NHL FanHouse http://nhl.fanhouse.com NHL FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif NHL FanHouse http://nhl.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Alan Thicke Knows How to Crash the Nethttp://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/06/22/alan-thicke-knows-how-to-crash-the-net/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/06/22/alan-thicke-knows-how-to-crash-the-net/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/06/22/alan-thicke-knows-how-to-crash-the-net/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Actor Alan Thicke whom you may remember from such roles as Dr. Jason Seaver on 'Growing Pains' and the host of the game show 'Pictionary' (OK, you probably don't remember the latter.) recently made an appearance at the St. Louis Blues' Hockey Fest. Thicke took part in the celebrity shootout, which is exactly what the title implies -- celebrities participating in a shootout. His brave efforts give us our YouTube clip of the day. I'm not sure who the goalie is in this clip but they certainly had the right idea of not getting in Thicke's way.

Alan Thicke Knows How to Crash the Net originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>alan thickeAlanThickeKevin SchultzSun, 22 Jun 2008 11:23:00 EST Coyotes Expected to Sign Gopher Wheelerhttp://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/05/09/coyotes-expected-to-sign-gopher-wheeler/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/05/09/coyotes-expected-to-sign-gopher-wheeler/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/05/09/coyotes-expected-to-sign-gopher-wheeler/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Back in 2004, a Minnesota high school star named Blake Wheeler was the first-round pick of Wayne Gretzky and the Phoenix Coyotes. Eyebrows were raised, as Wheeler wasn't projected by anyone to be a potential top pick.

Four years later, it appears Wheeler will finally get a chance to play professional hockey.

The Minnesota Gopher junior is expected to sign a deal to join the Coyotes organization, forgoing his final year of eligibility at Minnesota. Wheeler starred at Breck School, a private school in the Twin Cities area, leading them to the 2004 Class A state championship. He played one year of junior hockey in the USHL before joining Minnesota, where he has tallied 42 goals in his Gopher career.

Some Gopher fans have been disappointed with Wheeler's production, expecting more out of a guy Gretzky was so high on when he played in high school. But Wheeler has rounded into a nice player, and he's the kind of guy whose size and hands make for a constant threat. If there's one negative to his game, it's his tendency not to play strong on his skates. Wheeler isn't a diver, but he can look like one at times, and that's as bad as actually being one.

In other signing news, we're still waiting for 2005 first-round pick T.J. Oshie to sign with St. Louis. Oshie just completed his junior year at North Dakota, helping his team to a fourth straight Frozen Four appearance. I would be lying if I said I thought Oshie would return to school, but I thought the same thing last year.

(A tap of the stick goes to Western College Hockey.)

(UPDATE: WCH now reports that Wheeler has withdrawn from classes at Minnesota and has 30 days to sign with Phoenix before becoming a free agent.)

Coyotes Expected to Sign Gopher Wheeler originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 09 May 2008 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bruce CiskieFri, 09 May 2008 14:30:00 EST Attendance Surges in St. Louishttp://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/01/24/attendance-surges-in-st-louis/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/01/24/attendance-surges-in-st-louis/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/01/24/attendance-surges-in-st-louis/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Back in August before the season began, we told you about how the front office in St. Louis was working feverishly to woo back fans that had abandoned the team over the past few years as it had crashed to the bottom of the standings. Well, it looks as if they're doing something right, as the latest Western Conference figures released by the NHL say attendance is up 49.1% over the same period last year.

The why behind the turnaround ought to be apparent, as the team's fortunes and management's willingness to spend on free agents have helped lure the fans back to the point where the Blues are now playing before 91% of capacity at home. A number of creative promotions hasn't hurt either, like the free food promotion that Team President Dave Checketts (pictured above) participated in last weekend.

The other big movers in the survey shouldn't be a surprise either. Attendance is up nearly 18% in Chicago where the Blackhawks rose from the grave right around the same time that owner Bill Wirtz headed in the other direction. Meanwhile, back in Orange County, the defending Stanley Cup Champion Ducks are up a modest 8.8% over the same period from last season.

So who's crashing through the floor? While nearly everyone likes to think that putting a competitive team on the ice is the quickest solutions to woes at the gate, the exact opposite seems to be true in Detroit, where the Red Wings continue to disappoint when it comes to ticket sales. They're down almost 8% over last season. Ditto the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are playing better now than they ever have in the short history of their franchise. They're down almost 18%.

