2007–08 St. Louis Blues season explained

League:NHL
Season:2007–08
Year:2007
Team:St. Louis Blues
Conferencerank:14th
Divisionrank:5th
Record:33–36–13
Homerecord:20–15–6
Roadrecord:13–21–7
Goalsfor:205
Goalsagainst:237
Captain:Vacant (Oct.–Feb.)
Eric Brewer (Feb.–Apr.)
Altcaptain:Barret Jackman
Paul Kariya
Jamal Mayers (Oct.–Jan.)
Bryce Salvador (Oct.–Jan.)
Keith Tkachuk
Doug Weight (Oct.–Dec.)
Attendance:17,610 (92.0%) [41 games]
Goalsleader:Brad Boyes (43)
Assistsleader:Paul Kariya (49)
Pointsleader:Brad Boyes, Paul Kariya (65)
Plusminusleader:David Perron (+16)
Pimleader:D. J. King (100)
Winsleader:Manny Legace (27)
Gaaleader:Manny Legace (2.41)

The 2007–08 St. Louis Blues season began on October 4, 2007, with a game in Glendale, Arizona, against the Phoenix Coyotes. It is the Blues' 41st season in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Key dates prior to the start of the season:

Regular season

The Blues struggled on the power-play, finishing 31st in power-play goals scored (47) and 30th overall in power-play percentage (14.07%).[1]

Conference standings

Schedule and results

October

Record: 6–4–0; Home: 4–2–0; Road: 2–2–0
Attendance: 103,299 (6)

Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts
1 October 4 St. Louis 2 – 3 17,799 0–1–0 0
2 October 6 St. Louis 5 – 3 18,118 1–1–0 2
3 October 10 4 – 1 St. Louis 19,150 2–1–0 4
4 October 12 4 – 1 St. Louis 19,150 3–1–0 6
5 October 17 St. Louis 3 – 1 10,002 4–1–0 8
6 October 20 3 – 1 St. Louis Legace 19,150 4–2–0 8
7 October 23 2 – 4 St. Louis Legace 14,764 5–2–0 10
8 October 25 St. Louis 0 – 3 Toivonen 12,786 5–3–0 10
9 October 27 3 – 4 St. Louis Legace 16,863 6–3–0 12
10 October 30 1 – 2 St. Louis Legace 14,222 6–4–0 12

November

Record: 8–4–1; Home: 5–1–0; Road: 3–3–1
Attendance: 105,838 (6)   Total: 209,137 (12)

Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts
11 November 1 St. Louis 3 – 2 Legace 18,568 7–4–0 14
12 November 3 3 – 2 St. Louis Legace 19,150 7–5–0 14
13 November 4 St. Louis 0 – 3 Toivonen 13,254 7–6–0 14
14 November 9 St. Louis 2 – 4 Legace 16,149 7–7–0 14
15 November 13 3 – 4 St. Louis Legace 18,440 8–7–0 16
16 November 16 2 – 3 St. Louis Legace 19,150 9–7–0 18
17 November 17 St. Louis 3 – 2 SO Toivonen 15,246 10–7–0 20
18 November 19 1 – 2 St. Louis Legace 15,239 11–7–0 22
19 November 21 St. Louis 0 – 3 Legace 19,124 11–8–0 22
20 November 23 1 – 3 St. Louis Toivonen 18,721 12–8–0 24
21 November 25 0 – 3 St. Louis Legace 15,138 13–8–0 26
22 November 28 St. Louis 4 – 3 Legace 18,690 14–8–0 28
23 November 30 St. Louis 2 – 3 OT Legace 18,568 14–8–1 29

December

Record: 5–6–3; Home: 2–4–2; Road: 3–2–1
Attendance: 139,681 (8)   Total: 348,818 (20)

Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts
24 December 1 1 – 3 St. Louis Toivonen 19,150 15–8–1 31
25 December 4 St. Louis 1 – 3 Toivonen 19,289 15–9–1 31
26 December 7 St. Louis 4 – 3 Toivonen 16,839 16–9–1 33
27 December 9 St. Louis 5 – 9 Toivonen 15,476 16–10–1 33
28 December 11 5 – 4 St. Louis SO Toivonen 14,329 16–10–2 34
29 December 13 1 – 0 St. Louis Legace 14,088 16–11–2 34
30 December 16 5 – 3 St. Louis Legace 16,733 16–12–2 34
31 December 20 2 – 3 St. Louis Legace 19,150 17–12–2 36
32 December 22 St. Louis 4 – 1 Legace 14,200 18–12–2 38
33 December 23 3 – 2 St. Louis OT Legace 17,731 18–12–3 39
34 December 26 5 – 0 St. Louis Legace 19,250 18–13–3 39
35 December 28 1 – 0 St. Louis Legace 19,250 18–14–3 39
36 December 29 St. Louis 4 – 5 SO Toivonen 18,532 18–14–4 40
37 December 31 St. Louis 2 – 0 Legace 20,066 19–14–4 42

January

Record: 4–5–3; Home: 3–1–2; Road: 1–4–1
Attendance: 101,341 (6)     Total: 450,159 (26)

Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts
38 January 2 3 – 2 St. Louis OT Toivonen 14,465 19–14–5 43
39 January 5 0 – 1 St. Louis Legace 19,150 20–14–5 45
40 January 8 1 – 6 St. Louis Legace 14,818 21–14–5 47
41 January 10 2 – 4 St. Louis Legace 16,805 22–14–5 49
42 January 11 St. Louis 4 – 6 Toivonen 15,233 22–15–5 49
43 January 13 4 – 3 St. Louis SO Legace 16,828 22–15–6 50
44 January 16 St. Louis 1 – 6 17,570 22–16–6 50
45 January 19 5 – 2 St. Louis Legace 19,275 22–17–6 50
46 January 21 St. Louis 3 – 6 Legace 13,642 22–18–6 50
47 January 23 St. Louis 2 – 3 SO Legace 18,630 22–18–7 51
48 January 24 St. Louis 1 – 4 Legace 17,142 22–19–7 51
49 January 29 St. Louis 3 – 2 Legace 19,363 23–19–7 53

February

Record: 5–7–3; Home: 4–4–1; Road: 1–3–2
Attendance: 162,932 (9)     Total: 613,091 (35)

Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts
50 February 1 0 – 1 St. Louis SO Legace 19,150 24–19–7 55
51 February 2 6 – 4 St. Louis Legace 19,150 24–20–7 55
52 February 5 5 – 4 St. Louis Legace 17,150 24–21–7 55
53 February 9 St. Louis 2 – 6 Toivonen 18,584 24–22–7 55
54 February 10 2 – 1 St. Louis SO Legace 16,477 24–22–8 56
55 February 12 2 – 4 St. Louis Legace 15,688 25–22–8 58
56 February 14 St. Louis 4 – 1 Legace 17,131 26–22–8 60
57 February 16 St. Louis 1 – 2 OT Legace 17,113 26–22–9 61
58 February 17 1 – 5 St. Louis Legace 19,150 27–22–9 63
59 February 19 1 – 5 St. Louis Legace 19,150 28–22–9 65
60 February 21 St. Louis 1 – 5 Legace 14,132 28–23–9 65
61 February 22 St. Louis 1 – 2 OT Legace 17,174 28–23–10 66
62 February 24 St. Louis 0 – 2 Legace 14,845 28–24–10 66
63 February 26 3 – 1 St. Louis Legace 19,150 28–25–10 66
64 February 28 2 – 1 St. Louis Legace 17,867 28–26–10 66

March

Record: 3–9–2; Home: 1–3–0; Road: 2–6–2
Attendance: 72,423 (4)     Total: 685,514 (39)

Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts
65 March 1 2 – 0 St. Louis Legace 19,150 28–27–10 66
66 March 4 2 – 3 St. Louis Legace 14,973 29–27–10 68
67 March 5 St. Louis 1 – 4 Legace 18,064 29–28–10 68
68 March 8 St. Louis 2 – 4 Legace 18,630 29–29–10 68
69 March 10 St. Louis 3 – 7 Toivonen 19,289 29–30–10 68
70 March 11 St. Louis 3 – 4 OT Legace 16,839 29–30–11 69
71 March 14 St. Louis 1 – 4 Toivonen 17,496 29–31–11 69
72 March 15 St. Louis 2 – 5 Legace 17,174 29–32–11 69
73 March 18 St. Louis 4 – 3 SO Legace 21,273 30–32–11 71
74 March 20 St. Louis 2 – 3 Toivonen 20,027 30–33–11 71
75 March 23 St. Louis 3 – 4 OT Toivonen 19,146 30–33–12 72
76 March 25 2 – 1 St. Louis Legace 19,150 30–34–12 72
77 March 28 St. Louis 4 – 3 OT Legace 20,066 31–34–12 74
78 March 29 4 – 3 St. Louis Legace 19,150 31–35–12 74

April

Record: 2–1–1; Home: 1–0–1; Road: 1–1–0
Attendance: 36,507 (2)   Total: 722,021 (41)

Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts
79 April 1 4 – 3 St. Louis OT Toivonen 17,357 31–35–13 75
80 April 3 St. Louis 2 – 3 Toivonen 17,113 31–36–13 75
81 April 5 0 – 3 St. Louis Legace 19,150 32–36–13 77
82 April 6 St. Louis 4 – 1 Toivonen 17,739 33–36–13 79

Playoffs

The Blues failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third season in a row and dropped from 81 points (34–35–13) in 2006–07, but they did manage to dramatically increase their average attendance from 12,520 (59.6% of capacity) that year, to 17,610 (92.0% of capacity) in 2007–08.

Player statistics

Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

PlayerGPGAPtsPIM
72 13 18 31 99
Christian Backman ** 45 1 9 10 30
82 43 22 65 20
77 1 20 21 91
2 0 0 0 2
4 0 0 0 5
58 5 5 10 42
78 2 14 16 93
12 0 1 1 18
69 5 28 33 28
Mike Johnson * 21 2 3 5 8
79 5 13 18 22
82 16 49 65 50
61 3 3 6 100
66 0 2 2 4
80 12 15 27 91
81 9 13 22 26
49 14 22 36 32
66 2 7 9 42
62 13 14 27 38
6 0 1 1 0
40 5 11 16 40
Bryce Salvador ** 56 1 10 11 43
12 1 1 2 9
80 13 25 38 40
79 27 31 58 69
23 0 0 0 2
24 2 6 8 8
43 1 1 2 61
Doug Weight ** 29 4 7 11 12
27 2 6 8 12
TOTALS 82 205 357 562 1,137

* out for season with injury
** traded away

through April 6, 2008

Goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; Sv% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

PlayerGPTOIWLOTGASOSASv%GAA
  66 3,666 27 25   8 147   5 1,648 .911 2.41
  23 1,202   6 10   5   69   0   566 .878 3.44
    1     27   0   0   0     1   0       9 .889 2.22
    2     50   0   1   0     6   0     17 .647 7.20
TOTALS 82 4,945 33 36 13 223 5 2,240 .900 2.71

through April 6, 2008

Awards and records

Milestones

Regular Season
Player Milestone Reached
Erik Johnson 1st NHL Game
1st NHL Assist
1st NHL Point
October 4, 2007
Steve Wagner 1st NHL Game October 4, 2007
Erik Johnson 1st NHL Goal October 6, 2007
Steve Wagner 1st NHL Assist
1st NHL Point
October 6, 2007
David Perron 1st NHL Game
1st NHL Assist
1st NHL Point
October 12, 2007
Martin Rucinsky 600th NHL Point October 20, 2007
Steve Wagner 1st NHL Goal October 20, 2007
Dan Hinote 400th NHL Game October 27, 2007
Keith Tkachuk 1,000th NHL Game December 1, 2007
Barret Jackman 500th NHL Penalty Minute December 20, 2007
Matt Walker 1st NHL Goal February 17, 2008
Andy McDonald 100th NHL Goal February 17, 2008
Ryan Johnson 100th NHL Point March 4, 2008
Andy Murray 600th NHL Coaching Game March 5, 2008
Keith Tkachuk 500th NHL Goal April 6, 2008

Transactions

The Blues have been involved in the following transactions during the 2007–08 season.

