So...

Unfortunately, I'll be somewhere in mid-Missouri when the Blues make their picks, and not around to update everyone.

I'm out for the weekend on vacation.

I'll update y'all on my draft thoughts when I get back!

Happy drafting!

After a two and one-half-ish year hiatus, I made the call this afternoon to purchase season tickets with the Blues.

I've been a season ticket holder in the past, and to be honest with you, wasn't all that thrilled with the direction of the franchise, pre- and post-lockout. So I opted not to renew my season ticket plan after the lockout.  I had other things to do, right? 

I still watched the Blues.  Lord, did I watch them.  I still kept my Center Ice package to keep up with division opponents.  To keep up with my NHL Fantasy Team (2nd place, by the way).  I just didn't make my way down to the Kiel/Savvis/Scottrade Center to take in games with the same fervor I used to.

Fast forward to this week.  I'm drinking the kool-aid again -- Dave Checketts and John Davidson are doing everything right down at 14th and Clark and I'm really excited about the 'new look' Blues. 

(I'm also excited that I can take the MetroLink from my house to the games - I live within walking distance now)

The chatter on the internet is right - Bob McKenzie confirms: Erik Johnson will play for the St. Louis Blues next season.

From the TSN article:

The St. Louis Blues have signed No. 1 overall pick Erik Johnson to a contract and the University of Minnesota freshman will begin his pro career in the fall.

In the meantime, he has been invited to join Team USA at the World Championship in Moscow.

Johnson was drafted first overall by the Blues in the 2006 Entry Draft.

This season, Johnson scored four goals and added 19 assists in 39 games as a freshman with the Golden Gophers.

In two seasons with the United States National Team, the Minnesota native collected 22 goals and 59 points. 

Johnson was dominant at the 2007 World Junior Hockey Championship, scoring 10 points in seven games and being named the tournament's best defenceman.

In the wake of a 3-2 OT Shootout victory, the St. Louis Blues made me really scratch my head and go "hrm...."

Jason "Third Wheel, Unibrow" Bacashihua was apparently just placed on waivers.  We traded Shawn Belle, our 2003 first-round draft pick to Dallas to acquire Bacashihua, which makes this move really strange.

Essentially, a 2003 first round draft pick was just flushed down the toilet.  A signature Larry Pleau move -- but was he really calling the shots on this one?  I don't know.

At any rate, Marek Schwarz better be waiting in the wings.  This move made no sense...

Unfortunately for the Blues, tonight's home opener has all the makings of low-attendance event.

I remember a few years ago, the Blues had a home opener on a Sunday, which conflicted with a Rams home game and the first game of the Cardinals in the National League Championship Series.  The Kiel (before the Savvis and ScottTrade Centers) was not even 3/4 full. 

Luckily, this game falls on a Thursday and the Cardinals open up on the road.  Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the new pwnership group, the general consensus in St. Louis is that the city just isn't excited about the new-look Blues.

I, however, am.  Which is why I'm going to attempt to live-blog the two sporting events going on tonight simultaneously, all right here.

Remember: Checketts guaranteed St. Louis a home-opener win -- let's make Kessel re-think this whole skipping-college-to-go-pro thing!

Here's a key to tonight's live-blogging:

RED = Cardinals

St. Louis Blues' Bryce Salvador, left, collides with San Jose Sharks' Mark Bell in the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 5, 2006.
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

... that was a strong first period.

All kidding aside, who would have thought that the Blues would be up on the Sharks, 2-1, heading into the first intermission?  That's just plain nuts.  Further, who would have thought that Dan Hinote would be the leading scorer on the team, with 2 points (1g, 1a)?  Certainly not me.

Dave Checketts was on during the first period and said exactly what I've been waiting for a Blues owner to say for the past 7 years (paraphrasing): "It's temping to want to turn it around quickly, but that's not our goal. We want to develop our younger players."

Thank God someone in the know finally gets it.  Sure, it's easy to say that Blues fans have suffered enough, having to endure zero championships in our illustrious franchise history, but Checketts is going out seeking out the elusive prize the correct way.  Hockey's Future had the Blues dead last a few seasons ago in organizational depth.  We didn't have any top-50 prospects.  We didn't have anything in the system worth writing home about.  Why?  Because we traded it all for superstars while trying to buy a championship.

     The Blues opened up their preseason schedule on a down note, getting shut out by the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0 Tuesday night at the United Center in Chicago. Blackhawks backup goaltender Brian Boucher stopped all 26 shots from the Blues in the win. Nikolai Khabibulin, the starting goalie for Chicago, did not dress for the game and regular backup Patrick Lalime is out for at least three months after surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back.
      Curtis Sanford started the game between the pipes for the Blues and played 29 minutes and 40 seconds. Brandon Bochenski opened up the scoring for the Hawks 3:54 into the first period, beating Sanford in the slot on a centering pass from Dave Boland. Sanford stopped nine out of 10 shots before Jason Bacashihua came in for the rest of the game. Bachashihua stopped 10 of 11 shots, the one goal coming off of the stick of Adrian Aucoin with 3:04 left in the second period in 4 on 4 play. Not dressing for the game were Martin Havlat, the Blackhawks biggest offseason free-agent acquisition, and Doug Weight and Manny Legace for the Blues.
      The Blues' second of six preseason games is Thursday night, as they travel to St. Paul, Minnesota and the Excel Center for a visit to the Minnesota Wild. Game time is at 7:00 CT and can be heard exclusively at stlouisblues.com.
     

      The blues have finally found their goaltender to challenge Curtis Sanford for the number one position, signing Manny Legace to a contract Tuesday afternoon. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.

      Last season, Legace posted a record of 37-8-0 with a 2.19 Goals Against Average. He was fifth in the NHL last season in wins and second in shutouts with seven. Legace was a part of the stanley cup champion Detroit Red Wings in 2002.

In his career, Legace has a 114-43-18 record with a 2.21 GAA and 13 shutouts. He was the 188th selection of the now-defunct Hartford Whalers in the 1993 NHL draft and has appeared in 197 career NHL games.

      In other news, sources close to the Blues claim that they are in talks with free agent winger Radek Dvorak about bringing him to the team. More on that as it comes.

So, the Blues open up with a 3 game road trip through the West Coast, October 5-9.

The home opener is set for October 12 against the Bruins. 

Just sayin'.