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Jaroslav Halak News & Rumors

Halak reflects on his disappointment
May 9
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Goaltender Jaroslav Halak was back in the Blues' locker room Tuesday, but unfortunately for the club it wasn't to suit up for what would have been Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against Los Angeles. Halak instead was among the players removing gear from their stalls following the Blues' second-round sweep from the postseason. Gear that Halak hadn't worn in a game since April 14 — Game 2 against the San Jose Sharks, in which teammate Barret Jackman inadvertently slid into him and led to what the club acknowledged is a high-ankle sprain. He missed the last seven of the club's nine playoff games. "That's part of the game, the (crummy) part," Halak said. "It was tough to watch the"
Pietrangelo questionable, Halak out
May 2
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Monday night's 5-2 loss to the Kings, the Blues are not practicing today. They will be traveling to LA tonight and working out Wednesday before their Western Conference semifinal series resumes Thursday at Staples Center. The Kings are leading the series 2-0 after taking advantage of the absence of Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo Monday night. Pietrangelo sat out of the game with a lower-body injury, believed to be a knee. He was originally checked out for a concussion, but that wasn't a concern Monday. He was able to skate with the team in the morning practice, but not healthy enough to play in Game 2. "He's day to day," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He tried it (Monday) and he's"
No Plan B: Hitchcock says Jaroslav Halak won't play in series
May 1
Pro Hockey Talk
 
"The St. Louis Blues don't have a high-end goalie like Jonathan Quick, but they seemingly had a nice thing going with the Jaroslav Halak-Brian Elliott one-two punch. With Elliott struggling along with the rest of the team, many Blues fans probably hope that Halak might ride to the rescue, but Ken Hitchcock provided some glum news after Game 2's stunning loss. Hitchcock ruled out Halak for the semifinals, so if the Blues are going to come back against the Los Angeles Kings, they'll have to do it with Elliott or someone else."
Halak out at least two more games
April 27
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Injured goalie Jaroslav Halak skated before the Blues practice Thursday at St. Louis Mills and is making progress but won't be ready for the first two games of the series with the Los Angeles Kings, which starts Saturday. "He's getting better," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He's not ready for the first two games. We'll see from there." Game 3, the first of the series Halak would be available for, isn't until Thursday, which gives him another week to get ready. Brian Elliott, who last skated on Monday as Hitchcock gave him Tuesday off and the team Wednesday off, was back in one goal, with Jake Allen in the other. Hitchcock said declaring Halak out so far in advance was a way to get a potential"
Halak skates, feels better, but still out
April 26
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Injured Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak skated before the team's practice on Thursday at St. Louis Mills but still won't be ready for the first two games of the series with the Kings that starts Saturday. "He's getting better," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He's not ready for the first two games. We'll see from there." Brian Elliott, who last skated on Monday as Hitchcock gave him Tuesday off and the team Wednesday off, was back in one goal on Thursday, with Jake Allen in the other. Hitchcock said that declaring Halak out so far in advance was a way to get a potential distraction out of the way. "I just don't want to deal with it when the competition is on," he said, "going at it every day, is he"
Halak to rest at least two more games
April 24
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak will miss at least the first two games of the Blues' second-round series with the Los Angeles Kings, and the team isn't committing to anything after that. "Jaro is not going to be around for the first two games, and then we'll see from there," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said after Monday's practice at St. Louis Mills. Halak had tested his injured left ankle Sunday, a development Hitchcock characterized as a "first step." But Halak wasn't on the ice Monday, when the entire team practiced, and Hitchcock declared him out for the first two games, though it still isn't clear when those games would be. That means Jake Allen will again be the backup."