Other significant drops in the wrong direction: Colorado (-5.9%), Nashville (-2.5%) and Los Angeles (-2.0%).

HT: Sports Business Daily (Subscription required)

Previously on FanHouse:
No Free Beer for Blues Fans
The Ice Sheet: The Blues are Back
Blues Tell Fans: 'We Want You Back'

Attendance Surges in St. Louis originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Eric McErlainThu, 24 Jan 2008 13:50:00 EST No Free Beer for Blues Fans!http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/01/18/no-free-beer-for-blues-fans/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/01/18/no-free-beer-for-blues-fans/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2008/01/18/no-free-beer-for-blues-fans/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While St. Louis Blues fans can get free food for attending home games, it appears that they won't be able to get free beer, despite a promotion that hyped such a thing.

We all know the way to most men's hearts is through their stomach. Free beer? How could that not work? You could get men to do many embarrassing things for free beer, or at least mundane household chores.

Thinking along those lines, the St. Louis Blues planned a section of discounted tickets for Tuesday night games where by the buyer would get free watered-down room-temperature stadium beer.

Unfortunately, the PC Police must have seized upon this, because now the promotion was canceled before it even began. Phooey!
Shortly before lunchtime Thursday, the St. Louis Blues sent an e-mail to fans announcing "Tuesdays on Tap," a promotion offering unlimited free beverages, including beer, for certain tickets to five upcoming home games.

At 4 p.m., Blues executive Peter McLoughlin told the Post-Dispatch, "This one is not happening."

Asked why, he said that it was a "business decision."

A business decision? Bah! More like those screeching harpies over at MADD heard about the Rob Ramage sentence and got their panties in a knot. "Oh, noes!!! How can a team give away alcoholic beverages? The world will slip into chaos!!"

On a more serious note, how could any major league sports team think that giving out free UNLIMITED beer would be a good thing? A (single) beer? Fine. A whole bunch of them? That's just asking for trouble, lawsuits, and potential DUI-related accidents. Let's face it, most people can't handle their alcohol, and many aren't smart enough NOT to drive after downing a few brewskis.

No Free Beer for Blues Fans! originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 18 Jan 2008 10:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>DUINHL drunk drivingNHL PromotionsNhlDrunkDrivingNhlPromotionsSt. Louis BluesSt.LouisBluesJes GolbezFri, 18 Jan 2008 10:52:00 EST MacInnis to be Enshrined in Stonehttp://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/11/17/macinnis-to-be-enshrined-in-stone/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/11/17/macinnis-to-be-enshrined-in-stone/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/11/17/macinnis-to-be-enshrined-in-stone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When Han Solo's visage was frozen in Carbonite, it wasn't exactly a moment to celebrate. Of course, it didn't help that he was IN the statue, and couldn't admire himself.. Such thoughts cross ones mind when catching part of a Star Wars marathon *ahem*.

To have a statue made in your honor has to be one of the highest ego boosts one could ever hope to have. A banner just has your name, but a statue is a non-living embodiment of the person, giving everyone a chance to see the man in 3D detail. You pretty much know you are THE MAN if somebody wants to put a stoned version of you somewhere for pigeons to poop on.

So, Al MacInnis must be on Cloud Nine after hearing he'll be immortalized in stone, joining the likes of Stan "The Man" Musial and Bernie Federko in St. Louis statued tribute.
The St. Louis Blues honored Al MacInnis on his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Friday night, announcing they've commissioned a bronze statue in his likeness.

Dave Checketts, principle owner of the franchise, said the statue would be situated next to one of Hall of Famer Bernie Federko. Federko's statue is inside the concourse of the Scottrade Arena, but MacInnis said he's been told both will be moved outside to give more tourists a chance to see them.

"To put up a statue alongside another Hall of Famer, after my kids grow a little bit older and walk by it with their kids and look at that stuff will be much more meaningful probably than it is today," MacInnis said. He added, jokingly: "The only thing I said to Mr. Checketts is to make it better-looking than the live picture."

