Established
1967
City
St. Louis
League History
1967 – Present / National Hockey League
Team History
1967 – Present / St. Louis Blues
Nickname
Blues – The St. Louis Blues are one of the most iconic teams in the NHL, and their nickname is integral to their identity. But where did this beloved moniker come from?
The name “Blues” originates from the city’s musical heritage. In 1927, WSM radio station DJ George Hay introduced The Grand Ole Opry, featuring blues music from local artists like WC Handy and Ma Rainey. After becoming popular with listeners around town, Hay referred to his program as “the bluest music this side of heaven." This phrase became associated with St. Louis and was eventually adopted by hockey fans when they started referring to their team as "the Blues."
In 1967, when St Louis was awarded an expansion franchise for the National Hockey League (NHL), it seemed only natural that they would adopt "The Blues" as their official nickname - a tribute to the city's vibrant musical history and passionate sports fans alike! Since then, The Blue has become synonymous with hard-nosed style play on ice that embodies all things great about hockey in America's heartland: grit, determination, toughness, loyalty, commitment, passion respect - all qualities embodied by loyal supporters who proudly wear blue every game day!
So next time you cheer on your favorite team at Enterprise Center or watch them battle opponents across North America, remember why we call them 'THE BLUES' – because it genuinely reflects everything unique about our beloved franchise!
Championship
Stanley Cup 1
2019
Arena
2019 - Present / Enterprise Center
2007 – 2018 / Scottrade Center
2000 – 2006 / Savvis Center
1994 – 2000 / Kiel Center
1967 – 1994 / St. Louis Arena
Owner
2012 – Present / St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, Inc.
2005 – 2012 / Dave Checketts
1999 – 2005 / Bill Laurie and Nancy Walton Laurie
1986 – 1999 / Michael Shanahan, Sr.
1983 – 1986 / Harry Ornest
1977 – 1983 / Ralston Purina
1967 – 1977 / Sid Salomon, Jr., Sid Salomon III, and Robert Wolfson
- 1967
- 1977
- 1983
- 1994
- 2005
- 2019
-
St. Louis Blues Team Formation
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. St. Louis was the last of the six expansion teams to gain entry into the league, chosen over Baltimore at the insistence of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks ... -
Ralston Purina Ownership
In the meantime, the franchise was on the brink of financial collapse. This was partly due to the pressures of the World Hockey Association, but mostly the result of financial decisions made when the Salomons first acquired the franchise. Deferred contracts came due just as the Blues’ performance began to slip. At one point, the Salomons cut the team’s staff ... -
Harry Ornest Ownership
Purina lost an estimated $1.8 million a year during its six-year ownership of the Blues, but took the losses philosophically, having taken over out of a sense of civic responsibility. In 1983, Purina’s longtime chairman, R. Hal Dean, retired. His successor wanted to refocus on the core pet food business and had no interest in hockey. He saw the Blues ... -
Kiel Center Opens
They also provided the capital to build the Kiel Center (now the Scottrade Center), which opened in 1994. Scottrade Center (originally Kiel Center and formerly Savvis Center) is a 19,150 seat arena located in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, which opened in 1994. It is the home of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League. -
St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, Inc. Ownership
Amid several questionable personnel moves and an unstable ownership situation, the Blues finished the 2005 – 2006 season with their worst record in 27 years. They missed the playoffs for only the fourth time in franchise history. Also, for the first time in club history, the normally excellent support seen by St. Louisans began to fade away, with crowds normally ... -
Stanley Cup Winner 2018 – 2019
The 2019 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) 2018 – 2019 season and the culmination of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Western Conference champion St. Louis Blues defeated the Eastern Conference champion Boston Bruins four games to three to win their first championship, in their 51st season of play, ending the third-longest ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Blues
The St. Louis Blues is one of the most renowned National Hockey League (NHL) teams. Founded in 1967, they have a long and storied history full of remarkable moments and successes that make them beloved by their fans. From their Stanley Cup victory to numerous division titles, the Blues have been an integral part of NHL history for over 50 years, and they share a notable rivalry with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The team was founded as part of an expansion effort from six to twelve teams during the 1967-68 season, making it one of two new franchises added along with fellow expansion team Philadelphia Flyers. The first few seasons were difficult for the young franchise. Still, eventually, they managed to succeed when Scotty Bowman took charge as head coach during the 1968–69 season leading them all way up until the 1977–78 season when he led them into playoffs every single year, winning four division titles on top of it all! During this period, Doug Gilmour also made his debut with the club, becoming a fan favorite due to his incredible playmaking abilities, which earned him the nickname “Killer” among other players around the league, while Bernie Federko set a record points total (1 027) between 1976-77 till 1989-90 seasons before getting surpassed by Brett Hull later on down the line!
2019 under guidance from General Manager Doug Armstrong and Coach Craig Berube, St Louis won its first-ever Stanley Cup championship after beating Boston Bruins 4 games 2 series, winning the final match 4 - 1, securing a historic feat no other franchise had previously achieved within the city limits! This momentous occasion is still celebrated today amongst die-hard fans who wear blue and proudly chant “Let’s Go Blues” whenever the opportunity arises, even though many original members, such as Federko or Gilmour, retired long ago leaving behind a legacy that will never be forgotten anytime soon if ever again so congratulations once more go out those fantastic men who helped bring joy hockey loving community across entire region alike!!
Sports Fan Products
Retired Number
2 / Al MacInnis
3 / Bob Gassoff
5 / Bob Plager
8 / Barclay Plager
11 / Brian Sutter
16 / Brett Hull
24 / Bernie Federko
99 / Wayne Gretzky
*Blue is this team’s history