Blog Post 4

The Blues were one of the six teams added to the NHL in the 1967 expansion, along with the Minnesota North Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and California Seals. The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "Saint Louis Blues,"

Scotty Bowman

CheckerDome

Right away, the blues saw a lot of successes in the late 1960s, however, did not continue into the 1970s. The blues lost hall of fame coach Scotty Bowman to the Montreal Canadians, Hall of Fame-Scotty Bowman, and the core of their team resulting in only making the playoffs one time through the 1970s. At this time the Blues were going through all kinds of financial problems resulting in a change of ownership, change of arena (checkerdome), and change in hockey standard. Following the s

eason of 1978-1979 where the blues only won 18 games (worst in franchise history), the blues ended the following year with a playoff spot. This would be the first of 25 consecutive seasons making the playoffs. During this period of time the blues were blessed with massive amounts of talents like hall of famers:

Bernie Federko, C, 1976–1989, inducted 2002, Doug Gilmour, C, 1983–1988, inducted 2011, Brett Hull, RW, 1988–1998, inducted 2009, Chris Pronger, D, 1995–2004, inducted 2015, and Brendan Shanahan, LW, 1991–1995, inducted 2013.

The 25 years of playoffs came to an in 2005. Because of several questionable personnel moves and an unstable ownership situation, the Blues finished the 2005–06 season with their worst record in 27 years. During the next five years the blues would run through numbers of coaches and owners. The 2011 off-season would be the turning point year for the blues. The blues found new ownership fired there then coach Davis Payne, and hired their current coach Ken Hitchcock. The organization instilled a new standard, picked up many free agents and have not had a losing season since. They still wait for their first Stanley Cup but are inching closer every season.