So, where's the statue of Brett Hull? :)

MacInnis to be Enshrined in Stone originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Al MacInnisAlMacinnisJes GolbezSat, 17 Nov 2007 11:59:00 EST Red Wings Involved in Plane Accidenthttp://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/11/14/omg-wings-involved-in-plane-accident/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/11/14/omg-wings-involved-in-plane-accident/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/11/14/omg-wings-involved-in-plane-accident/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I'm sure some of you sick Blues and Avs fans have been praying for the Detroit Red Wings to be involved in a plane accident of some sort. Admit it, you've probably had a few dreams about Chris Chelios screaming like a little girl as his plane goes down.

Well, now your dreams have come true! Yes, the Red Wings were involved in a plane accident last night after their game against the St. Louis Blues.
First, they lost 4 to 3 to the St. Louis Blues. Then the team plane skidded off the runway while trying to take off late last night.

A Red Wings spokesman says the teams DC-9 charter jet was traveling down the north runway, when the right wheels slid off the runway, into the grassy median.

The right side of the aircraft sunk into the mud, tilting the plane to the point where the right wing is about a foot off the ground. No one was hurt, and everybody was evacuated without incident. The plane remained stuck Wednesday morning.

Ha ha! OK, so nothing bad really happened, and the Wings are just a little shaken and stirred. The plane was traveling at just a few miles per hour, so the Wings were never in any real serious danger.

In all seriousness, hockey players do have to do an awful lot of traveling, and it's a good thing incidents like this are few and far between. %Gallery-4222%

Red Wings Involved in Plane Accident originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Chris CheliosChrisCheliosPlane AccidentsPlaneAccidentsRed WingsRedWingsJes GolbezWed, 14 Nov 2007 14:51:00 EST NHL: Who's for Real and Who's Not?http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/10/27/nhl-whos-for-real-and-whos-not/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/10/27/nhl-whos-for-real-and-whos-not/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/10/27/nhl-whos-for-real-and-whos-not/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Every season, there are a few surprising teams that rise up from the ashes of a poor season and get off to a bullish start. Some teams, like the Carolina Hurricanes two seasons back, keep the momentum and show that they are 'for real'. For many other clubs, the clock strikes midnight and they go back to being as crappy as they usually are.

This season is no different, as a few misfits from last season, as Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch notes, are off to great starts, and have some potential to make the leap from pretender to contender.

Let's have a look at who is for real, and who is bound to come back to earth.

Chicago Blackhawks: After the death of "Dollar Bill" Wirtz, the whole club seems to come out of a decades-long dark cloud, and into the 21st century. Young stars like Jon Toews and Patrick Kane have the chiefs off to a 5-5-0 start. A 27-29 goal differential shows that the club isn't a total fluke. They have managed to do this without Martin Havlat in the lineup, as well.

That said, a 5-5 start isn't overly impressive, and one losing streak is enough to take care of any playoff hopes. With a young team and a lack of depth up front, chances are that this team will struggle eventually and finish out of the playoff race. Still, this is a true building year and Hawks fans ought to be hopeful for the future.
Sergei Samsonov: What a waste of skin. Just two assists and -6 in 10 games?
Columbus Blue Jackets: After a 5-3-1 start, BJ's fans are asking "Is this the year we finally break through?" Young goalie Pascal Leclaire already has four shutouts this season, Rick Nash is on a tear with eight goals in nine games, and misfit Nik Zherdev seems to actually have found his game. The BJs also have the best PK unit in the league, which is an utter shock to my lymphatic system.

I look at the BJ's defense, which seems well below-average, and have to think that once Leclaire's hot streak passes, the BJ's will be back to their usual struggles. Their offense finally seems to be kicking into gear, but they may often be unable to keep up with the goals they let in. In the end, I think they'll fall short as well, but definitely make a giant leap from last season. With new management, BJ's fans, too, can feel some real hope.

Sergei Fedorov: 3 points and -3 in 9 games. Clearly, Fedorov is near the end, and probably dragging down his Hall of Fame chances.

St. Louis Blues: After a smart coaching change last season, Andy Murray has had his club playing over .500 hockey, and this trend of success isn't a short-term thing.

The Blues have started off the season at 5-3, Paul Kariya is truly enjoying himself, and the Blues are showing attention to deal in their game. Goalies Manny Legace and Hannu Toivonen are both playing very well, and Brad Boyes (stolen from Boston) has a point a game. Few clubs work as hard as the Blue-collar Bluenotes.

