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Ranking St. Louis Blues Captains Since 2000

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Welcome to our fourth installment of what is officially being called the “Since 2000” series. We have had a fun three weeks already. We ranked the St. Louis Blues starting goalies, head coaches, and first-round picks (with an accidental second-round pick sneaking into the list; Last Word On Hockey apologizes). Today, we are ranking the captains of the Blues since 2000.

Ranking The Captains Criteria

As always, the good and the bad will factor into the rankings. The following, in no particular order, is the criteria for today’s rankings:

  1. Only official captains are on this list. No players who only served as an alternate captain qualify. A player must have worn the “C” on his jersey to qualify.
  2. Individual and team accomplishments are considered.
  3. A captain’s role in team accomplishments is looked at.
  4. Captains are only being ranked based off individual and team performances from when they were captain. For example, Ryan O’Reilly was the 2019 Conn Smythe winner. However, that happened before he was captain. As a result, that does not factor into his placement in the rankings.

Also, Brayden Schenn will not appear on this list. Similar to Drew Bannister when we ranked head coaches, Schenn has not had enough time as captain to fairly rank him.

Without further ado, let us rank the Blues captains since 2000.

Ranking Blues Captains Since 2000

Captain #7: Eric Brewer (2008-2011)

After spending most of the season without a captain, Brewer was named captain in February of 2008. As the main return in the infamous 2006 Chris Pronger trade, Brewer was constantly scrutinized by Blues fans. However, Brewer had started to play better under head coach Andy Murray. Furthermore, shortly after becoming captain, Brewer had a career-high four assists in a 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Things were trending upwards for the newly-named captain.

However, Brewer only played in 28 games in the 2008-09 season before undergoing season-ending back surgery. The Blues rallied from last place in the Western Conference to making the Stanley Cup Playoffs that season, but Brewer did not get to be part of it on the ice. Furthermore, it was the only playoff appearance the Blues had in Brewer’s time with the team. Brewer returned the following season and played relatively fine the next season and a half. A trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning in February of 2011 ended Brewer’s time as the Blues captain. When the trade was announced at the next night’s Blues game, fans cheered.

Brewer finds himself at the bottom of this list simply because not much happened while he was captain. The big rally to make the playoffs came without Brewer in the lineup. Anyone on that team could have been captain and the results would have been the same. Brewer did not move the needle enough as a captain to justify him going ahead of another captain on this list.

Captain #6: Dallas Drake (2005-2007)

In Drake’s two seasons, the Blues finished no higher than tenth in the Western Conference. Furthermore, the Blues finished in last place in one of those seasons. In addition, Drake himself played in no more than 62 games each season. What did he do that would put him above Brewer, who was captain while the Blues were playing competitive hockey?

To put it simple, Drake led by example on the ice. He did not put up the goal-scoring numbers. He was not an electric player who got named to the All-Star team. However, Drake gave his very best each shift in each game. There was no quit even among some tough seasons. Those were a tough two seasons for the Blues, but there was no questioning Drake’s effort and leadership.

Furthermore, the Blues did need a consistent leader on the roster. As a team not competing, the Blues were sellers at each of the trade deadlines in 2006 and 2007. Veteran leaders like Doug Weight, Bill Guerin, and Keith Tkachuk were traded away. Even though Weight (and eventually Tkachuk) returned to the Blues after being traded, Drake was the constant leadership presence in the locker room. Drake deserves more credit than he gets for what he did for a struggling team.

Captain #5: Al MacInnis (2003-2004)

MacInnis became an interim captain in 2003 as Chris Pronger missed significant time recovering from wrist and knee surgery. Even after Pronger returned to the lineup, MacInnis remained the captain. Furthermore, Pronger insited MacInnis keep the captaincy the next season.

For the 2003 season, MacInnis lead all NHL defenceman with 68 points. He scored 16 goals, his most scored since the 1998-99 season. He was also named to the All-Star team. Furthermore, MacInnis led the Blues to a 99-point season. However, the Blues lost in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite being the official captain the next season, MacInnis only played in three games. Vision problems from a previous injury emerged. Those three games would be the final three MacInnis played in the NHL.

MacInnis certainly made an impact as a captain, even thought it was a brief stint. It is unfortunate injuries ended his career. The 2003-04 team certainly missed his leadership and production.

