NHL Saturday returns after a week’s break, picking up where we left off. We finished the Original Six, and now we take on the “Next Five”—the expansion teams from 1967 that still exist (who mourns for thee, California Golden Seals?!). We start with the St. Louis Blues, the team that lost in the Cup Finals 3 straight times to kick off the Expansion era before finally returning decades later to capture their only NHL title.

No. 10: Alexander Steen, C—55 PS (2008-2020)

The No. 24 overall pick in the 2002 Draft by Toronto, he ended up in St. Louis during his fourth NHL season. Never an All-Star selection, he posted 496 points in 765 regular-season games with the Blues while adding 36 points in 91 playoffs contests. His best year came in 2013-2014 when he compiled 9.1 Point Shares while scoring 62 points (33G, 29A) in 68 games. He finished 18th in the Hart voting that season as well, a grinder.

No. 9: Mike Liut, G—59 PS (1979-1985)

A fourth rounder, the Blues were his second NHL stop, and in his first season with St. Louis, he topped the league in wins (32). He also led his peers in minutes played 2 years in a row (1982-1983), while making the All-Star team in 1981, too. In 1982, he made the most saves; in 1983, he had the most ties. Overall, he was 151-133-52 in 5-plus seasons with the franchise, and that was supported by a 17-20 record in the playoffs. Gritty.

No. 8: Curtis Joseph, G—60 PS (1989-1995)

Undrafted, he ended up getting our nods for back-to-back Vezinas in 1992 and 1993. He actually topped the league in goalie PS marks 3 seasons in a row (1992-1994), while also making the most saves in the league in each of those years, too. He posted the best save percentage in 1993 as well. Yet he was never an All Star; go figure. His 16-16 record in the postseason says a lot more about the roster around him than his own talents.

No. 7: Pavol Demitra, LW—62 PS (1996-2004)

A ninth-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in 1993, he played sparingly until busting out with the Blues during the 1997-1998 season. In 2002, he topped the NHL with 10 game-winning goals; he was also the Lady Byng winner in 2000. But he never made an All-Star team, despite putting up 493 points in 494 games with St. Louis. He was not as effective in the playoffs, though, with just 43 points in 66 games. Still, not bad.

No. 6: Vladimir Tarasenko, RW—70 PS (2012-2023)

The No. 16 overall pick in 2010, he made 2 straight All-Star teams early in his career (2015-2016), while posting 553 points in 664 games. He added 60 points across 90 playoff games, helping the team win its first and only Stanley Cup in 2019. For 3 straight seasons, he compiled double-digit PS marks, too (2015-2017). But he played only 34 games total in the 2 Covid seasons (2019-2020, 2020-2021), before being traded.

No. 5: Bernie Federko, C—77 PS (1976-1989)

A Hall of Famer, he was the No. 7 overall pick in the 1976 Draft. He never made an All-Star team, but he did post 1,073 points in just 927 regular-season games with the Blues: this included 4 seasons of 100-plus points and another 5 seasons of 84-plus points. Eight times, he finished in the Top 18 voting for the Lady Byng, too. In 91 playoff games, he put up 101 points, demonstrating his value on a team that didn’t win a lot.

No. 4: Chris Pronger, D—77 PS (1995-2004)

He spent 9 seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Blues, winning the Norris vote in 2000 and our Norris nod in 2004 as well. He won the Hart vote in 2000, too, and he was a 3-time All Star (1998, 2000, 2004) while with the St. Louis organization. Twice, he topped the NHL in plus/minus. Not bad for the No. 2 overall pick in the 1993 Draft by the Hartford Whalers, who traded him away after just 2 seasons. Ouch!

No. 3: Al MacInnis, D—86 PS (1994-2004)

The No. 15 overall pick in 1981, he spent the second act of Hall of Fame career in St. Louis, making 2 All-Star teams (1999, 2003) and winning the Norris vote in 1999. In 10 seasons with the Blues, he posted 452 points and a plus-132 rating in 613 regular-season games, while his postseason numbers—58 points in 82 games—demonstrated his blue-line leadership. At age 39, he finished second in the Norris voting as well. Just stellar.

No. 2: Alex Pietrangelo, D—86 PS (2008-2020)

He was picked No. 4 overall, and he delivered eventually as a part of the Cup-winning team in 2019. Along the way, he made 3 All-Star teams (2012, 2014, 2020), while putting up 24:38 ATOI in 758 regular-season games with the Blues. He led all 2019 postseason skaters with 16 assists in 26 games, and his 27:03 postseason ATOI in 92 contests stands out as well. We’d say the Blues for their money’s worth out of him.

No. 1: Brett Hull, RW—101 PS (1988-1998)

The son of an NHL legend, he was only a sixth rounder in 1984 by Calgary, who flipped him to the Blues after just 57 career games. He’s in the Hall of Fame now after topping the league in goals scored 3 seasons in a row (1990-1992). He won the Hart vote in 1991, and he also led the NHL in numerous goal-scoring categories multiple times during his St. Louis tenure while putting up 117 points in 102 playoff games.