Injury problems with Jay McKee, Erik Johnson, and Eric Brewer (no shock) will definitely make it hard for them to maintain their success, but there seems to be enough offense up front to make up for this. In the end, I think the Blues will definitely be fighting for a playoff spot and have a solid chance at making it in at the 8th slot.

Doug Weight: What is wrong with this guy? ZERO goals and two assists in eight games? The team is churning out goals, and this guy has no hand in them.

Philadelphia Flyers: How could we mention teams making the leap without mentioning the Broad Street Bullies? After the disaster that was last season, the Flyers spent a load of cash and loaded up on some key talent. All of the improvements have helped, as the Flyers sit in first place in their division with a 6-3-0 record, and a renewed sense of hope.

Last season, the Flyers truly did finish well below the level of their talent. Guys like Mike Richards and Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne played well below what they are capable of, and everything just seemed to go wrong for the club. It didn't help that their goaltending reeked like moldy cheese.

Daniel Briere? He's the real deal (nine points in 12 games), Mike Richards has 10 points, Joffrey Lupul has re-found his scoring touch, and new goalie Martin Biron is giving the Flyers some stability in the nets. The young talent is playing like they were expected to, and it seems like almost everything is going right for the club.

With the NHL not enforcing clutching and grabbing like they once were, guys like Mike Rathje and Derian Hatcher will be more effective. Given how the Flyers truly do have good talent, I'd be surprised if they didn't make the playoffs. Folks, this team is talented and won't suck like they did last season.

The Washington Capitals? Not with that defense. Try again next year.

NHL: Who's for Real and Who's Not? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 27 Oct 2007 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Jes GolbezSat, 27 Oct 2007 12:00:00 EST The Ice Sheet: The Blues are Backhttp://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/10/18/the-ice-sheet-the-blues-are-back/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/10/18/the-ice-sheet-the-blues-are-back/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/10/18/the-ice-sheet-the-blues-are-back/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


I have to admit that I am a St. Louis Blues fan (yeah, stop snickering already), and I have to admit that I never expected the Blues to be doing this well. After last night's win over the Chicago Blackhawks (OK, not a great feat in and of itself), the Blues are now 4-1-0 and looking better than Jane Seymour.

Let's start giving the Blues some credit for being "for real". Ever since Andy Murray took over the coaching reigns from Mike "Dirty" Kitchen, the Blues have truly been a team to be reckoned with.

With Murray's record over .500 with the Bluenotes, it's a real possibility that the Blues will be contending for a playoff spot in a few months. That is, if Doug Weight does better than he has been doing. One point all season? C'mon ... you can't be THAT washed up, can you? *grumble*

Overall, the Blues still have a shaky looking defense corps (especially since Jay McKee can't stay healthy), but their offense is vastly improved and Murray is an excellent coach. Getting easy points from the Blue Jackets, Blackhawks, and perhaps Predators will certainly help the Blues in their quest to start a new playoffs-made streak.

* It just keeps getting tougher and tougher to be an Oilers fan these days, doesn't it? It wasn't bad enough that Fernando Pisani is having colon troubles, was it? No, the Hockey Gods decided that their blue chip stock needed to crash as Sheldon Souray will be out indefinitely with a separated shoulder.

Apparently, Sheldon injured the shoulder while fighting Byron Ritchie of the Canucks. Oilers fans must be just pissed that their star D-man injured himself fighting some fourth-line scrub who scores about as often as Luke Richardson.

While I understand hockey is an intense sport, why is a highly-paid star D-man fighting in the first place? Souray should know better than to waste his time with the likes of Ritchie. The Canucks, and any other team, would love trading five minutes without their scrub for five minutes without the Blaster Master. Sheesh.

* Kovalev Whining Again: Alexei Kovalev of the Montreal Canadiens seems to think that being the team's GM and Head Coach is part of his contract. Last season, the pouty winger was whining about how the team treated Russians *eyeroll*. Now, the lazy Russian is calling out his coach. Classy.
On the heels of a tough loss on Tuesday night, Canadiens forward Alex Kovalev thinks he knows where things went wrong.

With 11 seconds remaining in the game and the Canadiens clinging to a 1-0 lead over the Florida Panthers, Nathan Horton scored to tie the game with an extra attacker. Then, the Panthers escaped with the win in a shootout.

