The St. Louis Blues are not always the first team to jump off the page for national, or even some local, media. So, when our own get honored by being put in the various Halls of Fame, it feels extra special.
The St. Louis Blues have had plenty of special players walk through their doors and put on their jersey. Not all of those players get recognized. So, it is special when they get put in the Hall of Fame, no matter where that hall is located.
So, some rather lofty names in Blues lore will now sit among their peers in different halls. Red Berenson has been named to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and Keith Tkachuk will be inducted into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.
Both of these are long overdue honors. Both of these are incredibly deserved honors.
Sometimes we joke about induction into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame because it seems like all you have to have done is serve in any capacity. Even Scott Young got into that hall not long ago and Hall of Fame does not spring to mind immediately when you think of Young, even though he had a very solid career.
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The interesting thing about Berenson going into the U.S. Hall of Fame is that he is Canadian. Berenson was born in Regina, Saskatchewan.He is going in mainly due to his impact on the American game, however.
After five seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, Berenson spent the rest of his career playing for American teams, including eight years with the Blues.
He was also the first of several great players, including Tkachuk, to wear the number seven in the blue and gold.Speaking of blue and gold, or maize and gold in this case, Berenson’s biggest impact on the game might have been his legendary coaching career with the University of Michigan. After a brief three seasons behind the Blues bench, Berenson took over the Wolverines.
He ran that program from 1984 through 2017. He won two national titles, finished second once and went to the Frozen Four a total of 11 times.
Berenson was one of only four coaches to win 800 or more games at the collegiate level. He also helped produce a list of NHL players to come through the doors at Michigan.
Tkachuk is obviously going into the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame for his days as a Blue and after.
In nine seasons in St. Louis, Tkachuk scored 208 goals and 427 points. He was also an integral part of the squad that went to the Western Conference Finals, losing to eventual champion Colorado.
Even after retiring, he continued to have an impact on the game and the city. He kept his family in St. Louis and helped coaching youth teams and bringing up his sons. Both Brady and Matthew ended up being drafted into the NHL.
Tkachuk is still helping out the city by working with the Blues. He is part of the amateur scouting staff that have helped load the Blues minor league system up with some exciting talent.
Tkachuk is already a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, elected in 2012, and Berenson is in different halls as well.
Even so, they are both deserving of these honors. They have helped grow the game and made impacts everywhere they have gone.
We congratulate both on their inductions.