The Blues is back in St. Louis

It is interesting how little is heard about the St. Louis Blues considering the comeback they have made. Under the new ownership and management the team has made a more than solid recovery, from posting their worst record in 27 years in the 2005-06 season to once again be a contender for a playoff spot.

In 1999-2000 the Blues finished the season with a franchise record 114 points, also earning the President's Trophy. The team consisted of, to name a few, Chris Pronger, Pavol Demitra, Al MacInnis, Roman Turek, and Pierre Turgeon. In 2001 the team went all the way to the Western Conference Finals where the eventual Champions Colorado Avalanche proved to be too much to handle for the Blues. Due mostely to a series of bad trades, including sending Pronger to Edmonton, the team's success slowly but surely faded.

For years the St. Louis Blues had been considered a contender, while never able to go all the way. In 2004 they missed the playoffs, ending a 25 season long playoff streak - the third longest in North American pro sports.

After a few years of steady decline in home-game attendance, something had to be done. To bring back the fans hockey had to be made appealing again, and the best way to do that is to put a quality hockey team on the ice.

At the end of last season Andy Murray arrived as the new head coach and in the offseason a few key acquisitions were made. Forward Keith Tkachuk was brought back and star-winger Paul Kariya was signed to a three-year $18 million deal. The team is younger than in resent years, but also well balanced. Andy Murray has a good mix of veterans and young talent, like Brad Boyes, Lee Stempniak, and Erik Johnson, to work with, and waiting for their turn is also a bunch of promising prospects ready to bring the St. Louis Blues even further.

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Not only did the New York Rangers score three goals, they did it in one single game, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 at Madison Square Garden. What is even more astonishing, both Jaromir Jagr and Brendan Shanahan (both members of the 600 goals club) contributed with one tally each.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs continue their roller-coaster ride this season with a 1-7 loss to the Washington Capitals on home ice. "If we're going to be a playoff team we need to win at home," said Leaf captain Mats Sundin. That would be a start, Mats.