Blues' Alex Pietrangelo: Likely needs surgery

General manager Doug Armstrong said Pietrangelo (hand) will likely need surgery and will be re-evaluated after Dec. 25, Jim Thomas of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Surgery could extend Pietrangelo's timeline for a return. Since he'll be out at least 24 days, the Blues' captain is a prime candidate for long-term injured reserve, which would provide the Blues with salary-cap relief. The Blues recalled Chris Butler from AHL San Antonio to provide depth on the blue line. They'll likely fill the void on the top pairing with a mix of Colton Parayko, Vince Dunn and Joel Edmundson.