St. Louis Blues Halloween Party Came At The Perfect Time

The St. Louis Blues could easily have gone down in the dumps learning of the loss of their star player after a road trip. Instead, the timing of an already planned party could not have worked out better.

The St. Louis Blues, like just about every professional sports team, always have parties and get-together’s planned throughout a year, especially around applicable holidays. Sometimes the timing of those events just works out better than the best planner could ever hope for.

The Blues were getting done with a strangely rough road trip out east. They put a lot of physical and emotional energy in their rematch with the Boston Bruins and took way more energy than was needed to beat the Detroit Red Wings in overtime.

When they came home, they were likely just looking forward to a couple days of rest. Instead, they got the bad news regarding Vladimir Tarasenko being out for five months.

These guys are professionals, but they are also human. It would be within reason to think they were a little down in the dumps, if for no other reason than showing empathy for their teammate who has only missed 15 games prior to this injury.

Thus, the timing of the team’s Halloween party could not have been better. If nothing else, it was a great moment to release some energy, have some fun and just be around the guys and family. There were a couple guys that clearly had fun with it.

David Perron and Ryan O’Reilly ended up making their costumes about one another. If that was not funny enough, neither knew the other was going to do anything like that. It was pure coincidence.

Each one was incredibly funny. Perron’s costume was made by the jeans and the shoes. The beard and shirt are amusing, as is the MVP hat and shirt. It is the tight pants and laceless shoes that really make the jab hit the spot.

However, from a personal standpoint, the french toast thing just tickles my funny bone. The beret and cigarette holder are enough to make it hilarious, but there is a video of O’Reilly arriving that had me rolling with laughter.

"Blues Buzz – Ryan O’Reilly dressed as “French Toast”Ryan O’Reilly dressed as “French Toast”"

It is the stereotypical French laugh that just hits me right. What I like about this is it would not be acceptable outside of a team atmosphere.

In the world we live in, I am sure there is someone out there that would take offense to that, but it is part of how sports teams work. Like families, you need to be able to take fun little digs at people, as long as it is good natured. This was just two guys ribbing one another and it was hilarious.

Their teammates thought so too. Alex Steen was reported to have been crying from laughing so hard when Perron arrived, according to Chris Pinkert. “The best part for me was the dress shoes without the laces and socks,” said Zach Sanford in the team website article.

“I saw him (O’Reilly) walk in and was like ‘what the heck is he, a piece of bread?'” Perron recalled. “And then he turned around and I saw my name and number and I was laughing so hard.”

"“I don’t know what to say other than it was extremely funny,” Perron said. “It turned out to be a great night. I’m glad the guys liked it.”"

These kinds of parties won’t make anyone a better player. They won’t score anyone any extra points.

Still, this kind of bonding and team building is what keeps things light during a long season and it breaks up the monotony of show up, skate, go home, repeat. Even millionaires need a break and to have some fun.

As said, this came at just the right time. Nobody in that locker room will admit that Tarasenko’s injury had any affect on them, but in the back of the mind, it can’t not affect you.

This team is tight and that is how they came together to win. Losing a piece of that is not easy.

Thus, they needed this little break. They needed to be around one another, away from the rink and just cut loose a little.

These costumes proved they did just that and they did it well.