Halak skates but return uncertain
April 23
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Now that they have moved past the San Jose Sharks in five games, the Blues have time to kill before the start of the second round of NHL playoffs. That's a good thing for a team trying to get a goalkeeper healthy. Goaltender Jaroslav Halak made an initial move toward that end Sunday, testing his injured left foot with a morning skate. Halak was hurt early in the second period of Game 2 against the Sharks when defenseman Barret Jackman slid into the exposed netminder. Halak left the game and wore a stabilizing boot on his foot last week. Brian Elliott, whose own injury issue removed him from starting consideration when the series began, entered and guided the Blues past the Sharks. Elliott"
Halak return not imminent
April 20
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak did not suit up for Game 4 of the Western Conference quarterfinals against San Jose on Thursday night, and his return to the series does not appear imminent. Halak, who is wearing a walking boot on his left foot, missed his second straight game after being injured in a collision with teammate Barret Jackman in the second period of Game 2 last Saturday. Brian Elliott relieved Halak in that game and made his second start in net Thursday, with prospect Jake Allen as the backup. It appears that will be the team's tandem for the foreseeable future. Halak's last time on the ice was Tuesday, and it was evident after that test that he needed more time to heal. He"
Halak gets on ice but won't play Thursday
April 18
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Goaltender Jaroslav Halak took the ice Tuesday for the first time since suffering an ankle injury during a collision with teammate Barret Jackman in Game 2. Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock termed the development as progress —"Getting on the ice is progress," he said — but Halak is not ready to return. He is not expected to practice today and he's already been ruled out for Game 4 of the club's first-round playoff series against San Jose on Thursday. "Like anybody else, until you're a player, you're out," Hitchcock said. "That's kind of what we're thinking. He's definitely not going to be available to us on Thursday." Brian Elliott, who made 26 saves in a 4-3 victory over San Jose in"
Elliott to start in goal tonight
April 16
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"On Oct. 15, Brian Elliott made his first start with the Blues in a hostile environment. Few knew what to expect from the recently signed netminder, but he responded with a 4-2 victory, making arguably the save of the season in the third period. Twenty-two wins later, Elliott returns to that hostile environment, San Jose's HP Pavilion, as the Blues' Game 3 playoff series starter. On Sunday, the club announced that Jaroslav Halak's lower-body injury, suffered in Saturday's 3-0 victory, would keep him out tonight against the Sharks."
Halak ruled out for Game 3
April 16
NHL.com
 
"St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock ruled out injured goaltender Jaroslav Halak for Game 3 Monday night of their Western Conference Quarterfinals series against the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion. Brian Elliott will start in goal for the Blues, Hitchcock said Sunday at HP Pavilion. Jake Allen, who was recalled late Saturday from Peoria of the American Hockey League, will serve as Elliott's backup. Halak suffered a lower-body injury early in the second period of the Blues' 3-0 win against San Jose on Saturday night when St. Louis defenseman Barret Jackman collided with him near the crease. Elliott took over and completed the shutout."
Elliott steps in for Halak, saves the shutout
April 15
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Funny how things work out. As the playoffs approached, Blues coach Ken Hitchcock was undecided and non-committal about which of his goaltenders would get the starting call. The pair — Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott — combined for 15 shutouts during the season, splitting duties almost down the middle. As it turned out, fate made Hitchcock's decision easy. With Elliott nursing a minor injury, Halak was the no-brainer pick to start the series against the San Jose Sharks. When the Blues lost the opening game 3-2 in double-overtime, some might have been wondering whether Elliott might get his chance. Fate took care of that as well. Just over a minute into the second period on Saturday, with"
Halak to remain starter for Game 2
April 14
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Jaroslav Halak will remain the Blues' starting goaltender tonight when the club hosts San Jose in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarterfinal. Halak, who earned the assignment in Game 1 on Thursday in part because Brian Elliott was dealing with an upper-body injury, allowed three goals on 34 shots in the Sharks' 3-2 double-overtime victory. After a breakdown in the defensive zone, Halak surrendered the game-winner to San Jose's Marty Havlat on a shot that went under Halak's left arm 3 minutes 34 seconds into the second overtime. "We'll stay with Jaro," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said Friday. "He was like our team (in Game 1). He had some real good moments, and then some times we'd like"
Halak in goal for Blues' playoff opener
April 12
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Maybe it wasn't "The Decision." Maybe it wasn't LeBron James announcing he was taking his "talents to South Beach." But a nation of Blues followers has been on edge for days, awaiting coach Ken Hitchcock's determination on the team's starting goaltender for Game 1 of its Stanley Cup pursuit. So, without further ado, start the drum roll, lower the house lights, pass the envelope please. And the Blues' starting goaltender when they face the San Jose Sharks tonight at Scottrade Center will be ... Jaroslav Halak. OK, it wasn't so dramatic after all. For the past week or so, Hitchcock has enjoyed the daily teaser, promising an announcement soon on his starter. But in the end, when he made it"
No question: Halak will start the series
April 11
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Blues coach Ken Hitchcock has enjoyed the drama behind the announcement of a starting goaltender for the Blues' opening playoff game against San Jose on Thursday. But in the end, the moment was anti-climactic. "Obviously, (Jaroslav) Halak is starting," Hitchcock said. "So, that (question) is done." It wasn't much of a decision at all. Brian Elliott, who set post-expansion NHL records with his save percentage and goals-against average this season, departed practice prematurely on Tuesday, indicating an upper-body injury. According to the Blues, the injury occurred during a game with Detroit last week, in which Elliott was pushed back into the net."
