The Great One, the honorary captain for the Pacific, talked about how far hockey had come here since the St. Louis Blues entered the NHL as an expansion team in 1967.
Five players from St. Louis were selected in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft. The Blues hosted the 2017 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Busch Stadium, won the Stanley Cup for the first time last season, then opened a four-sheet, $80 million practice facility and completed a three-stage, $120 million renovation of Enterprise Center before this season.
Now this.
“Everything’s been incredible,” said Gretzky, who played for the Blues at the end of the 1995-96 season. “Of course, winning the Stanley Cup was icing on the cake, and this weekend and festivities have been just tremendous here. Everybody’s really enjoyed it. These players are such great athletes. It was a great show and a great weekend.”
It was the first NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis since 1988, and it was the first time since 1989, when Gretzky returned to Edmonton as a member of the Los Angeles Kings, that the defending Stanley Cup champion hosted the NHL All-Star Game.
Fans soaked it up from the 2020 NHL Fan Fair at Union Station, the historic train station that recently completed its own $187 million renovation, to the game itself.
“Being here for the Stanley Cup and then coming back for the All-Star Game, I can’t tell you the energy that is infused in the city,” said actress Jenna Fischer, who is from St. Louis and was the honorary captain for the Atlantic Division.
“I was down at Union Station today as part of the Fan Fair, and that was amazing. Having the Stanley Cup on display in our city for people to see, I mean, there was a line out the door.”
“Everything was awesome,” said Brett Hull, who is the Blues all-time leader in goals with 527 and was the honorary captain for the Central Division. “Can’t have better timing to win the Cup, to have the All-Star Game, for these fans who have been through so much for this city.”
Nothing could have set the tone better than this: When it was time for “The Star-Spangled Banner,” out walked Charles Glenn, the longtime Blues anthem singer who had retired after last season. The crowd roared, and he belted out a beautiful rendition, drawing out the word “free.”
Actor Jon Hamm, who is from St. Louis and was the honorary captain for the Metropolitan Division, well, hammed it up in an introductory video. At one point, Oilers captain Connor McDavid said he was “truly the Jon Hamm of hockey,” but while his lips moved, it was Hamm’s voice.
When the players were introduced, the Blues came last, and out came Laila Anderson, St. Louis’ superfan who is battling hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, a severe systemic inflammatory syndrome, and became part of the team last season. She called out their names on a red carpet on the ice, and she did it with feeling.
Goalie Jordan Binnington, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and forwards Ryan O’Reilly and David Perron each stopped to give her a hug or a fist bump.
“She was really good,” Perron said. “She had a good voice and pretty loud. She had fun doing it, so it certainly was special for all four of us.”
After the Atlantic Division defeated the Metropolitan Division 9-5 in the first semifinal, Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie did an in-arena interview on the bench. He was selected by the Blues in the first round (No. 24) of the 2005 NHL Draft and played for them from 2008-15. He said he had been part of some heartbreaking seasons and it was “very exciting for them to finally get that Cup.”
Craig Berube, coach of the Blues and the Central Division, used an all-Blues starting lineup, of course, and the fans treated the Central Division as the home team, chanting “Let’s go Blues.” Even Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane, who was booed all weekend for representing a division rival, was cheered when he scored. At least for a moment. He put his hand to his ear.
However, the Central lost to the Pacific in the semifinal 10-5.
“It doesn’t even matter,” Hull said. “It was so great.”
The championship still featured Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk and Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk, the sons of former Blues forward Keith Tkachuk. They grew up in St. Louis tagging along with their dad, skating on this very ice, wrestling in the locker room. They went to a couple of All-Star Games with their dad, and now here they were making their NHL All-Star Game debuts at home.
The fans even sang John Denver’s “Country Roads” like they do at Blues games.
“It’s just so good,” said Kelly Chase, who played for the Blues from 1989-94 and 1997-2000. “It’s a perfect storm here right now. I hope everyone goes home and has a great perspective [on St. Louis], with the job not only the Blues did here, but also the whole city and the way that they respond to these kind of events. You witnessed it at the outdoor game a few years back, and you just see it continues in this city.”
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
