St. Louis Blues: The Ultimate Franchise Forward Lines
In their 52-year history, the St. Louis Blues have had loads of talented forwards come and go. What if we threw some of the best forward seasons in St. Louis
Blues history together into a starting lineup? Just because we won a Stanley Cup does not mean we should stop daydreaming, right?
From Bernie Federko in the 1980s to Brett Hull and his gang of future Hall of Famers in the 1990s to Vladimir Tarasenko‘s cup-winning 2019 team, the Blues have had several impressive individual scoring seasons.
To make our all-time starting forwards list the player must have played more than 50 games in a season for the Blues. As much as it hurts leave Wayne Gretzky out of this lineup, he only played 21 games in the Blue note and does not qualify into an ultimate Blues forward line.
Our selections for each spot were based on the best “version” of the player while they were in St. Louis. A basic lineup building strategy was also considered. This means that we have a grinding fourth line and not a line that somebody like 2015-16 Tarasenko can sneak his way on.
All-time lists are always highly controversial so please give us your feedback in the comment section or leave us a comment on Facebook or Twitter (@BleedinBlueFS)!
LW: 1990-91 Brett Hull
This is one of the easiest and least controversial decisions that can be made while throwing together an all-time Blues lineup. Hull was simply sensational in the 1990-91 season for the St. Louis Blues.
He put up 86 goals and 131 total points en route to his only Hart Trophy, a Pearson Trophy, and an All-Star selection. With the Hull and Oates connection, number 16 posted a sky-high 22.1 shooting percentage, 11 game-winning goals, and 29 powerplay goals.
The advanced analytics supported his stellar offensive output giving him credit for an estimated 13.8 offensive point shares (OPS) and 15.4 point shares (PS) for the entire season. For those of you new to hockey analytics, this means they estimated that he single-handedly contributed 15.4 points (around seven wins) to the standings for the Blues in 1990-91.
The production posted in this season speaks for itself, so let’s just move onto the next player.
C: 1990-91 Adam Oates
Where would Batman be without Robin? If Brett Hull goes into an all-time Blues starting lineup, Adam Oates has to be right by his side after the damage they did in the early 1990s.
In all seriousness, Oates was not the average “sidekick” and showed it when he went to Boston and put up 142 points in 1992-93. In 1990-91 Adam Oates put up 115 points on 25 goals and 90 assists (roughly 1.48 assists per game).
He dished out 38 assists on the powerplay and when he got the opportunity to shoot, he buried the puck at a very respectable 18% of the time.
Like Hull, Oates contributed quite a few points to the Blues. His offense contributed about 8.5 OPS and 9.6 PS total.
The Hull and Oates connection was magnificent and should be utilized on the first line in the fantasy lineup.
RW: 1982-83 Brian Sutter
There were a couple of players that could have been slotted here but Brian Sutter‘s 1982-83 season fit in nicely next to the other two.
Sutter collected 76 points (46 G, 30 A) on an underachieving Blues team that finished with a losing record and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
He shot at a clip of 22.8%, finished with 6.7 PS, and was an offensive force on even strength with 35 goals. All of this damage was done on top of being one of the toughest guys on the ice. He racked up the third-most penalty minutes in the NHL in 1982-83 at 254.
Sutter was a tough guy who could put the puck in the back of the net and would flourish under the opportunity to play with Hull and Oates.
LW: 1993-94 Brendan Shanahan
The second line kicks off with fan-favorite Brendan Shanahan playing the wing. Shanahan had multiple good seasons in the Blue Note, but his 1993-94 season is the one that got him in this lineup.
The then 25-year-old put up 102 points (52 G, 50 A) in 81 games. He also ripped a career-high 397 shots on goal and put up SEVEN shorthanded goals.
Overall, Shanahan’s goal-scoring ability was sensational no matter what the situation. It did not matter if he was a man up, a man down, or at even strength. His offense thrived no matter what.
The only thing that might be an issue is his defensive play. He took a minus-9 on the year with a mere 0.8 DPS (defensive point shares). While this may make a few people out there upset, Shanahan made this squad because of his offense. The second line is a place for scoring goals and he fits the bill.
C: 1983-84 Bernie Federko
Bernie Federko in 1983-84 is the perfect player to center a second scoring line with some of the top Blues goal scorers in franchise history. The man was an assists machine.
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In this one particular season, Federko dished out 66 assists, a third of them coming on the powerplay, and totaled 107 points. He had a few 100-point seasons to choose from but this one was all-around his best.
The then 27-year-old paired 107 points with a 20.9 shooting percentage, 7.1 OPS, and a total of 8.1 PS. He was able to do it all offensively in 1983-84 and helped lead the Blues to the second round of the playoffs where they lost a heartbreaking Game 7 to the Minnesota North Stars.
Federko would be the heart and soul of this second line by both setting up goals or finishing off the play. If Federko could get it going with Shanahan, it would be all over for the opposition.
RW: 01-02 Keith Tkachuk
Keith Tkachuk might be a hard sell on the second line of the all-time Blues lineup, but just let it sink in a moment. Tkachuk in 2001-02 was a proven scorer and someone who would not back from a challenge, collecting 117 penalty minutes.