Trades

June 26, 2007
To St. Louis Blues
Keith Tkachuk
conditional 4th round pick in 2008
To Atlanta Thrashers
conditional 1st round pick in 2008
July 23, 2007
To St. Louis Blues
Hannu Toivonen
To Boston Bruins
Carl Soderberg
August 1, 2007
To St. Louis Blues
Francois-Pierre Guenette
To Vancouver Canucks
Zack Fitzgerald
November 8, 2007
To St. Louis Blues
7th round pick in 2008 Entry Draft
To Colorado Avalanche
Jason Bacashihua
December 14, 2007
To St. Louis Blues
Andy McDonald
To Anaheim Ducks
Doug Weight
Michael Birner
7th round pick in 2008 – Paul Karpowich
February 26, 2008
To St. Louis Blues
Cam Janssen
To New Jersey Devils
Bryce Salvador
February 26, 2008
To New York Rangers
Christian Backman
June 4, 2008
To St. Louis Blues
T. J. Fast
To Los Angeles Kings
5th round draft pick in 2009 – Wade Megan
June 19, 2008
To St. Louis Blues
3rd round pick in 2008 – James Livingston
To Toronto Maple Leafs
Jamal Mayers
June 20, 2008
To St. Louis Blues
Chris Mason
To Nashville Predators
4th round pick in 2008 – Dale Weise

Free agents

Player Former team Contract Terms (Yrs., $Total / yr.)
1 year, $500,000
3 years, $6 million
Lewiston Maineiacs (QMJHL) $875,000
$605,000
Player New team
Florida Panthers
Vancouver Canucks
Montreal Canadiens
Detroit Red Wings
Phoenix Coyotes

Contract renewals

Player Contract Terms (yrs., $Total / yr.)
1 year, $643,720
3 years, $1.6 million
1 year, $600,000
1 year, $689,700
4 years, $3.6 million
4 years, $4.0 million
3 years, $2.5 million (Jul. 1, 2008)[2]

Signed prospects

Player Signing Date
T. J. Oshie (C) May 13[3]

Draft picks

St. Louis' picks at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in Columbus, Ohio.[4]

RoundPlayerPositionNationalityCollege/Junior/Club team (League)
113Lars EllerCFrölunda HC (SEL)
118Ian ColeDU.S. National Team Development Program (NAHL)
126David PerronLWLewiston Maineiacs (QMJHL)
239Simon HjalmarssonRWFrölunda HC (Swe Jr.)
244Aaron PalushajRWDes Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
385Brett SonneC/LWCalgary Hitmen (WHL)
496Cade FairchildDU.S. National Team Development Program (NAHL)
4100Travis ErstadC/RWLincoln Stars (USHL)
6160Anthony PelusoDErie Otters (OHL)
7190Trevor NillCDetroit Compuware (Michigan midget)

Farm teams

Peoria Rivermen

The Peoria Rivermen are the Blues American Hockey League affiliate in 2007–08.

Alaska Aces

The Alaska Aces are the Blues affiliate in the ECHL.

See also

External links

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2007-08 NHL Summary.
  2. Web site: Backes remains a Blue: Blues match $7.5 million offer sheet tendered by Vancouver . https://web.archive.org/web/20080801172839/http://blues.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=367429 . 2008-08-01 . dead . 2009-05-27 .
  3. Web site: T.J. Oshie is Latest WCHA Player to Leave Early - Signs with St. Louis Blues . https://archive.today/20090519025817/http://www.wcha.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/051308aaa.html . 2009-05-19 . dead . 2009-04-05 .
  4. 2007 NHL Entry Draft Results NHL.com