The St. Louis Blues are an American professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. They play in the Central Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). [1] The team joined the NHL in 1967 as an expansion team with five other teams. The Blues first played their home games at the St. Louis Arena until 1994; they have played their home games at the Enterprise Center, first named the Kiel Center, since then. [2] The majority of the Blues franchise are owned by SLB Acquisition LLC, headed by Tom Stillman; Doug Armstrong is their general manager. [3] [4]
There have been 28 head coaches for the Blues. The franchise's first head coach was Lynn Patrick, who coached for 16 games in his first term. Joel Quenneville is the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular-season games coached (593), the most regular-season game wins (307), the most regular-season points (709), the most playoff games coached (68), and the most playoff-game wins (34). Barclay Plager and Bob Plager are the only pair of brothers [5] to have coached the Blues; Barclay coached for four seasons, and Bob coached for eleven games. Red Berenson, Brian Sutter, Quenneville and Ken Hitchcock are the only head coaches to have been awarded the Jack Adams Award with the Blues. [6] Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour, and Emile Francis are the only Blues head coaches to have been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder. [7] Six coaches have spent their entire NHL head coaching careers with the Blues.
Jim Montgomery serves as head coach of the Blues, after being named to the role on November 24, 2024, following the firing of Drew Bannister. [8] [9]
# | Number of coaches [a] |
GC | Games coached |
W | Wins = 2 points |
L | Losses = 0 points |
T | Ties = 1 point |
OT | Overtime/shootout losses = 1 point [b] |
PTS | Points |
Win% | Winning percentage |
* | Spent entire NHL coaching career with the Blues |
† | Elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder |
Note: Statistics are correct through the hiring of Montgomery during the 2024–25 season.
# | Name | Term [c] | Regular season | Playoffs | Achievements | Reference | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GC | W | L | T/OT | PTS | Win% | GC | W | L | Win% | |||||
1 | Lynn Patrick | 1967 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 10 | .313 | — | — | — | — | [10] | |
2 | Scotty Bowman† | 1967–1970 | 210 | 97 | 79 | 40 | 234 | .557 | 46 | 24 | 22 | .522 | [11] | |
3 | Al Arbour† | 1970–1971 | 50 | 21 | 15 | 14 | 56 | .560 | — | — | — | — | [12] | |
— | Scotty Bowman† | 1971 | 28 | 13 | 10 | 5 | 31 | .553 | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | [11] | |
4 | Sid Abel | 1971 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 7 | .350 | — | — | — | — | [13] | |
5 | Bill McCreary, Sr. | 1971 | 24 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 16 | .333 | — | — | — | — | [14] | |
— | Al Arbour† | 1971–1972 | 57 | 21 | 25 | 11 | 53 | .447 | 11 | 4 | 7 | .364 | [12] | |
6 | Jean-Guy Talbot | 1972–1974 | 120 | 52 | 53 | 15 | 119 | .496 | 5 | 1 | 4 | .200 | [15] | |
7 | Lou Angotti | 1974 | 32 | 6 | 20 | 6 | 18 | .281 | — | — | — | — | [16] | |
— | Lynn Patrick | 1974 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .750 | — | — | — | — | [10] | |
8 | Garry Young | 1974–1975 | 98 | 41 | 41 | 16 | 98 | .500 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | [17] | |
— | Lynn Patrick | 1975–1976 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | .375 | — | — | — | — | [10] | |
9 | Leo Boivin* | 1976 | 43 | 17 | 17 | 9 | 43 | .500 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | [18] | |
10 | Emile Francis† | 1976–1977 | 80 | 32 | 39 | 9 | 73 | .456 | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | [19] | |
— | Leo Boivin* | 1977–1978 | 80 | 20 | 47 | 13 | 53 | .331 | — | — | — | — | [18] | |
11 | Barclay Plager* | 1978–1979 | 104 | 25 | 64 | 15 | 65 | .310 | — | — | — | — | [20] | |
12 | Red Berenson* | 1979–1982 | 204 | 100 | 72 | 32 | 232 | .569 | 14 | 5 | 9 | .357 | 1980–81 Jack Adams Award winner [6] | [21] |
— | Emile Francis† | 1982–1982 | 44 | 14 | 25 | 5 | 33 | .375 | 10 | 5 | 5 | .500 | [19] | |
— | Barclay Plager* | 1982–1983 | 48 | 15 | 21 | 12 | 42 | .438 | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | [20] | |
13 | Jacques Demers | 1983–1986 | 240 | 106 | 106 | 28 | 240 | .500 | 33 | 16 | 17 | .485 | [22] | |
14 | Jacques Martin | 1986–1988 | 160 | 66 | 71 | 23 | 155 | .484 | 16 | 7 | 9 | .438 | [23] | |
15 | Brian Sutter | 1988–1992 | 320 | 153 | 124 | 43 | 349 | .545 | 41 | 20 | 21 | .488 | 1990–91 Jack Adams Award winner [6] | [24] |
16 | Bob Plager* | 1992 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 9 | .409 | — | — | — | — | [25] | |
17 | Bob Berry | 1992–1994 | 157 | 73 | 63 | 21 | 167 | .532 | 15 | 7 | 8 | .467 | [26] | |
18 | Mike Keenan | 1994–1996 | 163 | 75 | 66 | 22 | 172 | .528 | 20 | 10 | 10 | .500 | [27] | |
19 | Jim Roberts | 1996–1997 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | .500 | — | — | — | — | [28] | |
20 | Joel Quenneville | 1997–2004 | 593 | 307 | 191 | 95 | 709 | .598 | 68 | 34 | 34 | .500 | 1999–2000 Jack Adams Award winner [6] | [29] |
21 | Mike Kitchen* | 2004–2006 | 131 | 38 | 70 | 23 | 99 | .378 | — | — | — | — | [30] | |
22 | Andy Murray | 2006–2010 | 258 | 118 | 102 | 38 | 274 | .531 | 4 | 0 | 4 | .000 | [31] | |
23 | Davis Payne* | 2010–2011 | 137 | 67 | 55 | 15 | 149 | .544 | — | — | — | — | [32] | |
24 | Ken Hitchcock | 2011–2017 | 413 | 248 | 124 | 41 | 537 | .650 | 45 | 20 | 25 | .444 | 2011–12 Jack Adams Award winner [6] | [33] |
25 | Mike Yeo | 2017–2018 | 133 | 73 | 49 | 11 | 157 | .590 | — | — | — | — | [34] | |
26 | Craig Berube | 2018–2023 | 382 | 206 | 132 | 44 | 239 | .594 | 51 | 24 | 27 | .471 | 2019 Stanley Cup championship | [35] |
27 | Drew Bannister* | 2023–2024 | 76 | 39 | 31 | 6 | 84 | .553 | — | — | — | — | [36] | |
