Dunn has skated regularly this week and was a full participant on Wednesday but isn’t ready to return to the lineup for Game 2. The Blues depth defensemen had a tough time in Game 1 so they certainly could have used Dunn’s services in Game 2.
Fabbri has been a healthy scratch since Game 5 of the Blues round-two win over the Stars, but will replace Robert Thomas in the lineup for Game 2 in Boston. Fabbri, who had just six points in the regular season, has just one goal in eight playoff games.
Thomas was crushed by Bruins defenseman Torey Krug late in Game 1 and will not play in Game 2. Head coach Craig Berube said that his absence is not related to that hit, but he will be replaced by Robby Fabbri regardless of what is taking him out of the lineup. This will be Fabbri’s first game since May 3rd, when he appeared in Game 5 vs. the Stars.
Viel was an undrafted free-agent who spent the season with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL), where he had 11 goals and 11 assists (22 points) in 68 games. Viel spent five years in the QMJHL, where he had 115 goals and 81 assists (196 points) in 259 games.
Kubalik was originally a seventh-round pick of the Kings back in 2013 but spend the last six years overseas between the Czech and Swiss leagues. This past season he had 25 goals and 32 assists (57 points) in 50 games with Ambri-Piotta.
Tinordi spent the entire 2018-19 season with Milwaukee (AHL), where he had eight goals and 14 assists (22 points) in 75 games. Tinordi will likely be one of the first defenseman called-up if the Predators run into any injury concerns next season. He has six assists in 53 career NHL games with the Canadiens and Coyotes.
Nilsson, 29, was acquired from the Canucks midseason, going 11-11-0 with a 2.90 GAA and .914 SV% in 24 games with the Senators. Nilsson figures to grab his fair share of starts in Ottawa in 2019-20 with Craig Anderson entering the final year of his contract.
Gambardella has spent the last two season with Bakersfield (AHL) and appeared in 15 games with the Oilers this season, picking up just three assists. The 25-year-old forward had 29 goals and 19 assists (48 points) in 50 AHL games.
Kaski, 23, is an undrafted free-agent from Finland, who has spent the last three years in the Finnish Elite League, where he posted the third highest-scoring season every by a defenseman in the league, picking up 19 goals and 32 assists (51 points) in 59 games with the Pelicans. The right-handed defenseman will likely be inserted directly into the Red Wings lineup in 2019-20.
Bergmann, 20, was an undrafted free agent who went back to Germany this past season after three years in the USHL. The German winger had 20 goals and nine assists (29 points) in 50 games with the Iserlohn Roosters this season.
Sellgren, 20, was selected in the sixth-round (No.166 overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft and just wrapped up his first season in the Swedish Elite League, where he accumulated three goals and 12 assists (15 points) in 52 games with Lulea HF.
Abols, 23, was originally selected in the seventh-round of the 2016 draft by the Canucks before spending the last two season in the Swedish Elite League. The Latvian centre had 18 goals and eight assists (26 points) in 45 games with Orebro HK this past season.
Norris was a first-round pick of the Sharks in 2017 and was traded to Ottawa as a part of the Erik Karlsson trade. The 20-year-old had 10 goals and nine assists (19 points) in 17 games at the University of Michigan this season. He also added three goals and three assists in seven games while representing the United States at the Wold Juniors.
Chara missed Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals but the will play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals vs. the Blues. Chara, who plays a shutdown role for the Bruins, has been on the ice for 12 5v5 goals for and just six against throughout the postseason while playing 22:32 TOI/gm.
Thomas has sat out the last few practices, including Monday’s morning skate, but will play in Game 1 in Boston. Thomas has performed well during the postseason, scoring one goal with five assists (six points) in 19 games.
Binnington stopped 25 of 26 shots in the Blues 5-1 win over the Sharks in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. Binnington had a .912 SV% in the series and has posted a .914 SV% across the postseason. The Blues will start the Finals on the road, where Binnington has gone 7-2 with a 2.36 GAA, .913 SV% and one shutout in the playoffs.
Rask stopped all 24 shots that he faced to complete the sweep of the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals and finished the series allowing just five goals on 114 shots (.956 SV%). Entering the Stanley Cup Finals, Rask has posted a stellar .942 SV% in the postseason and is 6-3 with a 2.01 GAA and .931 SV% at the TD Garden. The 32-year-old was 1-0-1 with a 1.44 GAA and .949 SV% in two games vs. the Blues in the regular season.
Ouellet’s deal is worth $700K at the NHL-level but the 25-year-old played just 19 games with Montreal last season. Ouellet spent most of the year with Laval (AHL), where he posted seven goals and 21 assists (28 points) in 47 AHL games.
Dunn skated skated for the second straight day on Sunday but is not expected to play in Game 1 in Boston. Dunn has been out since Game 3 after being struck in the mouth by a Brenden Dillon shot. Blues head coach Craig Berube said there is a “good chance” that Dunn will be back at some point during the series. In the mean time, veteran defenseman Carl Gunnarsson will remain in the Blues lineup and has averaged 11:47 TOI/gm in the three games that he has replaced Dunn.
In his first season with Montreal, Kulak split his season between the AHL and NHL. The 25-year-old had 11 points (3G / 8A) in 19 games with Laval before adding 17 points (6G / 11A) in 57 games with Montreal. Kulak figures to be a part of the Habs blueline plans to start the 2019-20 season.
