ST. LOUIS BLUES

The St. Louis Blues franchise, established in 1967 as one of the NHL's first expansion teams holds a significant place in the city's sports identity, characterized by both its early perennial playoff appearances and a long history of resilience. The franchise's very existence in the 1980s was secured by local determination, with a group of civic leaders and investors stepping up to buy the team in 1986 to prevent its relocation and push for the eventual construction of a modern downtown arena, the Enterprise Center, which opened in 1994.