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Jax, Jax, Jax: Saying Goodbye To Barret Jackman

By Kate Cimini

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While Barret Jackman may not have been the dynamic defenseman Blues fans — or, as it turns out, the St. Louis Blues themselves — wanted to see at their blue line next season, he was a staple in the dressing room and in St. Louis itself.

The St. Louis Blues are headed in a “different direction,” and will not be re-signing him before he becomes an unrestricted free agent this July 1.

Jackman had played over 800 games with the St. Louis Blues, beginning his NHL career with the team in 2001 and over the course of 13 seasons wracked up 803 games, 28 goals, 181 points, and 1,026 PIMs. He has played the second-most games as a Blue, next to Bernie Federko, who suited up for an astonishing 927 games.

Jackman also wore the ‘A’ for St. Louis, working to be a settled presence for rookies and new trades to the team, and his teammates have made it clear that he will be missed.

Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch broke the news yesterday via an article, and was able to  speak with Jackman towards the end of the day when he became available for comment.

“I think I saw it coming. You look at our depth chart, and we’ve got four top-end d-men,” Jackman said. “They really like the way Lindbohm has played and Bortuzzo has earned a spot, too. I knew I’d be on the outside looking in.”

Indeed, the defensive corps on the Blues is as deep as the river is wide, and to top it off Jackman is the oldest on the crew. While age brings wisdom and skill it can also bring increased injuries and shortened contracts, which the Blues felt they had an opportunity to avoid by letting Jackman go to free agency without a contract from them.

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“I still feel like I have a lot to give. I wish it was with the Blues, but it is a business. Some things don’t work out but I’m definitely very pleased with the Blues for everything they’ve given me and for being honest with me. I don’t fault them for this. It’s probably the same move I would have made. But you look forward, not back.”

While Rutherford tweeted that Jackman and the Blues did agree to talk again in July should free agency not work out well for him in the meantime, the chance that we will see Jackman pull on a Blue Note jersey again is slim to none.

Some have already made the suggestion that Jackman look to the Chicago Blackhawks in free agency, who are dizzy they’re so desperate to beef up their defense. That may certainly give many fans whiplash, and Jackman himself was skeptical of the idea, saying, “That would be a pretty hard jersey to put on.”

Rutherford writes, “and so when the Blues open the 2015-16 season, it will mark an end of era, as the team will be without Jackman, who began his career here playing with Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger and finished it after playing with dozens and dozens of other defensemen.”

And it will indeed, but hopefully the upcoming season will mark the beginning of a winning era for the Blues. We will miss Jackman’s familiar presence on the blue line and his freakish ability to go uninjured for what seems like years at a time, but with season’s end comes change, hopefully for the better.

Wherever Jackman goes, Blues fans will be sure to keep an eye out for him.

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