Bleedin' Blue
Fansided

St. Louis Blues: The Ultimate Franchise Forward Lines

By Tyler Andrus

Canadian hockey player Brett Hull of the St. Louis Blues fires off a shot as the New York Rangers' Kevin Lowe tries to stop him during a game at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, early 1990s. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
Canadian hockey player Brett Hull of the St. Louis Blues fires off a shot as the New York Rangers' Kevin Lowe tries to stop him during a game at Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, early 1990s. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) /
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UNDATED: St. Louis Blues’ right wing Brett Hull #18 skates during a game. (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images)
UNDATED: St. Louis Blues’ right wing Brett Hull #18 skates during a game. (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images) /

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.

St. Louis Blues
MONTREAL 1990’s: Adam Oates #12 of the St. Louis Blues skates against the Montreal Canadiens in the early 1990’s at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images) /

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.

CANADA – NOVEMBER 19: Thou shalt not pass: Brian Sutter of St. Louis Blues and Leafs’ Borje Salming take the roles of irresistible force and immovable object in last night’s game at the Gardens; first of a pair of home-and-home games. Both teams scored in the first minute or so; but it was Blues; last in the Norris Division; who prevailed 6-3 over Leafs. (Photo by Colin McConnell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
CANADA – NOVEMBER 19: Thou shalt not pass: Brian Sutter of St. Louis Blues and Leafs’ Borje Salming take the roles of irresistible force and immovable object in last night’s game at the Gardens; first of a pair of home-and-home games. Both teams scored in the first minute or so; but it was Blues; last in the Norris Division; who prevailed 6-3 over Leafs. (Photo by Colin McConnell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /

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.

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