Hitchcock's dilemma: Elliott or Halak?
March 29
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Blues coach Ken Hitchcock is waiting for a sign. Eventually, he'll have to choose between Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott to be his starting goalie for the playoffs, and so far, precious little separates the two. At some point, one would think, over the course of 82 games, one of the Blues' goalies would set himself apart from the competition. It hasn't happened. Halak and Elliott — or, if you prefer, Elliott and Halak — keep making a case for themselves. "In six months of hockey, you expect a downturn somewhere, and there hasn't been," Hitchcock said Wednesday. "The goaltending has been at a high level since day one, and at times it's been exceptional." So, he waits. A true master of"
Hitchcock says goalie decision will go down to the wire
March 27
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"If Jaroslav Halak had the playoff job wrapped up, and he still probably does, Brian Elliott has given Blues coach Ken Hitchcock something to chew on the past couple of games. Elliott has pitched back-to-back shutouts, including Sunday's 4-0 win over Phoenix, extending his personal shutout streak to 126 minutes, 45 seconds. He now leads the NHL in goals-against average (1.52), save-percentage (.941) and is tied in shutouts (eight). But Halak is not far behind in all three categories, ranking second in GAA (1.90), sixth in save-percentage (.927) and fourth in shutouts (six). "I don't know if it's a good problem to have, but it's one that I'm putting off until the last possible moment,""
Blues 2, Jackets 1: Fresh Halak makes the difference
March 12
Columbus Dispatch
 
"The Blue Jackets and St. Louis Blues played on short rest last night in Nationwide Arena, 21 hours after the puck dropped in a 4-1 Blues' victory over the Blue Jackets on Saturday night. The first period was a slog-filled snoozer. Tired legs churned throughout a 2-1 Blues' win. St. Louis goaltender Jaroslav Halak, perhaps the freshest player on the ice, was the difference. He often is. "We hit the wall mentally, we hit the wall physically," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Our goalie stole the game. Some days you need that. That's what happened.""
Blues' win puts them atop NHL standings, Halak reaches career-best seven-game winning streak
March 9
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"On Tuesday, the Blues climbed into the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference standings and a tie for the NHL points lead. On Thursday, with some help from former teammate Ben Bishop, they took sole possession of the top spot in the league. A 3-1 victory over Anaheim at Scottrade Center, which ended shortly after Bishop backstopped his new team, the Ottawa Senators, to a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers, lifted the Blues to No 1 in the league with 93 points. The club won for the seventh time its last eight games, picking up power-play goals by David Backes and Kevin Shattenkirk, and the game-winner from Patrik Berglund at even strength. Goalie Jaroslav Halak made 24 saves to improve to"
Halak backstops victory
February 26
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Winnipeg Jets had just recovered from a two-goal deficit Saturday afternoon, and Blues coach Ken Hitchcock called a necessary timeout. As Hitchcock barked, players were forced to congregate closely because of the thunderous crowd at the MTS Center. "We couldn't hear that much," Blues forward David Perron said. "But whenever the coach calls a timeout, you know exactly what he's calling it for. It's a wakeup call." The Blues awakened in the third period and won a 3-2 shootout decision over the Jets, who outshot the visitors 41-16, a season-high watermark against the NHL's stingiest club in that department. Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak supplied the life raft Saturday, and Perron, who"
Pietrangelo, Halak boost Blues over Oil, 1-0
January 20
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"A well-known travel and leisure magazine recently polled readers who ranked New York as "America's Rudest City." St. Louis was nowhere to be found on the list, which suggests professional hockey wasn't among the categories given consideration. Because when it comes to mistreating visitors, no one is more ungracious than the St. Louis Blues. The team reinforced its rude reputation with a precarious 1-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday at Scottrade Center."
