Schmaltz makes NHL debut in Colorado

DENVER - Blues prospect Jordan Schmaltz will make his NHL debut tonight when the Blues meet the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center (7 p.m., NBCSN, KMOX).
The 23-year-old defenseman was selected in the first round (25th overall) by the Blues in the 2012 NHL Draft.
Schmaltz spend three seasons at the University of North Dakota and is now in his second season with the Chicago Wolves, so it's safe to say tonight's debut has been a long time coming.

"I have been waiting for this for a long time, maybe a little longer than I expected," Schmaltz said after the team's gameday skate on Sunday. "But it's here now and I've just got to make the most of it.
Schmaltz has played in 42 games with the Chicago Wolves this season, posting three goals and 22 assists. In his 113-game AHL career, he has 61 points (nine goals, 52 assists).
"I want to see him play the way he did in training camp, and the way he's been playing the American Hockey League from all the reports we've gotten," Blues Head Coach Mike Yeo said. "He's a puck-moving guy, a guy who plays with poise. He's still building the defensive part of his game as far as how quickly and how aggressively he defends.
"He's a guy that certainly has a chance to help us execute and help us get to our game."