@thecirclekclassic
Let’s Go Blues!
Three seasons ago Kelly Chase brought the St. Louis AAA Blues to Calgary for the Circle K Classic as a Coach. The former Blues player was gracious with his time and Calgary hockey fans enjoyed meeting him the entire week. I’ll never forget him telling me, “people always mistaken me for Brett Hull.”
While the AAA Blues team had some travel related issues they made no excuses and competed hard throughout the entire week. Five players short to begin the grind of the Circle K Classic and with players gear lost in travel they were helped by the Calgary Northstars to get into action, some players even wearing green Northstars pants and gloves.
The rest of the group would arrive after ‘Chaser’ pulled some strings helped by Denver Broncos legend John Elway in fact to have the rest of the players flown into Calgary.
Over the years so many Calgary Flames players and coaches have had ties to the St. Louis Blues. They include current Calgary Flames General Manager Craig Conroy, Brett Hull and Al MacInnis, as well as several players named ‘Sutter’.
The Flames and Blues had battles for the ages especially in 1986 NHL playoff series. If you never saw it go back and watch it. One of the most hard fought series between a Norris and Smythe Division rival you will ever see. The Flames won the Campbell Conference Final series in seven games but eventually lost the Stanley Cup Final in five games to a rookie goaltender named Patrick Roy and his Montreal Canadiens.
The Calgary Flames Head Coach was “Badger” Bob Johnson. An American coach who had incredible success at the collegiate level in the United States with the Wisconsin Badgers before coaching the Calgary Flames.
That Blues series may have well been what wore the Flames out that season. Calgary learned the lesson and won their first Stanley Cup three seasons later back at the Montreal Forum in 1989.
That hard fought series in 1986, not just the wars with the Edmonton Oilers in the Battle of Alberta taught the Calgary Flames valuable lessons. To this day the 1989 Stanley Cup team plays an integral part in the Calgary hockey community. I had the pleasure of coaching two of those players sons with the Calgary Buffaloes U18 AA program and marvelled at the professionalism of the former NHL players.
They included Colin Patterson’s son Derek who was my Captain and Ben Otto son of Joel Otto another great US Olympian. Patterson and Otto are both pillars of the Calgary Flames Alumni.
The St. Louis Blues Alumni like the Calgary Flames are two of the most well respected in the entire National Hockey League. They do countless acts for community and not just in the hockey community. Both lead by example every single shift.
In 2019 the St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup led by Craig Berube another hard nosed player who also played for the Calgary Flames. St. Louis had sixteen Canadian players on the roster, many from the province of Saskatchewan. The Blues won their first Cup in Game 7 with hard work after a poor start to the NHL season. All capped on a goal by Pat Maroon. An American and native of St. Louis. Another hard working player.
The Head Coach of this year’s Champion Andy MacDonald is a native of Strathroy Ontario just outside of London. The former NHL forward was an undersized tenacious forward who carved out a great NHL career and won the Stanley Cup in 2007 playing for Brian Burke and the Anaheim Ducks.
After playing Junior B he would star for Colgate University for four seasons before breaking into the National League with the Mighty Ducks organization later finishing his career in St. Louis with the Blues.
His GM Brian Burke has always seen the value of hard working players. He did in Anaheim, Calgary and during countless Team USA selections. I often use his line on live broadcasts. “Hockey is just a series of 10 foot battles.” My Dad used to say the something similar the game, “it’s just hard work”.
Brian Burke would agree none of these players mentioned above played the game as hard as Kelly Chase. Period.
So let this serves as notice to next generation of young players from here in Calgary to St. Louis Missouri in an Olympic year.
A season where hockey fans debate who made the rosters for Team Canada and Team USA. It’s not about where you were drafted or the press clippings. It’s about showing up and playing for your teammates. Working hard work, sacrifice and playing your hardest each and every shift.
No excuses. Because hard work beats talent every time. Lessons learned again at this year’s Circle K Classic.
Thank you Kelly Chase. Congratulations to your Champion St. Louis AAA Blues for providing another valuable lesson inside the game. Gloria! @hockeypayne