28 | Jim Montgomery | 2024–present | — | — | — | — | — | – | — | — | — | — | [37] |
Michael Elwin Kitchen is a Canadian former defenceman and coach. He most recently was an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League. As of February 2016, Kitch has coached in over 2400 NHL games including playoffs. In 2012/2013 he assisted in coaching the Hawks to their longest winning streak without a loss. He also spent time as the head coach of the Lake Simcoe Snappers, the Georgina Men’s League Champions.
Joel Norman Quenneville is a Canadian–American ice hockey coach and former player in the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Coach Q", he is second in NHL coaching wins at 969 behind Scotty Bowman. Quenneville achieved his greatest success as head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, a team he coached from 2008 to 2018. He led the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup titles between 2010 and 2015. The team's championship victory in 2010 was the Blackhawks' first since 1961, ending the then-longest Stanley Cup drought.
Bob Berry is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens and Los Angeles Kings between 1968 and 1977. Bob was elected to play in two NHL all star games. He has also served as a head coach in the NHL for the Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues between 1978 and 1994. He has two sons Bradlee and Brock. His grandson Bodie is following in his grandpa footsteps wearing his jersey #18 and playing junior hockey.
Drew Bannister is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who most recently was the head coach for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played in the NHL for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and New York Rangers. He finished his playing career as a player and head coach for the Braehead Clan of the British Elite Ice Hockey League. Bannister was born in Belleville, Ontario, but grew up in Sudbury, Ontario.
Barclay Graham Plager was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and coach for the St. Louis Blues.
Robert Bryant Plager was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 14 seasons from 1964 until 1978, primarily for the St. Louis Blues. Plager spent over half a century with the Blues organization in various capacities.
Robert Wayne Thomas is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers between 1972 and 1981. He also held several positions in coaching and management in the NHL and the minor leagues, including 22 years in management with the San Jose Sharks.
William Ronald Plager was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman.
Jim Montgomery is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who is the head coach for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Originally undrafted by teams in the NHL, he played a total of six seasons for the Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, and Dallas Stars.
The highlight of the 1996–97 St. Louis Blues season was, after losing Wayne Gretzky the Blues were in turmoil as an ugly public feud between Brett Hull and coach Mike Keenan developed. This was the last season until early 2009, that a huge Blue note would appear at center ice.
The highlight of the 1997–98 St. Louis Blues season would mark an end of an era as former captain Brett Hull was not re-signed following the season.
The 2003–04 St. Louis Blues season was the 37th for the franchise in St. Louis, Missouri. The Blues qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the 25th straight seasons, the team's final playoff appearance until 2009. After finishing the regular season with a record of 39 wins, 30 losses, 11 ties and two overtime losses, the Blues were eliminated in the Western Conference Quarterfinals in five games by the San Jose Sharks.
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the six teams from the 1967 NHL expansion and is named after the W. C. Handy song "Saint Louis Blues". They play their home games at the 18,096 seat Enterprise Center in downtown St. Louis, which has been their arena since moving from St. Louis Arena in 1994.
The 2012–13 St. Louis Blues season was the 46th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 5, 1967. The regular season was reduced from its usual 82 games to 48 due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout.
The 2016–17 St. Louis Blues season was the 50th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 5, 1967. The team played in its first Winter Classic game on January 2, 2017, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4–1 at Busch Stadium with 46,556 in attendance. It was only the third time in the nine Winter Classic games where the home team won. It was the Blues' first participation in an NHL Winter Classic game, while the Blackhawks lost for the third time in three appearances in the event.
The 2019 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2018–19 season and the culmination of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Western Conference champion St. Louis Blues defeated the Eastern Conference champion Boston Bruins four games to three in the best-of-seven series. It was the Blues' first championship, in their 51st season of play, ending what was then the third-longest championship drought in league history. The Bruins had home-ice advantage in the series with the better regular season record. The series began on May 27 and concluded on June 12. The Blues' Stanley Cup–winning run of 26 playoff games tied the 2014 Los Angeles Kings for the longest of any Stanley Cup–winning team in history.
The Blues–Flyers brawl was a fight involving players, fans, and police officers that took place during a National Hockey League (NHL) game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the St. Louis Blues on January 6, 1972, at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. St. Louis-based television station KSDK called the event "one of the worst player-fan-police fights in hockey history".