Halak's revival vaults Blues to next level
January 18
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Jaroslav Halak's professional life really picked up in recent days. He made a triumphant return to his previous home, Montreal, and blanked his old team 3-0. Canadiens fans gave him a huge ovation after the game. Not so long ago he was their favorite player, before the Habs traded him to the Blues. He returned home and earned a shootout victory over the Wild. This was a big deal because Halak has lost five times in the shootout this season. He followed that breakthrough by shutting out the Stars 1-0 Monday night at Scottrade Center. He has two shutouts in three games after earning just one in his first 21 outings. "Jaro was great," Blues defenseman Barret Jackman said. "He was very solid"
Final: Blues 1, Stars 0
January 17
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues edged the Stars 1-0 tonight and are now tied for the most points in the NHL standings. The Blues (27-12-6) is tied with the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks for the top spot with 60 points, but is listed as No. 2 in the overall in the standings behind the Rangers, who have played two fewer games. Jaroslav Halak made 22 saves for his third shutout of the season and his second in his past three games, and T.J. Oshie scored the only goal of the game with 8:34 left in regulation."
Blues goaltender Halak blanks Stars
January 17
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Jaroslav Halak made 22 saves for his third shutout of the season and T.J. Oshie scored midway through the third period as the surging St. Louis Blues stayed unbeaten in 2012 by defeating the Dallas Stars 1-0 on Monday night. The Blues have earned 13 out of a possible 14 points this month (6-0-1) and are tied with the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks atop the NHL standings with 60 points. St. Louis improved to 19-3-3 at the Scottrade Center and set a single-season club record by earning at least a point at home for the 13th straight game. Halak, who has 19 career shutouts, has been a big part of that streak, going 9-0-3 in his last 12 starts."
'I'll never forget this moment'
January 12
Montreal Gazette
 
"Goaltender Jaroslav Halak was taking a sixounce souvenir home to St. Louis Monday night. It was a Canadiens-crested puck that the 26-year-old Slovakian will forever look at and recall his first professional hockey game in Montreal not played as a member of the home team - the night he memorably returned to this city to blank the Habs 3-0."
Halak appreciative of applause from classy Bell Centre fans
January 12
Montreal Gazette
 
"This was supposed to be Jaroslav Halak's "homecoming" - a love-in, of sorts, for the goaltender who was the only reason the Canadiens made it to the Eastern Conference final against the Philadelphia Flyers two seasons ago. In a perfect world, Halak would have come into this place and shut down his former team - and while all of us know the world isn't, he chose to be perfect in this 3-0 victory over the Canadiens on Tuesday. Perfect in every way from start to finish - particularly at game's end."
Blues blank Montreal Canadiens 3-0
January 11
Montreal Gazette
 
"The better team won at the Bell Centre Tuesday night. And the guys in the losing dressing room knew it. "What we have to acknowledge," said Canadiens head coach Randy Cunneyworth, "is the Blues are a very good team." St. Louis' domination was such that 2010's playoff hero had a quiet night at the office. Nineteen shots aren't going to beat Jaroslav Halak – especially when another 12 miss the net. The Canadiens' offensive woes were typified by P.K. Subban, who had two shots on goal while another four were blocked and three went wide."
Halak puts on a show for Habs fans
January 11
Montreal Gazette
 
"This was supposed to be Jaroslav Halak's "homecoming" – a love-in, of sorts, for the goaltender who was the only reason the Canadiens made it to the Eastern Conference final against the Philadelphia Flyers two seasons ago. In a perfect world, Halak would have come into this place and shut down his former team – and while all of us know the world isn't, he chose to be perfect in this 3-0 victory over the Canadiens on Tuesday. Perfect in every way from start to finish – particularly at game's end."
Notebook: Halak No. 1 star on special night
January 11
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Jaroslav Halak attempted to skate off the ice at the Bell Center and into the Blues' locker room. His teammates would have none of it. On a night when Montreal goalie Carey Price was honored in a pregame ceremony for piling up the most inclusions in the Canadiens' nightly "3 stars," Halak was chosen as the game's No. 1 star after a posting a 3-0 shutout against his former team. Players blocked the exit, forcing Halak to take a lap around center ice and acknowledge the fans' loud ovation. "They told me to come out and enjoy the moment, and it was really great," said Halak, now 2-0 against the Habs since being acquired by the Blues in 2010."