Kovalev voiced his frustration after the game.

"In the last two minutes, we knew they were going to put a lot of pressure on us," Kovalev told the TEAM 990 in Montreal. "It was just my idea that we could have taken a timeout, get organized and get the right people on the ice. Maybe it could have been better. That's what I saw from the bench."
Some free advice for Kovalev: Shut up and play hard. You do neither very well, so now is a good time to start.

* The Minnesota Wild? They are truly a bunch of mama's boys.

Now, this isn't an insult ... it's the truth! Remember how many teams had father-son trips last year? Well, the Wild decided to turn the tables and bring yomama along with the boyz. This seems like a great idea, and a good way to reward those mothers who had to wake up extra early to help out their sons make it to hockey practice.

I could understand, though, that the players might get a bit embarrassed by having their mothers around. I mean, what if Brian Rolston's mom started cleaning dried bits of steak from around his mouth?
Each genuinely wanted the chance to spend time with Mom, to again look up and see her in the stands wearing his jersey, to reward her for making their combined 1,501 NHL games possible. Implied, though, were the unspoken curiosities: What if my Mom asks Jacques why I'm not on the power play? What if she brings photos of me holding a hockey stick and a full diaper? Will my Mom share a room with me?
Gratuitous YouTube Embed: The Chicago Blackhawks may not spend a lot of coin on marketing, but they sure spent a lot of time on this intro/promotional video of their club. Whether you think its good or bad, it's certainly creative and unique.

The Ice Sheet: The Blues are Back originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Alexei KovalevAlexeiKovalevAndy MurrayAndyMurrayDoug WeightDougWeightSheldon SouraySheldonSourayThe Ice SheetTheIceSheetJes GolbezThu, 18 Oct 2007 09:23:00 EST McKee Breaks Foot, Out 4-6 Weekshttp://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/09/28/mckee-breaks-foot-out-4-6-weeks/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/09/28/mckee-breaks-foot-out-4-6-weeks/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/09/28/mckee-breaks-foot-out-4-6-weeks/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Stunned I am. Simply stunned. This is too much deja vu for one man to handle. Last year in pre-season, after signing a 4 year, $16 million contract, Jay McKee tweaked a knee that would sideline him for the early part of the season. Last season was a nightmare of injury after injury for the former Buffalo Sabre (and my personal favorite for a while). Check out his player page at TSN.ca, it's a litany of just about every bad thing that could happen to a good guy.

All in all, McKee played just 23 games for the Blues last season. I'm sure they were hoping that this season would not be a repeat of 2006-07, but as we Sabres fans know, Jay plays the game hard and without much respect for his body. When guys like him start to break down, they break down fast. The decision by Darcy Regier not to aggressively pursue re-signing him brought forth a wall of angst from Sabres fans, fresh off an emotional playoff run that saw McKee put in his finest series of performances in his 10 years with the franchise.

But, hockey is a cruel sport, and there's a reason why I call him Darth Regier. He's utterly ruthless in how he makes his personnel decisions, especially the high-profile ones. Re-signing McKee to a contract close to the magnitude of what Davidson offered would have been disastrous for them in the long run, in Regier's opinion and no matter what the public pressure, he wouldn't be swayed.

All of that said, of course, I hope that McKee recovers from this latest setback fully and is able to perform the job for which he was hired and handsomely paid, namely being a veteran tutor to the Blues young stable of blue-chip defensemen, while sucking up vital PK minutes.

Ta,

McKee Breaks Foot, Out 4-6 Weeks originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:14:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Darcy RegierTom LuongoFri, 28 Sep 2007 09:14:00 EST NHL Season Preview: St. Louis Blueshttp://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/09/24/season-preview-blues/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/09/24/season-preview-blues/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/09/24/season-preview-blues/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Who's In? Erik Johnson, D; Martin Kariya, F; Paul Kariya, LW (Nsh); Keith Tkachuk, F (Atl); Hannu Toivonen, G (Bos)

Who's Out? Dallas Drake, F (Det); Radek Dvorak, W (Fla); Glen Metropolit, F; Ville Nieminen, F; Curtis Sanford, G (Van)

What's Changed? The most significant move for 2007-08 actually came midway through last season, when broadcaster-turned-team-president John Davidson turfed then-coach Mike Kitchen in favor of veteran bench boss Andy Murray, who almost immediately turned the Blues' fortunes around.

