The Blues (12-3-3), who have won seven in a row, including five in overtime, are without injured forwards Vladimir Tarasenko, who will be re-evaluated at the end of March after surgery on a dislocated left shoulder, and Alexander Steen, who sustained a left high ankle sprain Nov. 6 and will be re-evaluated in four weeks.
"The thought process going into that was we're down to 12 healthy forwards right now," general manager Doug Armstrong said. "I think in our game [against the Calgary Flames on Saturday], I think we had eight players on our roster with less than 200 NHL games. We started five guys with less than 100 at the start of the season.
"It's an experienced league, and we just want to make sure to see if there were any experienced players that can come in and help us. I don't know where they're going to be at. McGinn had skated in Carolina, played in a couple games in the American [Hockey] League. Troy Brouwer has been skating with the junior team in Calgary. We'll give those guys a look."
McGinn was at practice Monday. The 31-year-old forward played two games for Charlotte of the AHL this season and played in 19 games (four goals, three assists) with the Florida Panthers last season. Selected by the San Jose Sharks in the second round (No. 36) of the 2006 NHL Draft, McGinn has 220 points (117 goals, 103 assists) in 11 seasons with the Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, Buffalo Sabres, Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes and Panthers. He has eight points (four goals, four assists) in 36 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Blues center Ryan O'Reilly, a teammate of McGinn's with the Avalanche and Sabres and a member of McGinn's wedding party this summer, mentioned him to Armstrong as potentially being a good fit.
"A few weeks ago, I was in Charlotte and it didn't work out there. I have the itch to play and was talking to [O'Reilly] and everything, and it came about pretty quickly," McGinn said. "I'm just happy for this opportunity, and hopefully I can stick around a little longer and help this team win. They're doing a great job right now, and I just don't want to get in the way and just keep working hard.
"I'm just going to come to the rink with a smile on my face every day and be fun to be around and work hard. Anything they need me to do, I'm going to do. At the end of the day, it's still hockey. Got to work hard. My game's not fancy. Just north-south, play hard, and hopefully I can bring that to the team, just work hard in practice and hopefully get in some games."
Brouwer will arrive in St. Louis and be on the ice for the morning skate Tuesday prior to the Blues hosting the Coyotes (8 p.m. ET; FS-MW, FS-A PLUS, NHL.TV). The 34-year-old forward had 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in 75 games with the Panthers last season. Brouwer spent the 2015-16 season with the Blues and helped St. Louis reach the Western Conference Final. Selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the seventh round (No. 214) of the 2004 NHL Draft, Brouwer has 362 points (181 goals, 181 assists) in 838 games with the Blackhawks, Washington Capitals, Blues, Flames and Panthers.
He has 34 points (15 goals, 19 assists) in 102 NHL playoff games and won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010.