Happy homecoming for Halak
January 11
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues made many fans forget about their recent road woes and also coach Ken Hitchcock's decision to start goaltender Jaroslav Halak following Brian Elliott's shutout Saturday. The club made the Bell Center feel like home with a 3-0 victory Tuesday night over Montreal, and with Halak's 19-save performance, the two goalies have blanked opponents in back-to-back games. Their winning streak matches a season-high four games, and the team will try to establish a new high when it hosts Vancouver on Thursday night in what is shaping up to be a showdown. The Canucks edged Tampa Bay Tuesday 5-4 in a shootout to remain in first place in the Western Conference with 57 points, two points ahead of"
Halak shines in return to Montreal, 3-0
January 11
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues made many fans forget about their recent road woes and also coach Ken Hitchcock's decision to start goaltender Jaroslav Halak following Brian Elliott's shutout Saturday. The club made the Bell Center feel like home with a 3-0 victory Tuesday night over Montreal, and with Halak's 19-save performance, the two goalies have blanked opponents in back-to-back games. Their winning streak matches a season-high four games, and the team will try to establish a new high when it hosts Vancouver on Thursday night in what is shaping up to be a showdown. The Canucks edged Tampa Bay Tuesday 5-4 in a shootout to remain in first place in the Western Conference with 57 points, two points ahead of"
Halak gets his wish in facing Canadiens
January 10
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"When the NHL schedule was released last summer, Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak had no reason to think he wouldn't be starting in his first trip back to Montreal since being acquired from the Canadiens two years ago. The game didn't fall on back-to-back nights and neither was it in the midst of a busy stretch, which might have required the team to call on backup Brian Elliott. But after a slow start for Halak and a surprising early performance from Elliott, leading to a rotation of the goalies, the assignment for tonight's trip to Montreal became less of a guarantee for Halak. "It could happen ... it's hockey," Halak said recently. "Obviously I would love to start there, but if that's not"
Halak deserves warm welcome from Montreal Canadiens fans
January 10
Montreal Gazette
 
"It's all in the way the syllables fall. Try it (quietly) with the accent placed on the second: "Ja-RO! Ja-RO! Ja-RO!" That's the way goaltender Jaroslav Halak heard his name chanted in a celebratory sing-song at the Bell Centre two seasons ago, stoning one opponent after another in the Canadiens net. Tuesday night, in the goal of the St. Louis Blues, he's more likely to hear a hard first syllable: "JA-ro! JA-ro! JA-ro!""
Blues seek balance for goaltending duo
December 22
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The six days that Blues goaltender Brian Elliott had off before Wednesday's start in Colorado was actually short rest. Elliott has twice sat out seven consecutive days this season. Despite leading the NHL in three major categories, Elliott climbed even with Jaroslav Halak in games played this season at 17 after meeting the Avalanche. The Blues are one of 14 clubs in the NHL that has two goaltenders with double-digit appearances, and it's hard to argue with the success of a few of the tandems. Four of the teams are in the top six in the league in goals-against average: the Blues (Elliott and Halak), Boston (Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask), Minnesota (Niklas Backstrom, Josh Harding) and Vancouver"
Oshie, Halak pace Blues' victory
December 9
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Earlier in the day, the city of Anaheim, Calif., captured Albert Pujols out from under the Cardinals' checkbook. Thursday night at Scottrade, St. Louis' hockey team got even. OK, "even" might be a stretch. But the Blues did their best to represent, dishing out a degree of comeuppance by beating the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. The Blues have points in 13 of 15 games under new coach Ken Hitchcock. Meanwhile, they have catapulted from a staggering 14th in the Western Conference standings to a stable fourth. T.J. Oshie led the charge Thursday with two goals, while Ian Cole and Chris Porter had the additional markers. Hitchcock scouted the Blues before replacing Davis Payne as the team's coach. When he"
Blues are looking strong in the net
November 15
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"There have been other times during the 44-year history of the franchise the Blues have had a strong one-two presence in goal. Not many teams in league history can boast of a tandem like Glenn Hall and Jacques Plante. But the 1968-69 Blues had that dynamic duo in net, an arrangement that produced 13 shutouts. Plante fashioned a microscopic 1.96 goals-against average, while Hall had a 2.17 GAA and eight of the whitewashes. The Blues rode the veteran pair to the Stanley Cup finals that season. Hall and Plante eventually rode their careers into the NHL Hall of Fame. There have been other noteworthy time-shares, such as Curtis Joseph and Guy Hebert (1992-93), Grant Fuhr and Jon Casey (1996-97)."