St. Louis put together a 19-game stretch last season where they went 13-2-4 under Murray, something that turned heads around the league and really set the team up nicely to at least entertain thoughts of the playoffs this season. Given the Blues finished dead last in the NHL with 57 points about 18 months ago, that's quite a leap.

Other major changes will see Paul Kariya take on top-line duties alongside Keith Tkachuk, and having a bona fide NHL sharpshooter should help St. Louis bump their offensive production up from last season, when the team was 26th in goals scored. Other room for growth up front will come from the likes of Brad Boyes, Lee Stempniak and David Backes, all young and all headed for decent offensive careers. Boyes, in particular, could rebound on the top line after struggling in his sophomore season.

The blue line remains relatively intact, with the notable exceptions being the presence of a (hopefully) healthy Jay McKee, who missed all but 23 games last season, and rookie Erik Johnson, the franchise-saving first-rounder from the 2006 entry draft.

Who's on the Hook? It's more of a pressure-on-a-committee type situation here, but if there's any one player who the Blues absolutely must have a big year from, it's Barret Jackman. Jackman, 26, finally got in a somewhat healthy campaign last season, and his presence went a long way toward stabilizing a back end that's been in disarray since Al MacInnis's retirement three years ago.


Jackman led the Blues in plus-minus last season (+20), and he's going to have to have an all-star calibre campaign for St. Louis to contend for the postseason. He really does.

Others they'll need desperately include Kariya, Eric Brewer, Manny Legace and a far better showing on the power-play by Doug Weight.

Where They'll Finish: Some will tell you they're headed for the postseason, but I don't think so. St. Louis has separated themselves from Chicago and Columbus in the Central Division, but they were awful on special teams last season and have had health issues for years now. A lot is also expected of players who are already on the decline (Martin Rucinsky, Weight and Tkachuk come to mind) and while I like the top four cast on defence, there's little depth if injuries strike again.

Then again, Johnson might be better than I think he'll be as a 19-year-old.

That's my long-winded way of putting them third in their Division and anywhere from 9th to 11th in the Western Conference.

Blogs to Watch: The Checking Line, St. Louis Game Time.

Gratuitous YouTube Embed: Gino Odjick beats up the Blues... for some reason:

NHL Season Preview: St. Louis Blues originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>NHL Season PreviewNhlSeasonPreviewMirtle M.D.Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:00:00 EST Blues Tell Fans: 'We Want You Back'http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/08/22/blues-tell-fans-we-want-you-back/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/08/22/blues-tell-fans-we-want-you-back/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/08/22/blues-tell-fans-we-want-you-back/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While St. Louis may have made its sports reputation on being a baseball town, the fact is that the city has always demonstrated strong support across all sports. The NHL's St. Louis Blues weren't an exception to that rule, strongly establishing themselves in the hearts of the locals by qualifying for the Stanley Cup Finals in each of their first three years of their existence.

That support stayed strong all the way up until the season before the NHL lockout, when the Blues averaged better than 18,500 fans per game and 97% of capacity. But then came the lockout, the trade of Chris Pronger and a crash to the bottom of the standings. Taken together, it was just too much for Blues fans, who abandoned the team en masse.

Last season, the Blues ranked dead last in the league, averaging a little more than 12,500 fans per game, just under 60% of capacity.

But ever since Andy Murray took over as head coach last December to lead the team to a 27-18-9 finish, and the team signed Paul Kariya to a three-year contract, things have been looking up for the Blues, and the fans have been responding at the box office:
The Blues reported selling 450 new season tickets in the week after signing Kariya, and 1,600 of their 2,500 new tickets have been sold since he joined the team. Also since the signing, the team has sold an average of 40 new season tickets per weekday and 200 per week. On that pace, with seven weeks left before the home opener Oct. 10, the ticket base could grow by 1,400. That would more than eclipse the 9,100 season-ticket holders in 2003-04, when the Blues had a record of 39-30-11-2 for 91 points.
So what's next? The team just rolled out a new commercial where they practically beg their fans to come back, Romeo and Juliet-style:


HT: Sports Business Daily (paid subscription required).

