With just over a month until hockey is back, here is a guide to the must watch St. Louis Blues games of the 2017-18 season.
Must Watch St. Louis Blues Games of the 2017-18 Season
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
The Blues will start off their season with a visit to the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins. This game is the Penguins home opener and they will be raising their Stanley Cup banner. Former Blue and two time Stanley Cup Champion, Ian Cole, will play against his former club. Blues fan favorite, Ryan Reaves, will be making his debut as a Penguin and play against his former club in the same night. He was traded to the Penguins during the off-season along with the 51st pick in the NHL Draft for Oskar Sundqvist and the 31st pick in the NHL Draft. Expect Reaves to lay a hit on at least one of his former teammates.
Saturday, October 7, 2017
The Blues will come home to face off with the Dallas Stars in the Blues home opener. Former Blue, Adam Cracknell, will play against his former club. Cracknell spent parts of five seasons playing with the Blues. Former Blues draft pick and Missouri native, Ben Bishop, will return to his hometown. Former Blues head coach, Ken Hitchcock, returns to St. Louis for the first time since he was fired in February. Hitchcock coached the Blues for parts of six seasons. This is his second time coaching with the Stars. In 1998-99, he led the Stars to a Stanley Cup Championship.
Saturday, October 21, 2017
The Blues will face the expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights for the first time in Blues franchise history. The Knights drafted some exciting players, including James Neal and Marc-Andre Fleury. Former Blues prospects William Carrier and Brad Hunt will play against their former club. Former Blue, David Perron, will battle against his former team. Perron spent seven non-consecutive seasons in St. Louis.
Friday, November 24, 2017
The Nashville Predators come to town for the first time since the 2017 Western Conference Semifinals. The Blues lost to the Predators in six games. The Predators advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, but lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. The Blues will likely want revenge on the Predators for knocking them out of the playoffs. Expect a goaltending battle for the ages between Pekka Rinne and Jake Allen and a very tight game.
Saturday, November 25, 2017
A day after Nashville comes to town, the Minnesota Wild come to town for a rematch of the 2017 Western Conference Quarterfinals. The Blues beat the Wild in an exciting five game series. The Blues only made it to the next round before getting eliminated. The Wild will likely want revenge on the Blues for knocking them out of the playoffs. Former Blue, Chris Stewart will visit his former club. Stewart spent four seasons in St. Louis as a power forward. Blues head coach, Mike Yeo, will coach against his former club. Yeo spent five seasons coaching in Minnesota.
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Original Six team, the New York Rangers come to town. Former Blues defenseman, Kevin Shattenkirk will come back to St. Louis for the first time since being traded in February. Shattenkirk was traded to the Washington Capitals and played with them for the rest of the season before signing with his hometown team, the Rangers, in the off-season. Shattenkirk spent seven seasons with the Blues.
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Another Original Six team, the Boston Bruins come to town. Former Blue, Kenny Agostino, will come back to St. Louis for the first time since signing with the Bruins during the off-season. He spent one season with the Blues. Longtime captain, David Backes, will make his second return to St. Louis since signing with the Bruins in the 2016 off-season. He was drafted by the Blues and spent 10 seasons in St. Louis, including five seasons as the captain. Last season, his highly-anticipated return to St. Louis was emotional for him and the fans as the Blues honored him with a “Thank You” video between whistles.
Monday, April 2, 2018
The Washington Capitals come to town. Former Blues, Lars Eller, Taylor Chorney and Anthony Peluso will return to St. Louis. Blues fan favorite, T.J. Oshie, will also return to St. Louis for the third time since being traded in the 2015 off-season for Troy Brouwer, Pheonix Copley and a third round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. He has always been welcomed back with open arms and his own tribute video between whistles. To this day, he still calls St. Louis home.
Main Photo:
SAN JOSE, CA – MAY 25: Kevin Shattenkirk #22 of the St. Louis Blues clears the puck against the San Jose Sharks in Game Six of the Western Conference Finals during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on May 25, 2016 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images)
