Kevin Shattenkirk’s absence had painful effects for the St. Louis Blues. Saturday, it appears things will get closer to normal.

Shattenkirk, an all-star defenseman, is expected to play for the first time since Feb. 1. That’s when an abdominal injury sent him for surgical repairs.

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Also likely to return from injury when the Blues face the Columbus Blue Jackets: defenseman Carl Gunnar son. Petteri Lindbohm was sent to AHL Chicago on Wednesday, a sign one or both of Jalen Ramsey Jersey the injured defensemen would play.

Coach Ken Hitchcock said this week the team believed Shattenkirk was close to playing. The key, he told Blues beat writer Jeremy Rutherford, was how Shattenkirk responded after Friday’s practice.

Both defensemen skated Thursday at an optional practice, Rutherford reported.

“We expect Zach Laskey Jersey him to play Saturday, but he’s got to pa s that test tomorrow,” Hitchcock told beat writer Norm Sanders.

“Tomorrow is a big day, a big benchmark to see where I am,” Shattenkirk told Sanders. “That’s the plan and has been all week, to feel it out tomorrow and go from there.”

Shattenkirk is a key player on the Blues’ loaded defense. Before his injury he had 40 points, an indication of his offensive upside. He also had 77 blocked shots, a sign he was improving on defense. And no team wants to lose a defenseman who plays nearly 23 minutes a game, including power play time.

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With 99 points, the Blues and Anaheim Ducks are vying for first overall seed in the Western Conference and were one point back of the NHL-best Montreal Canadiens, who played Thursday Cam Akers Jersey .

The Blues were 14-8-3 without Shattenkirk.

Gunnarson mi sed the past two games with an upper-body injury. If he too plays, Hitchcock would have to pick from eight defensemen to face the Jackets. His healthy bodies are Barret Jackman, Zbynek Michalek, Jay Bouwmeester, Chris Butler, Alex Pietrangelo and Robert Bortuzzo. It’s po sible the Blues would play seven defensemen with either Butler or Jackman if not both as healthy scratches.

“This is the second day he’s been on the ice, so I’m hoping that he’s ready to go,” Hitchcock said of Gunnar son. “We’re a suming that. He came through the pregame skate last time fine, so this is another 48 hours later … we’re hoping that David Long Jersey he’s 100 percent.”