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St. Louis Blues forward Zach Dean has been cleared by the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and will return to the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL.
Prior to the start of the season, the 22-year-old was placed in the program and has yet to play any games. Dean played just 11 games with the Thunderbirds last year, scoring one goal and four points.
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The previous season was his first playing professionally. He skated in nine NHL games with the Blues but failed to record a point. In his rookie AHL season, he scored nine goals and 14 points.
Dean was originally a first-round pick (30th overall) in 2021 by the Vegas Golden Knights, but was acquired by the Blues in a trade that sent Ivan Barbashev the other way. Standing 6-foot, 176 pounds, Dean plays at a high pace, blending slick puckhanding skills and playmaking vision.
Dean is set to become an RFA at the end of the season and is due for a contract extension. It's been challenging to access Dean's play due to the missed time, but the Blues hope he can improve his play in the AHL and earn another call-up to the NHL.
The Thunderbirds are currently in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with an 11-12-4-2 record.
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