Captain #4: Ryan O’Reilly (2021-2023)

O’Reilly was named captain after Alex Pietrangelo left in free agency. O’Reilly’s first season as captain was an interesting one, as it was right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Playing just 56 games, the Blues dealt with multiple postponed games as a result of the pandemic. However, the Blues played good hockey the entire season despite the inconsistent schedule and travel arrangements. The team went 15-9-4 on the road. O’Reilly led the way with 24 goals. Despite the frustrations of the pandemic, O’Reilly helped the Blues stay on task and reach the playoffs.

The next season saw a return to the 82-game format. However, the Blues remained a top team, led by O’Reilly. O’Reilly scored 21 goals and led the Blues once again to the playoffs. Once there, O’Reilly found another level. He scored seven goals in 12 playoff games. The Blues seemed on their way to a deep run before an injury to goalie Jordan Binnington stalled the team in the second round.

O’Reilly was traded at the 2023 Trade Deadline, ending his time as a Blue. As a captain, O’Reilly led the Blues through a different 2021 season and helped them be Stanley Cup-contenders in 2022. O’Reilly led by example, on and off the ice. It is a shame he was unable to win a Stanley Cup as captain.

Captain #3 David Backes (2011-2016)

Backes is the first captain on this list to have led the Blues to the playoffs each year he was captain. Furthermore, Backes led the Blues to two Central Division titles (2012 and 2015) and a Western Conference Final appearance in 2016. Backes was a consistent goal scorer for the Blues. With the exception of the 48-game season in 2013 due to the lockout, Backes scored no less than 21 goals each season he was the captain. In the 2016 playoff run, Backes had two game-winning goals in overtime.

In addition to scoring goals, Backes was also an elite defensive forward. Backes was regularly on the penalty kill and on the ice in late-game situations. In the 2011-12 season, Backes was a finalist for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the best defensive forward in the league.

Backes’s time as the captain of the Blues came a time the Blues were returning to be an elite team in the league and being a Stanley Cup contender. Had the Blues not ran out of gas in 2o16, Backes may very well have been the first Blues captain to hoist the Stanley Cup. As it is, Backes’s contributions to the Blues have not gone underappreciated by fans. In what ended up being his final NHL game, Backes, then with the Anaheim Ducks, received a standing ovation at the Enterprise Center. Backes would later sign a one-day contract to retire as a Blue.

Captain #2 Chris Pronger (1997-2003, 200-2003 looked at for this rankings)

As captain, Pronger led the Blues to their best regular-season in team history. The Blues went 51-19-11-1 to win their first President’s Trophy in the 1999-200 season. Pronger led the Blues with 48 assists and had a career-high 62 points. Furthermore, Pronger won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman and won the Hart Trophy for the league’s most valuable player. Pronger was one of four Blues to win awards for the 2000 season. The only thing missing from the 2000 season was the Stanley Cup.

Unfortunately for Pronger, the 2000 season would be his last great year with the Blues. Injuries limited him to just 51 games the next season. He would play in 78 games the following season and registered 47 points, but the injuries returned the next season. It was at that point Pronger passed off the captaincy to Al MacInnis.

If we could include the first few seasons Pronger was captain, there may be a case to rank him at the top. As it is, it is hard to rank Pronger any higher based on the criteria of this list. However, his memorable 1999-2000 season is one Blues fans should remember for years to come. His number 44 hangs in the rafters at Enterprise Center for many similar reasons.

Captain #1 Alex Pietrangelo (2016-2020)

A former first-round pick of the Blues, Pietrangelo was named captain in 2016. Despite being a consistent two-way defenceman, Pietrangelo reached another level once becoming captain. His first season as captain, Pietrangelo scored what was a career-high 14 goals. Furthermore, Pietrangelo was named an All-Star for the first time.

However, Pietrangelo’s biggest moment with the Blues came in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pietrangelo tied for the most assists by a defenceman with 16. Furthermore, he scored the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the Final. As such, Pietrangelo scored the first Cup-winning goal in Blues history. The captain followed up that season with another All-Star season in 2020. The abrupt pause in the season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic deprived Pietrangelo of a chance at this first 20-goal season. When the season paused, Pietrangelo had 16 goals.

Pietrangelo played his final games as a Blue in Canada during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Blues title defence ended in the first round. Pietrangelo’s departure is one Blues fans wish could have been avoided. As it is, Pietrangelo holds the distinction of being the first Blues captain to win the Stanley Cup. The memory of Pietrangelo lifting the Cup in celebration is one Blues fans will not soon forget.

Main Photo: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

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