St. Louis Blues

dredger · PostMar 17, 2011#762011-03-17T06:15+00:00

newstl2020 wrote:While not a good thing for the Blues (I think?), maybe this could be a net win for StL. A good buyer steps up to keep the team here long term, and Checketts takes his portion of the sale and finally gets us an MLS franchise!

It could be a good thing or bad thing for the city depending on who wants to buy the team. I do agree that it was time for something to happen and it will be good for the Blues organization in the end. No matter how much someone likes or dislikes Checketts it was tough to see why anyone was going to hand him a piggybank so he could own the Blues outright.

Now to my wishful thinking, I still think the ideal situation is a NHL/NBA franchise comber under one owner under the same Scottrade roof. In other words, too bad Stan K didn't have an extra son or two. The addition of the Peabody Opera house is icing on the cake. Then all that needs to be done is put the soccer field under the shed or next to it when 22nd street interchange is rebuilt - Heck, put an Irish or an Englsih pub on one end and let the other end abut the Drury Inn. Then you got four pro sport teams and a first class music venue with who knows how many days of events happening all within an easy stroll down Clark to the shed on one end, Cupples in the middle and BPV on other end. Not to mention three metrolink stops and Amtrak/Greyhound station plus a few hotel rooms for out of towners to boot. If that doesn't get sports fan wanting to buy a condo in a Cupples warehouse I don't know what will.

DogtownBnR · PostJul 13, 2011#772011-07-13T12:46+00:00

I like the idea of Hulsizer buying the team and keeping Checketts as a partner. Sounds great to me. Checketts, while embattled in some peoples minds, has been great for
St. Louis. It would be great to keep him here.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/p ... e518c.html

timeforguinness · PostJul 13, 2011#782011-07-13T15:04+00:00

DogtownBnR wrote:I like the idea of Hulsizer buying the team and keeping Checketts as a partner. Sounds great to me. Checketts, while embattled in some peoples minds, has been great for
St. Louis. It would be great to keep him here.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/p ... e518c.html

It's a win-win-win with the Peabody gaining ground.

RobbyD · PostJul 13, 2011#792011-07-13T15:24+00:00

Let's Go Blues!

DogtownBnR · PostJul 13, 2011#802011-07-13T16:42+00:00

Blues GM Doug Armstrong is at it again. Not only did he sign Jason Arnott and Jaime Langenbrunner last week, he just inked former 50 goal scorer Jonathan Cheechoo
to a one year deal. Notice that I said 'former' 50 goal scorer.....

dredger · PostJul 14, 2011#812011-07-14T04:24+00:00

timeforguinness wrote:
DogtownBnR wrote:I like the idea of Hulsizer buying the team and keeping Checketts as a partner. Sounds great to me. Checketts, while embattled in some peoples minds, has been great for
St. Louis. It would be great to keep him here.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/p ... e518c.html
It's a win-win-win with the Peabody gaining ground.

I'm curious to who are all the players or interested parties. It wasn't clear to me in the article.

And you can boo me if you want for bringing it up, their is enough NHL and NBA teams up for play that someone is going to end up with a dual ownership/single arena deal out of NHL's strength (NHL putting a team back in Manitoba is a good move in my opinion as most teams are in solid financial position and thus take a risk as well as goes back to recognizing that hockey is sport that started in places where you can actually play it outdoors) and NBA's mess with small market teams. It worked well for Stan K in Denver.

DogtownBnR · PostJan 17, 2012#822012-01-17T14:06+00:00

I just want to inform anyone not paying attention, that our St. Louis Blues now are tied for the best record in the NHL right now. They are playing amazing. Get out and support the Blues. You will not be disappointed. It has been over a decade since they were atop the NHL at this stage in the season. They have a very experienced coach, great goaltending and physical players,which to me, makes this year's team different from previous years.

GO BLUES!

zun1026 · PostMar 11, 2012#832012-03-11T16:42+00:00

1st in points in the entire NHL!!! WOW.

What a joy to watch!

RobbyD · PostMar 12, 2012#842012-03-12T01:21+00:00

Go Blues baby...won again tonight...

DogtownBnR · PostMar 12, 2012#852012-03-12T12:56+00:00

This could end up being one of the best seasons in Blues history and I still do not think the Blues are getting their due. They should be getting much more attention than they are getting. It is a great thing, to see the team FINALLY coming into their own, after years of rebuilding. This team has the one thing that past Blues teams did not,
GOALTENDING! It is unfortunate that they could not add some scoring, but I
understand their hands were tied, due to the ownership situation. I must say, this Blues team is VERY entertaining to watch. They are physical, skilled and Jaro is
awesome in net. Elliot is great too. Let's hope they keep it up. GO BLUES!

thedude · PostMar 12, 2012#862012-03-12T14:28+00:00

I agree that there is not enough attention on what the Blues are doing. I especially look at these douche bags from ESPN that are stuck on their darn EAST Coast teams. But it might not be a bad thing to skate into the play offs under the radar. After March Madness it will be fantastic to have the Blues in the play offs and get some more visitors into downtown.

pat · PostMar 12, 2012#872012-03-12T19:38+00:00

Better to be playing with a chip on your shoulder than all of the pressure that comes with being in the limelight.