Halak will start in goal against Blackhawks
November 8
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"When the Blues take the ice tonight for Ken Hitchcock's first game on the bench, Jaroslav Halak will be in net. Perhaps Halak's second consecutive solid outing in Minnesota on Saturday is the reason for the start, or perhaps it's the new coach showing immediate confidence in his No. 1 goaltender. While Halak's record was dropping to 1-6 and his goals-against average bloating to 3.35, he had been battling for time in the crease with Brian Elliott under former coach Davis Payne. Hitchcock said that he's aware of Elliott's strong performance this season (5-1, 1.72 GAA), but he is going with Halak against Chicago at 7 tonight at Scottrade Center. "I'm happy I'm getting the start (Tuesday), and"
Halak taking difficult start in stride
October 27
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Jaroslav Halak will be on the bench for the third straight game tonight when the Blues visit the Canucks. Halak, who is 1-4 with a 3.47 goals-against average and an .835 save-percentage, hasn't said much about his dissappointing start this season, but opened up a bit today after the Blues' morning practice at Rogers Arena. "Obviously, it's not the start that I was hoping for, but here we are," Halak said. "I've played five games and I'm 1-4. Obviously I need to work on my game. But it's a long season. It's only October. We've got so many games coming up. You just need to stay positive and work hard in practice. "It's always better to have a slow start than a slow finish. It's not a sprint,"
Blues' Halak is off to a difficult start
October 27
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"At Rogers Arena on Wednesday morning, the discussion in both locker rooms centered on the backup goaltender outplaying the starter and who deserved the playing time. The Blues' Jaroslav Halak and Vancouver's Roberto Luongo are off to difficult starts. They have a combined record of 3-7-1 with a 3.46 goals-against average and an .855 percentage this season. Both were taking a back seat Wednesday to backups Brian Elliot and Cory Schneider, who together entered the game with totals of 5-1 with a 1.87 GAA and .935 save-percentage. "(Luongo) is in the same situation, but I'm not panicking," Halak said. "It's only October. We aren't even halfway through. We need two goalies and it's always good"
Halak isn't Blues' only problem
October 20
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"An hour after being pulled Tuesday from the Blues' 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, goaltender Jaroslav Halak emerged from the club's locker room but was not in a talkative mood. "I don't want to talk about hockey," said Halak, who declined further comment. Halak surrendered four goals on 18 shots before Blues coach Davis Payne replaced him with backup Brian Elliott. The loss dropped Halak's record to 1-4 this season, and among goalies with at least three starts his 3.47 goals-against average ranks 27th and his .835 save-percentage is 30th in the NHL. Asked Tuesday night if he would consider starting Elliott on Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes, Payne said, "We'll take a look"
Halak pulled as Blues suffer discouraging loss
October 19
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"For the Blues' sake, they hope it's too early in the season to be coming off their moorings, but after a 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night, the club may have some October soul-searching to do. It may only be six games into 2011-12, and a 2-4 record is hardly discouraging, but the Blues appear to be a bunch of scattered pieces. And after going 1-3 on their four-game road trip, the detail of playing five of their next seven on the road is far from appetizing. The optimism that led into the Blues' season-opener has quickly evaporated and it's due to an overall lack of team semblance and an eroding confidence in starting goaltender Jaroslav Halak, who allowed four goals on 18"
Blues look for improvement from Halak
October 5
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Judging by his start in 2010-11, Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak has a point when he says it's the regular season that matters most. After a training camp in which he looked uncomfortable in his newsurroundings last season, Halak opened 8-1-1 with a 1.46 goals-against average and a .944 save-percentage. Still, there is some concern about how the Blues' No. 1 netminder will respond in his second season with the club after a preseason performance that won't show up on any of his personal highlight reels. He was 1-2 with a 2.68 GAA and .869 save-percentage. "No one ever won the league in the preseason," Halak said. "I know everybody wants to see the wins and no one wants to lose. ... I"
Halak prepares for the grind
September 25
