POLL: MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT IN ST. LOUIS BLUES HISTORY

[yave1964]

Of the original six expansion clubs, the Blues had the most early success and havent had much luck since. here is a list of the Blues most memorable moments.

 

99-00 BLUES WIN PRESIDENTS CUP

 

  Arguably the greatest team in Blues history, Chris Pronger won the Hart and the Norris with his best season to date, Pavel Demitra and Pierra Turgeon paced the offense while Pronger and the previous seasons Norris winner, Al Maccinnis led the defense. the team went 51-19-11-1 under coach Joel Quenneville who was beginning his legend after a mediocre career before bowing out of the playoffs in a first round upset. The following year they made the conference final.

 

1968: RED BERENSON SCORES SIX GOALS IN ONE NIGHT!

 One of my all time favorites, a great player stuck behind the legends in Montreal fighting for ice time, with the Blues he was given a chance to shine and boy did he. The first star of the Blues franchise, on this special night against the Flyers he lit the lamp 6 times in one game in an 8-0 pasting.

 

THREE STRAIGHT STANLEY CUP APPEARANCES!!

 When the league expanded to 12 teams they stuck the six new guys in their own conference, and the Blues were so far and away the class of the West it was not even funny. Led by first time head coach Scotty Bowman the Blues made it to three straight finals, (albiet losing in a sweep against the established Habs and Bruins). 

 HOFers Glenn Hall and Jaques Plante were 40 somethings talked out of retiring to share the net. Kids such as Berenson, Jimmy Roberts and Gary Sabourin who had been buried in other teams systems took advantage of getting ice time, over the hill vets such as Doug Harvey, Ab McDonald, Dickie Moore,Phill goyette, Camille Henry, Al Arbour, Jean Guy Talbot and Noel Picard showed they had a little bit left in the tank. And the nasty bruising Plager brothers punished anyone who dared cross the blueline when they were on the ice.

IMHO this was far and away Bowman's greatest coaching of his career and sprung him into Montreal where the legend continued.

 

1990-91 BRETT HULL SCORES 86 GOALS AND WINS HART

The Golden Brett had his finest individual season in 1990-91 when he exploded upon the scene with Adam Oates, forming the famed Hull and Oates duo, Brett lit it up with 86 goals and 131 points to capture the Hart trophy. An amazing season.

 

25 STRAIGHT SEASONS IN THE PLAYOFFS

 

 It began in 1979-80 and ended after the 2003-04 season, 25 consecutive seasons of making the post season. It is the third longest in NHL history, Death, taxes and the Blues getting knocked out in the first round or so seemed to be the mantra of a quarter century of hockey. But they made it, and that counts for something.

 

 Things that i left off the list but seriously considered were: The Adam Oates heist, stealing him from the Wings. Classy Bernie Federko scoring over one thousand points with the Blues and then hanging around forever as a really bad color man on TV. Gary Unger establishing new iron man streak (since broken) with St. Louis. Anyway, happy reading.

 

[hf101]

Those 90-92 teams were something special. I went with Hull's 86 goals but could have also picked the year they won the president trophy. Al MacInnis was the best defenseman of that era in my opinion. Would love to see Chara and MacInnis duel out the hardest shot with the same stick.

[Samifan]

I went with Hull's 86 goals.

Honorable mention to Ryan Miller's career as a Blue

[yave1964]

With apologies to Brett Hull,I went with three straight Stanley Cup finals back in the day. Scotty Bowman was a young up and comer as a coach, what he did with that team was a springboard to a hall of fame career. And Al Arbour mentoring under Scotty, same with one of the greatest college coaches of all time in Berenson, Jimmy Roberts went on to coach, as did Plager and three or four others, a collection of rag tag pieces mixed with over the hill veterans and two goalies on the back nine of their Hall of Fame careers in Plante and Hall, i think it is remarkable that they made it three years in a row, and think it is remarkable that they never have made it back since.

[ScottM]

I voted for Hull's 86. When Gretzky is the only guy to top it, it's rather impressive. In my mind, the three straight Finals appearances have a bit of an asterisk next to them because of the playoff format.

[jammer2]

@ScottM  I agree, the rookies against the established team playoff format diminished the Blues trips to the finals. No way do they make the finals if they had to play the Rags, Bruins or Habs etc.

 

  I went with Hull's 86 goals as well. Only Wayne did better, that is amazing. Not even the Magnificent Mario was able to top that feat.....truly incredible total.