He put up 75 points (38 G, 37 A) in his age-29 season and was a workhorse, averaging 19:38 minutes per night. Tkachuk did not get a ton of work on the powerplay but he was incredibly effective during 5-on-5 hockey, putting up 25 goals and 29 assists.
Analytically speaking, Tkachuk contributed roughly 8.2 points to his team with his offense. He added 2.5 points to his team defensively.
While 2001-02 Keith Tkachuk may not be a guy who stands out as a no doubt second liner, his well-rounded game would put the finishing touches on this star-studded second line.
He would finish off the plays set up by Federko, set plays up for Shanahan and get back to play solid defense. He would stand up for his line when necessary too.
LW: 2002-03 Pavol Demitra
A candidate to make the second line of our lineup, 2002-03 Pavol Demitra just barely missed the cut. Still, he found himself on yet another eye-popping line.
Demitra was outstanding in his age-28 season putting up 36 goals and 57 assists for 93 total points. In 205 shots, he buried the puck 17.6 percent of the time and did a ton of damage on the powerplay as well.
On the powerplay, Demitra put up almost as many assists as he did at even strength. He accumulated 25 assists on the man advantage compared to 32 at even strength. He was no stranger to a powerplay goal either with 11 in the season.
Demitra contributed 10.9 total point shares (9.4 offensive) and helped the Blues to a 99-point season (2nd in the Central). He may not be your typical third line grinder but, hey, this is an All-Star team. What do you expect?
With the right talent around him, Demitra would absolutely shine on the third line of this starting lineup.
C: 1992-93 Craig Janney
Craig Janney is a name that does not get brought up much in Blues fan circles but made this list because of gaudy numbers in 1992-93.
In 84 games, the then 25-year-old Janney put up 106 points on 24 goals and a whopping 82 assists. Janney is the more traditional playmaking center that would help a forward like Demitra thrive.
His playmaking abilities transfer to the powerplay nicely, putting up 36 assists when the other team is down a man.
All boiled down, Janney contributed 7.7 points to the Blues during the 1992-93 and would excel with Demitra and the next forward about to be revealed.
RW: 1980-81 Wayne Babych
Wayne Babych may be another name to fall in the underappreciated former Blues category, but his 1980-81 season cannot be ignored. Babych played a well-balanced game with 54 goals and 42 assists (96 points).
He was a force during 5-on-5 hockey with 40 even-strength goals and 30 even-strength assists. This is perfect for a third line right winger who may not see a lot of time on the powerplay of this all-time team.
His shooting percentage was a solid 17.6% and a plus-14 means he played a relatively sound style of hockey. One of the most important numbers to factor in is point shares and 8.7 points contributed is something that cannot be turned away.
While he never had another season like this in his career, Babych’s 1980-81 season is one of the best individual seasons in franchise history and would look phenomenal next to the likeness of 2002-03 Demitra and 1992-93 Janney.
WARNING: The fourth line gets gritty. If you do not believe fighting has a place in hockey, feel free to skip this slide and move onto the next article linked at the bottom of the page.
LW: 1998-99 Tony Twist
The legendary hockey fighter Tony Twist will always hold a special place in the hearts of Blues fans. We all know that there cannot be an All-Star fourth line that excludes Twist.
In this instance, we just picked the season where he racked up the most penalty minutes. Ironically enough, it was also the season that he scored the most points (8 points).
He’s not in this lineup to score though. He’s in this lineup to play hard-nosed hockey.
In 1998-99 Twist compiled 149 penalty minutes in just 63 games played. On average, he received roughly 2.37 minutes in the box per game.
This beast was nearly unbeatable in a hockey scrap and struck fear into the hearts of the other team night in and night out. Twist is a valuable addition to a team that is primarily focused on scoring.
C: 1990-91 Bob Bassen
Bob Bassen from the 1990-91 season was chosen to be the fourth line center because of his scoring ability combined with his ability to rack up minutes in the penalty box.
In 79 games, Bassen put up 16 goals and 18 assists for a total of 34 points. That may not sound like much but, for a gritty fourth-line center, it is respectable.
Bassen also averaged 2.32 penalty minutes per game (183 minutes total). A guy who can score and play this brand of hockey is incredibly rare. Not to mention he contributed 1.4 points to the team with his defense (DPS).
The then 25-year-old center would be expected to spark some scoring in an offensively challenged fourth line while also providing a strong physical presence.
RW: 1993-94 Kelly Chase
Last but not least we have 1993-94 Kelly Chase filling in as the fourth-line right-winger.
Chase played in 68 games during that season, racking up just seven points on two goals and five assists. He paired those numbers with a minus-5.
Good thing we are looking for All-Star caliber tough guys though because, boy, was Chase good at that. By the end of the season in 1994, the then 26-year-old forward had 278 penalty minutes under his belt. Like Twist, Chase was nearly unbeatable in a hockey scrap.
He was a bit of a liability in 1993-94 with -1.1 point shares. This number was so low because of his inability to find the scoring sheet but was not all that bad defensively.
Next. Bokk Is An Important Cog In Future Plans. dark
This fourth line would be unnerving for anyone playing the Blues. Teams would have to hire an extra physical trainer to tend to all the extra pain afflicted by these bruisers. It might get even worse if Bassen can spark offense to supplement the physical play.