so fans should be able to expect a lot out of him in 2008-09?

BJ: “Yeah, the first half of last year I think was a learning process for him. There were a couple of ups and downs, and he had a couple of injuries, as well. He really learned a lot and realized the last half of the year that he doesn’t have to do everything himself. He really became the elite d-man that he was drafted as.”

JR: Steve Wagner, Roman Polak and Jeff Woywitka have the confidence of the Blues’ management or else the team wouldn’t have traded a player like Salvador. Are guys in the locker room as confident in their abilities to be 5-6-7 defensemen on this team?

BJ: “Absolutely confident. Wagner was playing great in an offensive role with us and Woywitka, every time he’s been up, has played solid. And Polak is a big strong kid who’s going to be that physical presence. Whoever have in the lineup we’re going to be confident with and I’m sure they’re going to get a shot here and there throughout the year.”

JR: What about yourself? After a tough beginning to the season, you seemed to find a groove and your plus-minus hardly moved the second half of the season. Do you like where you’re at with your game?

BJ: “I think I got a lot of minuses at the beginning of the year. It’s just one of those things, the goals were going in on one end and they weren’t in the other when I was on the ice. I guess that’s a sign of maybe not playing well, but I was happy with the way that we played. I’m looking forward to getting this season going.”

That’s all for today . . .