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Goaltender Jaroslav Halak was unable to spend one minute this summer working on the area of his game that needed the most attention following his first season with the Blues. Neither a goalie coach, a trainer, nor even Halak himself could replicate the rigors that he experienced his first time as a No. 1 netminder - the mental fatigue, playing on back-to-back nights and shaking off sub-par performances. It became obvious that Halak, despite finishing with a respectable record of 27-21-7 in a career-high 57 starts, was affected by the grind. Preparing for a more consistent campaign in 2011-12, Halak has addressed concerns the Blues had about his fitness with a productive summer of training"
Halak, Payne on same page going forward
April 19
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"When an NHL season wraps up, the head coach meets with individual players to discuss their performance over the last seven months. In those "exit" interviews, the way a player believes he performed, and the way a coach saw it, can be two contrasting opinions. Blues coach Davis Payne is glad it wasn't that way with goaltender Jaroslav Halak. "I had a great conversation with Jaro about his year, how he felt it went, where are the areas of concern that we would have … and they matched up," Payne said. In his first full season as a No. 1 NHL goaltender, and with a new team in a new conference, Halak went 27-21-7 with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Payne and Halak"
Halak has solid finish in net for Blues
April 8
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"As the Blues close out the season on a hot streak, so is No. 1 goalie Jaroslav Halak. Saturday's season finale against Nashville will mark the one month anniversary of Halak's return from a hand injury, and he's put up some strong numbers in that span. He's 7-4 in the 13 games he's played (with a shootout loss and a no-decision) and has two shutouts. He has a 2.14 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. "He's been solid," Blues coach Davis Payne said Thursday after a light practice following back-to-back games. "He's dealt with traffic better and has had more aggression in his positioning. He's been very solid in loose puck areas at the top of his crease." Halak was looking to"
Halak will face Canadiens tonight
March 10
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The emotional angst that swept through the streets of Montreal last June when the Canadiens traded playoff hero Jaroslav Halak to the Blues only intensified when the goaltender sprung out to an 8-1-1 start with his new team. Halak's success made Montreal's already unpopular decision to part with him and stay the course with Carey Price, who was underachieving by most accounts, made it easy for Habs fans to say "I told you so." While Halak was being cheered in St. Louis for leading the Blues to a string of narrow wins, Price was dealing with boo-birds in Montreal after a subpar preseason. That prompted the No. 5 overall pick from the 2005 draft to remind his detractors that the Stanley Cup"
Halak activated from IR
March 8
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues have activated goaltender Jaroslav Halak from injured reserve and sent goaltender Ben Bishop back to the club's AHL affiliate in Peoria. Halak, 25, has appeared in 43 games for the Blues this season posting a 19-17-6 record including a 2.63 goals against average, .907 save percentage and four shutouts."
Halak might be close to returning for Blues
February 24
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"As the Blues try to shake off back-to-back losses tonight when they face the Vancouver Canucks, they'll remain without starting goaltender Jaroslav Halak. Halak, who is on the injured-reserve list because a bruised right hand, will miss his fourth consecutive game and his sixth in the team's last 10. He traveled Wednesday with the Blues for the start of their three-game trip but won't play tonight, leading to speculation he could play in Edmonton on Friday or Calgary on Sunday. His stint on the seven-day IR is retroactive to Feb. 14, so he could come off any time. "When Jaro is ready, so be it, but right now we're confident in our two goaltenders," Blues defenseman Barret Jackman said. In"
Blues lose Halak at bad spot in schedule
February 18
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"The Blues did not skate on Thursday, but that didn't keep them from dispensing adverse news. Upon re-evaluating Jaroslav Halak, the team placed their No. 1 netminder on seven-day injured reserve, retroactive to Monday's 3-2 victory over Vancouver. Halak injured his right hand — or blocker hand — during practice on Wednesday, skating off early. Team officials would not say if the problem is a recurrence of the earlier injury that caused Halak to miss 13 days. Meanwhile, goaltender Ben Bishop has been summoned from Peoria to partner with veteran Ty Conklin as the Blues play at Buffalo tonight. A St. Louis native, Bishop has a 2.52 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in 29 games"