ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today the team has signed forward Sam Bitten and defenseman Andy Welinski to professional tryouts (PTO).
Bitten, 23, recently appeared for the Blues at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Ottawa, Ontario, native dressed in 48 regular-season games for Plzen HC of the Czech league last season, recording one goal and 79 penalty minutes. Sam is the brother of Will Bitten who dressed in four games with the Blues last season.
Welinski, 30, split last season between the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack and Rockford IceHogs, collecting 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) and 14 penalty minutes in 54 regular-season games overall. The Duluth, Minnesota, native has dressed in 46 career NHL regular-season games with the Anaheim Ducks, tallying six points (one goal, five assists) and eight penalty minutes.
