St. Louis Blues

Lore & Background

The Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019 and have the most Stanley Cup playoff appearances outside of the Original Six. Although frequent postseason contenders for most of their history, the franchise has usually struggled in the playoffs, including consecutive Stanley Cup Final defeats at the end of their first three seasons. With the Blues' victory in their fourth Stanley Cup Final, 49 years after their last appearance and in their 52nd year of existence, they became the final active team from the 1967 expansion to win their first Stanley Cup. The Blues have a rivalry with the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom they have shared a division since 1970. The Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Florida Everblades of the ECHL are the team's minor league affiliates.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Canadian Tire Centre is thick with anticipation as the puck drops against St. Louis. The roar of the crowd rises to a fever pitch, echoing off the rafters where banners from past glories hang silent but proud. On the ice, the Senators' crisp passing game meets the Blues' relentless forecheck in a collision of styles. It is not just another regular-season game; it feels like a battle for divisional pride, every hit and save amplifying the tension that has built up over years of conference matchups.

Reader's Guide

The Blues were one of the six teams added to the NHL in the 1967 expansion. The team's first owners were Sid Salomon Jr., Sid Salomon III, and Robert L. Wolfson. Lynn Patrick initially served as general manager and head coach, but resigned in late November after a 4–13–2 record. He was replaced by assistant coach Scotty Bowman, who led the team to a winning record for the rest of the season. Under Bowman, the Blues dominated the West for the next two seasons, capturing division titles by wide margins. They were swept in the Stanley Cup Final by the Montreal Canadiens in 1968 and 1969, and by the Boston Bruins in 1970. The goaltending tandem of Glenn Hall and Jacques Plante won a Vezina Trophy in 1969. Phil Goyette won the Lady Byng Trophy in 1970. Red Berenson became the expansion team's first major star at center. The Blues' successes did not continue into the 1970s; Bowman left during the 1970–71 season, and Hall, Plante, Goyette, and Berenson were lost to retirement or trade. Al Arbour coached the team thereafter. The Berenson trade brought Garry Unger, who scored 30 goals in eight consecutive seasons while breaking the NHL's consecutive games played record.

Did You Know?

• The Blues are named after the W. C. Handy song 'Saint Louis Blues'.
• The Blues were the last of the six 1967 expansion teams to gain entry into the NHL.
• The Blues' first owners spent millions renovating the St. Louis Arena, expanding it from 12,000 to 15,000 seats.
• The Blues were swept in their first three Stanley Cup Final appearances (1968, 1969, 1970).