Blues put Brent Johnson on waivers

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- The St. Louis Blues have put goaltender Brent Johnson on waivers, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Monday.

If no team makes a claim for Johnson, he will go to the minor league Worcester club.

"For me, it's like I'm never coming back," Johnson said Sunday afternoon. "I said my goodbyes. That's how everyone is taking it."

Considering he's 26, two seasons removed from a 34-win season and a textbook case for a clean slate elsewhere, it's possible Johnson will be claimed by another team and his seven-year roller-coaster ride with the Blues will end.

"If they wanted me in the organization, I wouldn't be on waivers," said Johnson, who is 4-3-1 for the Blues this season. "Hopefully, another team claims me off waivers and it's a fresh start for me."

Reinhard Divis began his role as No. 2 on Sunday at the practice Johnson expected to attend.

Divis, 28, will back up Chris Osgood Monday night when the Blues attempt to halt an 11-game slump and a four-game winless streak against Chicago at Savvis Center. The plan now is to have Osgood start Tuesday in Montreal as well, but Divis has won the chance to get a long look.