DogtownBnR · PostMay 09, 2012#882012-05-09T16:01+00:00

http://stlouis.sbnation.com/st-louis-bl ... urchase-of

Great news for the Blues organization and fans. Stability is what this franchise needs.
Congrats Mr. Stillman. I he and his group can bring stability to a franchise that has never really had sustained stability. The lack of stability has been the achilles heal of the franchise. I love the Hull hiring and the fact that he is going to leave the current management group in place. I appreciate the efforts of Dave Checketts as well. While it may not have ended well, he saved the franchise in St. Louis, rebuilt the Kiel, as he promised (unlike the group down the street that never came through on Ballpark Village) and put the foundation in place for future success. I know people want to hammer Dave, but all in all, he had good intentions and brought the franchise back to relevance. I see a bright future ahead for the Blues. Next year should be exciting,
GO BLUES

gone corporate · PostOct 17, 2012#892012-10-17T20:49+00:00

Sorry, no actual hockey news. The NHL strike carries on...

But in related news:

STLtoday - $860,000 in Roof Repairs to Scottrade Center
Source: http://www.stltoday.com/business/column ... 0db31.html

That's a lot of hail damage.

dweebe · PostMay 10, 2013#902013-05-10T21:31+00:00

The Kansas City thread got me thinking about the Scottrade Center and it's relative age to other NHL arenas. So I looked on wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Na ... gue_arenas

That list has the Scottrade Center as 8th oldest out of 30. But in just a few years the Blues could be in the 3rd or 4th oldest arena.

-Madison Square Garden just had a complete renovation so the 1968 open date doesn't count
-the Islanders are supposedly moving to the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn
-Edmonton will start construction soon on a new building
-Calgary wants a new arena
-the Redwings are mulling a move to a downtown arena

I know the place is decent and just 20 years old. But you have to wonder how long before Blues ownership asks for money to renovate the arena or start talking about a replacement?

rawest1 · PostMay 10, 2013#912013-05-10T21:34+00:00

dweebe wrote:The Kansas City thread got me thinking about the Scottrade Center and it's relative age to other NHL arenas. So I looked on wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Na ... gue_arenas

That list has the Scottrade Center as 8th oldest out of 30. But in just a few years the Blues could be in the 3rd or 4th oldest arena.

-Madison Square Garden just had a complete renovation so the 1968 open date doesn't count
-the Islanders are supposedly moving to the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn
-Edmonton will start construction soon on a new building
-Calgary wants a new arena
-the Redwings are mulling a move to a downtown arena

I know the place is decent and just 20 years old. But you have to wonder how long before Blues ownership asks for money to renovate the arena or start talking about a replacement?

Don't forget how Seattle wants to build a new arena/get an NHL/NBA team

moorlander · PostMay 10, 2013#922013-05-10T21:54+00:00

I think it's more than decent. The Scottrade Center/Peabody is a wonderful complex. Come to think of it I don't know that I'ver ever heard any complaints about it. I think we're a ways off here.

gone corporate · PostMay 13, 2013#932013-05-13T17:40+00:00

moorlander wrote:I think it's more than decent. The Scottrade Center/Peabody is a wonderful complex. Come to think of it I don't know that I'ver ever heard any complaints about it. I think we're a ways off here.

Agreed. It's a solid facility that we can expect ownership will only enhance going forward. And no, enhance for the Blues does not mean anything like a retractable roof or any of that crap.

Remember the context for many of these new NHL stadiums. Most of them were built in the mid-90s as many northern teams relocated to larger metro areas in the south.
Hartford Whalers --- Carolina Hurricanes
Quebec Nordiques --- Colorado Avalanche
Minnesota North Stars --- Dallas Stars
Winnipeg Jets --- Phoenix Coyotes (still disturbed by ice hockey in the desert)

I'm sure I'm missing a few. But the general rule remains: New Team = New Stadium

These relocations, and their new stadiums, are in addition to those needed from the expansions that brought hockey to places like Miami, Tampa, San Jose, Anaheim, Ottawa, Columbus OH, and Nashville, as well as a return to pro hockey in Minnesota. Consider that Nashville had been rumored as the new home of the NJ Devils in the mid-90s. New Teams = New Stadiums.

And, don't forget the failed Atlanta Thrashers, who came into being in the late-90s as an expansion but could never generate enough of a fan base for ice hockey in Georgia. The team eventually moved out of ATL and, thankfully, back up to the Great White North as the second coming of the Winnipeg Jets.

