This Date in Blues History: Blues Acquire Greatness

On February 27, 1996 the Blues shook the hockey world as they announced the greatest player of all time would sport the note. Wayne Gretzky signed with buddy Brett Hull, and Shane Corson gladly handed over the "C" to welcome The Great One to town.


The excitement around St. Louis was amazing. I specifically remember feeling as if it was a dream. It was like a superhero had come down from the big screen to play for the Blues.


Gretzky scored in his first game wearing the Note. He played 18 games with the Blues that season, netting 8 goals and 13 assists for 21 points. No one knew at the time that that would be his career stats in St. Louis.


The Blues defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs. Next, they faced off against the President's Trophy winner Detroit Red Wings in a memorable seven game series. Chris Pronger, in an off-air sound bite, recalled an encounter early on in the series where Coach Mike Keenan came into the locker room and ripped everyone a new one including Gretzky, who decided then and there that he was not resigning in St. Louis:


Pronger recalls: "Thank f***ing God I wasn't on the ice, because I would have been blamed for it...We got spanked in that series, we lost the first game tight, 3-2, whatever, second game we got blown out 8-1, and it was like an NBC game, or whatever it was, and, oh my God, [coach Mike Keenan] came in and ripped everybody, tore Gretzky a new ass, and I'm sure he'd never had that happen before, and that was it, he was like, 'I'm not re-signing here, I'm done.' That was it. Mike showed up at his hotel that night- it was an afternoon game- that night showed up shitfaced at his room, he was staying at the Ritz in St. Louis..."-The break ends. It would be nice to know what Keenan said to him. He apparently apologized, but the damage was done.


That series ended with a puck being stolen from Gretzky at center ice, and the rest is one of the most famous goals in NHL history, but one of the worst moments in Blues' history.


What might have been? The Blues had 8 Hall of Famers on that 1996 team. If Hull and Gretzky would have played together for a few seasons many feel as if the Blues would have their Stanley Cup.


Amazing News Flashback (Remember when ESPN cared about hockey?)


Gretzky's First Goal as a Blue:

Number One

The Blues played for a chance to be number one in the Western Conference last night against the Canucks.

Unfortunately they lost by one goal, 3-2.  It came down to one bad call that lead to the game winning goal in overtime. The Blues earned one point in the overtime loss, giving them 56 total points, good enough for second in the conference, and number one in the Central Division.

Number one Brian Elliott was named the Blues one representative to the all-star game in Ottawa. He will return to the city where he played just one year ago.

The Great One was in attendance last night. One must wonder if he is considering being apart of the new ownership group.

Highlights: