ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues made three roster moves Tuesday in advance of their game against the visiting Phoenix Coyotes.
The Blues activated defenseman Roman Polak from injured reserve, placed center Maxim Lapierre on injured reserve and recalled forward Dmitrij Jaskin.
Polak had missed the past 10 games with an ankle injury and Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said following Monday's practice that the defenseman could give the team a boost in energy and physicality that the team needs in its lineup.
Lapierre suffered a lower-body injury late in the loss to Vancouver on Friday and was not able to practice Monday or Tuesday. Signed in the off-season as a free agent, he has nine points (six goals, three assists) and is a plus-2 in 39 games.
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Hitchcock said following the morning skate Tuesday that Jaskin was being recalled as a precaution for center Vladimir Sobotka possibly not being able to play Tuesday night.
"He's got the flu, so we left him at home," Hitchcock said. "Hopefully, he's ready for tonight."
Sobotka has been one of the Blues' better players lately. Before going scoreless in the loss at Vancouver, he had recorded seven points in his previous four games and had two points in five of his last eight games. His work with youngster Vladimir Tarasenko has helped St. Louis overcome the absence of leading scorer Alexander Steen, who is out with a concussion.
Jaskin has appeared in four games with the Blues this season and scored his first career goal in a win against the Blackhawks. He impressed his coach in his last go-round with St. Louis.
"I thought he did more than hold his own," Hitchcock said then. "He doesn't look like a big guy, but he plays like a big guy, plays strong, strong on the puck. I think he's got a great future ahead of him. He's going to be a heck of a player."
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