My expectation: Ownership is happy with the Scottrade Center.

My hope: Ownership gets the Blues at least one real power shooter that'll allow the team to advance beyond the first round of the Playoffs!

DogtownBnR · PostSep 06, 2013#942013-09-06T15:18+00:00

Great news for the Blues and St. Louis!
Brett Hull is (FINALLY) returning to St. Louis, as a VP for the Blues. Welcome home Brett!

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/p ... 9a0ed.html

dweebe · PostSep 06, 2013#952013-09-06T15:29+00:00

DogtownBnR wrote:Great news for the Blues and St. Louis!
Brett Hull is (FINALLY) returning to St. Louis, as a VP for the Blues. Welcome home Brett!

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/p ... 9a0ed.html

You can't see it right now: but I'm doing my happy dance.

jstriebel · PostSep 06, 2013#962013-09-06T18:53+00:00

This really is great news, and for more reasons than just that great feeling it gives us inside to see Hullie come home.

Brett Hull still has cache. He can get corporate spenders excited. Could go a long ways towards strengthening the Blues financial base.

gone corporate · PostNov 26, 2013#972013-11-26T20:56+00:00

Has anyone else been noticing that the Blues are kicking some serious tail this season?

From Inside STL / CBS Sports Radio:

As high as the expectations are, and as forward-thinking the St. Louis market is by waiting to see what happens come April, it is time to acknowledge what is going on right now at 14th and Clark in downtown.

Something special is occurring. Something that only one or two fan bases a season get to experience is happening right here in St. Louis.

As dominant as the Western Conference has been this year, the Blues have been the dominant force in that dominant conference. They own the best win percentage. They are tied with the Minnesota Wild for the best home record (10-1-2). They are tied with three other teams for the fewest games played this season (22), yet own the best goal differential in the NHL this year (+29). Alexander Steen is ripping off goals at a pace that has not been witnessed since the Scottrade was known as the Kiel Center.

The Blues have handled the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Boston Bruins. They embarrassed the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche. The San Jose Sharks are the only blemish worth noting, and their loss to the Coyotes was stolen by Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith.

A lagging offense the past two seasons has all of a sudden started leaving opponents with a fat lip -- literally and figuratively. The Blues own the NHL's top power play unit, which prefers to score within the opening seconds of their man-advantage chances instead of making the most of their time.

Goaltender Jaroslav Halak is healthy and playing at the top of his game, especially against the league's top-tier teams.

The Blues have been a forward-moving steamroller driven by the entire unit, not just a handful of players.

Will they hit a lull at some point and slow down? Yes. The Western Conference is too good, and the game of hockey is unforgiving.

But right now, there is something special going on. The Blues are dominant. When they make a mistake, they catch a break. When they aren't catching breaks, they create opportunities. They are not a team that is playing above themselves. They are playing within themselves.

They are one unit that is bullying their way through the competition. History will not allow them to maintain this pace over the full course of a season, but history will allow them the chance to meet the preseason expectations. You cannot sustain a pace like this, for this length of time, unless you are an elite team with a legitimate chance to win a Stanley Cup.

That's exactly what the St. Louis Blues are.

Source: http://www.insidestl.com/insideSTLcom/S ... Louis.aspx

I just came back to STL from DC, hanging out with my friend's fiance who is Canadian and a serious Maple Leafs fan. She was blown away by how strong the Blues are playing this season. And after that recent beat-down of Colorado, it looks like these guys are just getting into thier groove...

LET'S --- GO --- BLUUUUUES!

MarkHaversham · PostNov 27, 2013#982013-11-27T12:44+00:00

I would think by this point, STL would be used to the Blues dominating in the regular season, and bowing out of the playoffs in the second round. Not excited.

Aesir · PostNov 27, 2013#992013-11-27T20:52+00:00

This is such a good team. Highest point percentage in the league. Excellent goaltending that gels well with our defensive system. Playes have gotten acclimated to Hitch's 200 foot philosophy, and it is showed last year with the attention to defense, and this year with the offense opening up. They keep getting better as they go along. There is not a single team I wouldn't want to go up against in a 7 game series.

TIme to shut the haters up for good and get a cup.

jstriebel · PostNov 27, 2013#1002013-11-27T22:52+00:00

MarkHaversham wrote:I would think by this point, STL would be used to the Blues dominating in the regular season, and bowing out of the playoffs in the second round. Not excited.

This is why I figure the attendance is down this year. More than ever fans seem to be in a wait and see mode.

But this team deserves our support. It's better than any team in the last ten years. Truth be told, it's probably the best team in 20 years, and there were some good ones there near the turn of the century.

As long as Jaro Halak stays healthy for the playoffs (Brian Elliott & Jake Allen are more than capable of filling in in the regular season), this team has all the pieces.

St. Louis Blues

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