Stastny skates with Blues for first time

The St. Louis Blues got a look at the newest piece of their team on Friday, as Paul Stastny took part in his first informal skate with the club. 

The 28-year-old center signed a four-year $28 million contract with the Blues this offseason after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Colorado Avalanche. 

Despite the early skate, Stastny told the Blues' official site that it is never too early to try to get a read on the personalities of his new teammates. 

I think there's a little nervousness … there always is. I think that comes with the territory, whether it's a new locker room, whether it's the start of the season. I think everyone does. If you don't get nervous, I think you lose your excitement and the love of the game. But at the same time, I'm a quiet guy so I'll sit around and fly under the radar and kind of get used to what guys have that dry sense of humor and what guys don't, what guys you can push and what guys you can't. I think once the season starts, I think you each kind of lead by example on the ice and from there everything kind of falls [into place] in the locker room and away from the rink.

The Blues enjoyed an excellent 111-point season last year, but came up well short of their playoff goal after a first round exit at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks. 

The core of the team remains mostly intact, something Stastny is looking forward to being a part of. 

I think there are a lot of good players, so you'll be able to see right away. I'm a give-and-go kind of player so I'll be able to tell right away who's a give-and-go kind of player, who is, who isn't, who reads the game like I do. Whether it takes a couple of ice sessions or preseason games or it takes a couple of games in the season, it doesn't happen overnight but you slowly start building it from Day One."