The Blues held their final practice before embarking on their regular season Saturday morning at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, before part of the team traveled to Milwaukee for the final preseason game against Chicago and coach Drew Bannister announced the roster has not yet been announced very firmly.

“I think there are still difficult decisions that need to be made,” he said. “As some of the strikers (Oskar Sundqvist) are injured and (Brandon Saad) was not available for us on the first trip, of course decisions still have to be made. But some players also came in, played their way into the lineup and secured a place.”

One of the players who didn’t secure a spot is forward Zack Bolduc, who had a quiet preseason and is in danger of starting the season in Springfield, Massachusetts, instead of St. Louis.

“I think I had a good camp,” Bolduc said Saturday before flying to Milwaukee, “and it’s still going strong. I think I did well. I had a tough game, here against Columbus, but now I think I’m playing confidently and running well. I just have to use my strength as best as I can.”

Bolduc hadn’t recorded a point in three preseason games before Saturday, and he admitted he had trouble away from the puck in this Columbus game.

“But things like this happen,” he said. “It’s always the way you respond to these games.”

He was scheduled to play again on Saturday with Saad and Zach Dean on what appeared to be a fifth line, and the mere fact that he was in the final preseason game suggested his spot is uncertain.

“For me it’s just about being consistent,” he said. “For me that’s the biggest thing. I think I just need to be a little more consistent in my performance.”

“The one thing I learned about ‘Boldie’ from coaching him in the American League,” Bannister said, “he’s a very coachable player.” He wants to learn and get better. And when you talk to a younger player, he looks you straight in the eye like he gets the message. As a coach you appreciate that because you don’t always have that. He’s a player who wants to get better and wants to play in the NHL.”

“I definitely want to be here,” Bolduc said. “I want to help the team win some games and have a great season. But at the moment I’m honestly just concentrating on everyday life.”

With Springfield’s call-ups going straight to Milwaukee for the final preseason game, the Blues had virtually a full practice Saturday, with everyone on the ice at the start and the playing group leaving early while the players who didn’t travel continued working.

The only player not on the ice for the Blues was Pavel Buchnevich. Bannister said Buchnevich had “a little bit of tenderness in his lower body,” which the team addressed on Friday. The Blues won’t skate on Sunday as they fly to Seattle for their opener on Tuesday, but will hold a practice there on Monday to take a look.

“I’m just making sure he goes into the game on Tuesday at 100%,” Bannister said.

Asked if there were concerns Buchnevich might miss the opener, Bannister said: “I haven’t been told anything by the coaches at the moment. I just continued maintenance on the lower body issue.”