St. Louis Blues Fans Top 5 2016-17 Road Trips
The St. Louis Blues and the NHL aren’t making it easy on fans this year, but there are still some places you can make some road trips.
Road trips are always fun. Sure, there are the occasional arguments over directions or missed turns or which route is faster vs which one is shorter. Even so, they can create some pretty good memories as long as you don’t kill whoever you are going with.
St. Louis Blues fans were somewhat upset when the 2016 NHL schedule was released due to the fact there were several midweek games against teams they usually traveled to see.
As much as it stinks that the Blues will not be able to do to the Nashville Predators what the Chicago Blackhawks’ fans do to us, that does not mean there are not places to go. There are still venues that aren’t too far for the hardcore fan to get to and see an away game.
With that in mind, let’s look at the top five destinations for a road trip to see the St. Louis Blues this fall.
Next: I-70 West
Kansas City
This one might be considered a bit of a cheat. People might be scratching their heads and saying there’s no NHL team in Kansas City.
You’re right. There hasn’t been an NHL franchise as a permanent resident in Kansas City since 1976. However, the NHL has taken to holding preseason games in the city, usually including teams from around the area.
This year, it’s the St. Louis Blues going against the Washington Capitals on . So, it’s like killing two birds with one stone. Perhaps even three birds, depending on your tastes.
No, you won’t be seeing a regular NHL game and you might not get to see the Blues at full strength. However, you get to take a road trip to see your favorite team in a different arena.
Fans who haven’t gotten over the loss of T.J. Oshie can get their chance to see him also. Plus, a game in KC might be cheaper even with the gas than seeing a regular season game. The potential to see Alex Ovechkin can’t be glossed over either, since he is still one of the preeminent scorers in the league.
Kansas City and St. Louis have their rivalries, but having lived just outside of the city for four years, it really is a beautiful city. There are fountains everywhere and the Power and Light District has a ton to do, including Sporting Kansas City, the racetrack, Great Wolf Lodge and lots of shopping and restaurants.
It would be a fun trip, even though it’s only a preseason game. The downside, it’s a Wednesday game. However, with the drive only being about 3 hours it is still doable if you cannot take a day off.
Next: I-70 East
Columbus
Columbus isn’t Nashville and the spice has been taken out of this matchup since it is no longer a divisional rivalry. Even so, it’s a relatively close trip. It’s also on a weekend, with a Saturday game coming on November 12.
Google Maps says it’s a six hour drive between St. Louis and Columbus, which means you could probably shave that down. It’s also a straight shot along I-70, so you don’t have to worry about those directional problems until you get into the city.
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Columbus is an up and coming team, quite similar to how the Blues were in the early-to-mid 2000’s. They’ve made some shrewd moves and some decent draft picks.
Jesse Puljujarvi is a very exciting player. There were even vague whispers that the Blues might try to trade up within the draft to get the up and coming star. Seeing him play, since he is almost a lock to be playing in the NHL in 2016, would be quite fun.
Columbus was seen as a bit of a joke for awhile, but they are developing into a real hockey city. They hosted the All-Star Game in 2015 in a quite spectacular fashion.
Everything combined, it would be a good trip. The two teams are still close enough that a bit of a rivalry still exists. The trip is relatively short and the game is on a weekend.
Next: Way Up North
Winnipeg
This one isn’t a short trip, unless you can afford to fly. However, it would almost have to be a good trip.
Canada is hockey crazy. Having visited the country, they aren’t necessarily overflowing every building everywhere. Even so, the cities with NHL teams still bleed for their teams and are extremely loyal.
Canadians are usually very polite too. My family went to a game against the Jets in St. Louis and we sat next to some Jets fans and it was a good time. It was nothing like some of the opposing fans you get with other teams.
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Those are the games that are fun. If you don’t have to worry about getting into fights just for supporting your own team.
Winnipeg gets forgotten about since they haven’t managed to do much since their return to the NHL, but they are still a divisional opponent. Also, getting to see the game played in Canada is something pretty cool as well.
Be sure to pack your long underwear and plenty of heavy coats and layers though. This game is Saturday, January 21. It’s not nearly as far north as Edmonton, but Winnipeg still gets pretty darn cold.
It’s a long drive. Google lists it as a little over 15 hours and that’s not including stops and what not.
The start time is a bit of a positive and negative as well. The game is at 2 p.m. so that doesn’t give you much time to get there, unless you’re flying.
However with the game that early, you could tour the city a bit before you have to leave to come home. So, get your passport in order now and check this one out in the Great White North.
Next: Into The Lion's Den
Chicago
This one is not for the faint of heart. If you take in a game in Chicago, you are going into the dragon’s lair.
It’s not for the thin wallet either. One of the reasons so many Chicago fans show up at Scottrade Center is because it is cheaper to travel to St. Louis and see a game than it is to stay in Chicago.
So, plan this one out well in advance and save up. Even so, seeing a game in the Madhouse on Madison would definitely be an interesting adventure.
The game is on a weekend, which gives you a good amount of time to do other things as well. With the game being on Sunday, February 26, you have the opportunity to go up on Friday night, spend the entire day checking out the city on Saturday and then go home after the 6:30 game on Sunday.
If you’re worried about driving at night, there are pretty regular trains that run between St. Louis and Chicago, though you might get home at a much later time.
The Blues and Blackhawks rivalry is something pretty special. While there were lulls where one team or the other was not in a good spot and that allowed the Red Wings to creep in as the more hated rival, the teams in Chicago are always the main adversary of St. Louis.
With lots to do within the city of Chicago, which really is a fun city to visit, this one is a definite trip for the road warrior. From stories of people who have taken in games in Chicago, the fans are much nicer than the ones who sully our own arena. So, you’d have that going for you as well.
Even so, the less consumption of alcohol the better just so you’re not getting into any discords with unruly fans when the Blues win.
Next: Get Some Sun On The Golden Coast
California
People might be wondering why I have California listed instead of a specific city. Well, it is because this would be the big one.
Save your pennies now and start planning things out because this one is going to be a bit costly. It would be almost impossible to drive since we’d be seeing two games. If you could take off for a few days, then you could make the drive over but going that far out west is pretty daunting.
Travel considerations aside, this would be a pretty fun trip. First, you go out to San Jose to see the game on Saturday, January 14.
That’s the rematch of the 2016 Western Conference Finals. The two teams play in St. Louis earlier in the year, but why not go out west and rub it in some of those silicone valley noses if the Blues were to come out on top?
Then, after the game, you travel down I-5, through the City of Angels and into Anaheim to see the Blues take on the Ducks the next night. St. Louis almost always has some struggles with the Ducks, but with both teams slightly retooling for the future, the night of January 15 might be in favor of the Blues.
Both games are evening games, so that doesn’t allow for much sight seeing. Nevertheless, it would be a pretty epic couple days of hockey.
January can sometimes be the start of the dog days of the season, but it would still be extremely fun. The sad thing is this kind of trip might also be cheaper than attending the Winter Classic in our own city if you aren’t already a season ticket holder.
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So, there you have it. Those are the five road trips that might be the best options for Blues fans with an itch to get out of the city and see a game in a visitor’s building.
Some are a bit more doable than others. All take a little planning. Still, even with no weekend games in Music City, there are road trips available. Pack your maps, your GPS, your passport and in some cases some extremely warm clothing and travel safe.