Previously on FanHouse:
Free Food for Blues Fans!

Blues Tell Fans: 'We Want You Back' originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 22 Aug 2007 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Eric McErlainWed, 22 Aug 2007 14:00:00 EST Free Food for Blues Fans!http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/08/20/free-food-for-blues-fans/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/08/20/free-food-for-blues-fans/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/08/20/free-food-for-blues-fans/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There is a popular saying that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. In my case, that's pretty much spot on.

The St. Louis Blues hope that the same holds true for hockey fans, as the team plans to give away free food and beverages at a January 19th tilt against the Nashville (for now) Predators.

"As we continue to rebuild this franchise it remains important for us to embrace our wonderful fans," said Blues chairman Dave Checketts. "Given the response and success from last year's game, it was clear that not only should we do it again this year, it should become a St. Louis Blues tradition each and every season."

Fans will be able to have hot dogs, chicken fingers, chips, popcorn, peanuts, soft drinks and water from the moment the gates open an hour before the game until the end of the second intermission.

Translation: We have a crappy team, and we're so desperate to put asses in seats that we'll do ANYTHING to get people in the arena.

Now, there appears to be nothing to indicate just HOW much food each person can get, but one has to figure that this is a good value for the fans. Factor in the typical cost of a stadium 'meal', and how much the average St. Louis resident tends to eat in one night, and this promotion could end up a $300 value to the average ticket buyer.

In a promotion that a few more markets could stand to do, the Blues are giving out free food to anyone who has a season's ticket in the Club section. Not only can you get close enough to see the stubble on Doug Weight's face, but you can toss your empty drink cups at Kerry Fraser after quaffing a free alcoholic beverage.
Just be sure to keep Keith Tkachuk away from the bratwurst!

Free Food for Blues Fans! originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>NHL PromotionsNhlPromotionsJes GolbezMon, 20 Aug 2007 15:26:00 EST Old School Hockey Video: 1968-70 St. Louis Blueshttp://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/05/15/old-school-hockey-video-1968-70-st-louis-blues/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/05/15/old-school-hockey-video-1968-70-st-louis-blues/http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/05/15/old-school-hockey-video-1968-70-st-louis-blues/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

When the NHL critics complain about expansion teams, it's hard to recall the decision that started it all back in the late 1960s that marked the end of the "Original Six" and set the league on path that would lead to 30 teams 40 years later.

During that initial spurt of expansion that began with the 1967-68 season, the league actually doubled in size from six teams to twelve. In addition to the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings, the league added six teams to a newly created Western Conference: The LA Kings, California Seals, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota North Stars and last, but not least, the St. Louis Blues.

When it came to the playoff format, the league decided to keep everything inside the divisions, which guaranteed that one of the four expansion franchises that qualified for the playoffs would earn a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals. For the first three years after the 1967 expansion, that team was the Blues. And in three appearances in the Finals, they failed to win a single game.

But while those teams failed to win in the Finals, they didn't pass without notice in hockey history. In the 1968 Finals against Montreal, Blues goalie Glenn Hall played so brilliantly that he was named the winner of the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP. The head coach of those teams was a former leader of the Montreal Junior Canadiens, Scotty Bowman. After leading the Blues to one more playoff appearance in 1971, he went back to Montreal for the next step in his Hall of Fame career.

More than anything else, those three seasons helped cement the Blues in the hearts of St. Louis sports fans, something that contributed to some of the best attendance numbers in the NHL, at least until some more recent disappointing seasons. Thanks to some enterprising fan, we've got some vintage video clips from those three Finals appearances below. And make sure you watch all the way to the end -- especially if you're a Bruins fan.


Fearing another sweep in the Finals, beginning with the 1970-71 season, the league switched up the playoff format, forcing the winners of the first round series between division rivals to cross over and play a winner from the opposite division in the second round. And just to keep their bases covered, the league also shifted the Black Hawks to the Western Division.

Still, it didn't take long for the expansion teams to catch up, as the 1974 Western Division Champion Philadelphia Flyers -- and folks still complain that the Dallas Cowboys are in the NFC East -- won the 1974 Stanley Cup.

Old School Hockey Video: 1968-70 St. Louis Blues originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 15 May 2007 23:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Eric McErlainTue, 15 May 2007 23:25:00 EST