St. Louis Blues center Jason Arnott underwent minor eye surgery to remove a cataract from his right eye today. The team reports that he’s expected to miss about seven days, which should give him plenty of time to be ready for their regular season opener against the Nashville Predators on Saturday, Oct. 8.
Early indications are that the 36 year old forward will draw third line duty with fellow veteran free agent addition Jamie Langenbrunner and Alex Steen. Naturally, that role could change if he plays especially well or injuries wreak havoc on the Blues again. If so, he certainly has the experience to play a larger role - although it’s unclear how much gas he has left in the tank.
Arnott scored 31 points in 73 games last season. He generated 24 points in 62 games with the New Jersey Devils before adding seven during 11 games with the Washington Capitals. Arnott drew rave reviews for holding Caps teammates accountable, but parted ways with the team after that disappointing second round sweep. We’ll see if Arnott can make an equally positive impact on another young roster in St. Louis.