With the NHL draft coming up, it is time to look into the past at some of the best first-round selections the St. Louis Blues have made over their franchise history. The Blues have had plenty of great draft picks over the years, but some have carved their name into the Blues' history book.
Many players have valid resumes to make this list, but they either were outshone by the players who made the list or did not play the bulk of their career in St. Louis. The players on the list have a mixture of stellar play and have left an impact on the Blues franchise. Some players who missed out on this list were David Perron, Jaden Schwartz, Robert Thomas(who will probably be on this one day), and Barret Jackman.
Bernie Federko
The first true face of the franchise for the Blues, Bernie Federko, was everything you could have ever wanted when the team took him 7th overall in the 1976 NHL draft. Federko played nearly his entire career in St. Louis, barring his final season with the Detroit Red Wings, where the Blues traded him for a package that included future Hall of Famer Adam Oates, which could potentially enhance the impact he had for the franchise.
Federko was one of the most underrated players of his era, which is shocking, considering how consistent he was for the Blues. He leads his draft class in goals, assists, and points. Federko was an elite playmaker, hitting 70+ assists twice in his career. He was the first player in NHL history to have 10 consecutive seasons with 50 assists. Federko had four seasons where he surpassed the 100-point mark, which has him tied with Brett Hull as the most in Blues history.
Federko etched his place in St. Louis history as arguably the greatest player in franchise history and has a couple of team records to back up that claim. He is the team leader in career games played (927), career assists (721), career points (1073), assists in one game (five), and career playoff assists (66). The Blues retired his number 24 in 1991, further cementing his legacy in St. Louis. In 2002, Federko got the call that every hockey player dreams of: being recognized as one of the greats and having his name cemented in hockey history, getting inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Federko was the first player inducted who played the bulk of their career as a member of the Blues. He is the true embodiment of a franchise legend.
Alex Pietrangelo
For some, it may still be tough to think that Alex Pietrangelo is not still a member of the St. Louis Blues(some are me), but the fact that he left in free agency to sign with the Vegas Golden Knights should not tarnish his legacy with the franchise. In hindsight, Doug Armstrong should have given the no-trade clause that Pietrangelo was asking for. Lesser players have it in their contracts. It should not have been an argument for your captain and franchise defenceman.
Pietrangelo was the Blues' 4th overall pick in 2008 and played parts of 12 seasons for the franchise, amassing 109 goals and 450 points in 758 games (5th all-time). He is a true number-one defender in every facet, plays big minutes, plays on the powerplay, and will be the first guy you call on when your team is on the penalty kill. He averaged 24:38 minutes a game in his time in St. Louis and could effortlessly play 30 minutes a night when called upon. He does not have gaudy offensive numbers, but he has always been consistent and can always chip in with a goal here and there. He hit the 50-point mark four times and eclipsed the 10-goal mark six times as a member of the Blues.
For everything Pietrangelo did in St. Louis, his name will last the test of time for one special moment. Captaining the Blues to their first-ever Stanley Cup victory. To make the moment extra special, Pietrangelo scored the game-winning goal in game seven en route to winning the game 4-1 against the Boston Bruins. No one else in franchise history can say they have done that. The photo of Pietrangelo hoisting the Cup with the sparkles in the background is an image that could be hung up in the Louvre. While some fans might still be sour that he left, it is inarguable that Pietrangelo is not one of the greatest Blues first-round picks in their history and will likely see his name in the Hockey Hall of Fame one day.
Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Tarasenko was a human highlight reel during his time in St. Louis. The 2010 16th overall pick took a couple of years to come to North America, but once he did, the NHL world got to see how dynamic he could be. In his first game, Tarasenko scored two goals, with the second being an incredible solo effort, which became the norm for Tarasenko. The mixture of skill, speed, and scoring made him must-see TV during his prime.
During the prime of his career, Tarasenko was one of the best goal scorers in the entire NHL. He hit the 30-goal mark six times and had a career-high of 40 in 2015-16. It was not just that he was a consistent goalscorer, but the highlight reel goals that made him a fan favourite and got him the nickname the Tarasenkshow. You could count on at least two/three goals a season that will make you say, "Wow." His consistency carried over into the playoffs. He was a crucial member of the 2019 Stanley Cup roster, chipping in with 11 goals during that run, the third-most total that postseason.
Tarasenko finished his Blues career with 262 goals and 553 points in 644 games. However, it is not just about the numbers with Tarasenko, even though he was productive. Tarasenko was box office. You wanted to turn on your TV to see what highlight reel goal he would score next. He may not be going to the Hockey Hall of Fame like the other two players on this list, but I do not doubt that he will get his jersey number retired one day and go down as one of the best goal scorers in Blues history.