Doyle: Alex Pietrangelo returned to OHL, Niagara for now

The St. Louis Blues have made the move we were expecting to have happen after the World Juniors, now time for the other shoe to drop.

The Blues have returned Alex Pietrangelo to the Niagara IceDogs. He played in nine games for the Blues this season, with a tenth game meaning the first-year of his entry level contract would have kicked in. He has spent his entire OHL career in an IceDogs uniform, but don't be surprised if that's not the case once the trade deadline has come and gone. Niagara is in a rebuilding mode and has already added numerous assets moving forward, which includes having two first-round picks in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection. It's believed all of the major contenders this season have had talks with the IceDogs about acquiring Pietrangelo. Barrie looks to be the favourite, and would put him close to his King City home. But the Kitchener Rangers have also been part of the discussion.

This would strictly be a rent-a-player situation for any team as Pietrangelo's options for next year include the NHL and AHL as there is not a chance he'll be an overager in the Ontario Hockey League. He's coming off a World Juniors where he was named the tournament's top defenceman and among the top three players on Team Canada.

tdoyle@loosepucks.com
Twitter: Loosepucks