St. Louis Blues

St. Louis Blues
Name	St. Louis Blues
Founded	1967
City	St. Louis, Missouri
Arena	Enterprise Center
League	National Hockey League
Conference	Western Conference
Division	Central Division
Owner	Tom Stillman
General manager	Doug Armstrong
Head coach	Drew Bannister
Captain	Brayden Schenn
Minor league aff	Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL), Worcester Railers (ECHL)

St. Louis Blues. The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri, and a member of the National Hockey League's Central Division. Founded in 1967 as part of the league's six-team expansion, the team has played its home games at the Enterprise Center since 1994. The Blues won their first Stanley Cup championship in 2019, defeating the Boston Bruins in a dramatic seven-game Final series.

History

The franchise was awarded to the ownership group of Sid Salomon Jr., securing the first major professional sports team for St. Louis since the departure of the Browns baseball team. The early years were defined by three consecutive appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals from 1968 to 1970, though they were swept each time by established Original Six powerhouses like the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins. A period of sustained competitiveness followed in the 1980s under coaches like Jacques Demers and Brian Sutter, featuring stars such as Bernie Federko and Brett Hull. The team entered a prolonged rebuild in the early 2000s before a resurgence led by a core including Vladimir Tarasenko and Alex Pietrangelo, culminating in the historic 2019 championship under coach Craig Berube and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Ryan O'Reilly.

Team information

The team's primary colors are Blue, gold, and white, with the iconic "Blue Note" logo being a constant since the franchise's inception. They play their home games at the Enterprise Center in downtown St. Louis, an arena they have occupied since 1994 after moving from the Arena. The club's AHL affiliate is the Springfield Thunderbirds, and their ECHL affiliate is the Worcester Railers. The principal owner is Tom Stillman, who heads a local ownership group that purchased the franchise in 2012.

Players and personnel

The current team captain is forward Brayden Schenn, with Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk serving as alternate captains. Key players on the roster include star forward Robert Thomas, goaltender Jordan Binnington—hero of the 2019 Stanley Cup run—and defenseman Torey Krug. The hockey operations department is led by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong. The head coach is Drew Bannister. The franchise has retired seven numbers in honor of legendary players: Al MacInnis (2), Bob Gassoff (3), Barclay Plager (8), Brian Sutter (11), Brett Hull (16), Bernie Federko (24), and Chris Pronger (44).

Season-by-season record

This is a table of the last five completed NHL seasons for the St. Louis Blues, showcasing their regular season and playoff performance.

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Season ! GP ! W ! L ! OTL ! Pts ! Finish ! Playoffs |- | 2018–19 | 82 | 45 | 28 | 9 | 99 | 3rd, Central | Won Stanley Cup (BOS, 4–3) |- | 2019–20 | 71 | 42 | 19 | 10 | 94 | 1st, Central | Lost in First Round (VAN, 2–4) |- | 2020–21 | 56 | 27 | 20 | 9 | 63 | 4th, Central | Lost in First Round (COL, 0–4) |- | 2021–22 | 82 | 49 | 22 | 11 | 109 | 3rd, Central | Lost in Second Round (COL, 2–4) |- | 2022–23 | 82 | 37 | 38 | 7 | 81 | 6th, Central | Did not qualify |}

Championships and achievements

The franchise's pinnacle achievement is winning the Stanley Cup in 2019. They have also claimed one Presidents' Trophy (2019–20) for the league's best regular-season record. The team has won two Conference Finals championships (2019, 1970) and eight division titles, with their most recent coming in the 2021–22 campaign. Individual award winners include Conn Smythe Trophy recipient Ryan O'Reilly (2019), Hart Memorial Trophy winner Brett Hull (1991), and multiple Jack Adams Award winners for coach of the year, including Brian Sutter (1991) and Ken Hitchcock (2012).

Rivalries

The Blues maintain intense rivalries, primarily within the Central Division. Their most historic and fierce rivalry is with the Chicago Blackhawks, stemming from geographic proximity and numerous playoff meetings, including the 1992 Norris Division Finals. A significant rivalry also exists with the Detroit Red Wings, cultivated during years together in the Norris Division and the Western Conference. In recent years, a competitive rivalry has developed with the Colorado Avalanche, highlighted by physical playoff series in 2001 and 2022. The 2019 Stanley Cup Finals also created a notable, though more recent, contention with the Boston Bruins.

Category:National Hockey League teams Category:Sports clubs established in 1967 Category:Ice hockey teams in Missouri Category:St. Louis