Blues' Alex Pietrangelo: Will wear 'C' for Blues

Pietrangelo will be named the 21st captain of the Blues on Thursday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Analysis:

Pietrangelo inherits the captaincy from David Backes, who is now a member of the Bruins. Receiving this honor at the age of 26 speaks volumes regarding the defenseman's value to the club. A two-way talent, Pietrangelo has racked up 134 points over the last three seasons, while a pair of 51-point outputs (2011-13 and 2013-14) has been his ceiling through eight years of service time in the NHL. The emergence of Colton Parayko has resulted in less time on the man advantage for Pietrangelo, but he's been vital to a penalty-killing unit that ranked third in the league in 2015-16. There's not many defenders as well-rounded as No. 27, so consider snagging him with an early pick in fantasy drafts.