ST. LOUIS – The Blues are back! Saturday marks a long-awaited season opener for the 2022-23 St. Louis Blues.
St. Louis opens the new season at home Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Enterprise Center.
If you’re planning to head to Downtown St. Louis on Saturday, either to attend the game or enjoy a hockey atmosphere, make sure to stay on top of some key times.
- From 3-5 p.m., the Blues will host a pregame rally in celebration of the new season at Union Station. The rally includes live music, T-shirt tosses, contests and appearances from Blues staff and alumni. Click here for more information.
- Starting at 5:30 p.m., fans with a ticket can begin entering the Enterprise Center. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative tests are no longer required to attend.
- At 6 p.m., Bally Sports Midwest will broadcast an hour-long pregame show that include new-season analysis and televised player introductions. 101 ESPN, the radio partner of the Blues, will carry a one-hour broadcast special starting at the same time.
- Normally, pregame warmups usually begin around 6:30 p.m. With the season opener ahead, and lengthy player introductions expected before gametime, it might be best to plan ahead if you would like to watch pregame warmups from ice level. The Blues have not yet announced a timetable for warmups and pregame introductions.
- Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m., though could be slightly delayed based on the pace of pregame warmups.
If you can’t make it out to Saturday’s home opener, here is what you need to know in order to watch or listen.
- Television: Live action, pregame and postgame telecasts will air on Bally Sports Midwest. Fans can watch through supported cable networks or sign up for a Bally Sports+ subscription. If you’re out of the St. Louis market, you can also stream with an NHL.TV subscription.
- Radio: Tune in to 101 ESPN or download the 101 ESPN app for Chris Kerber’s game broadcast and more. That radio channel is 101.1 FM in the St. Louis DMA.
The Opening Night roster features 20 players from last year, all but one of that bunch who saw action in the playoffs. Noel Acciari, Thomas Greiss and Josh Leivo are the only new additions. They arrive after the losses of Tyler Bozak, Ville Husso and David Perron in the offseason.
Only eight of Saturday’s projected 20 starters remain from the Stanley Cup title team in 2019. Projected line combinations for the season opener include…
FORWARDS
Pavel Buchnevich – Robert Thomas – Vladimir Tarasenko
Brandon Saad – Ryan O’Reilly – Jordan Kyrou
Jake Neighbours – Brayden Schenn – Ivan Barbashev
Nathan Walker – Noel Acciari – Josh Leivo
DEFENSEMEN
Nick Leddy – Colton Parayko
Torey Krug – Justin Faulk
Niko Mikkola – Robert Bortuzzo
GOALTENDERS
Jordan Binnington (Starter), Thomas Greiss (Backup)
A few other considerations to keep in mind with the home opener…
- Popular parking spots include the Kiel Center Garage, Union Station and Justice Center Garage. Be prepared to pay, either by cash or card, depending on your ultimate parking location. Some spots could cost up to $40. Click here for a look at some parking spots.
- Fans can only pay for goods and services with the Enterprise Center using a credit or debit card. No cash is allowed.
- The Blues will wear Stifel sponsor-branding on both their home helmets and uniforms for the first time Saturday. Future road games will feature an Enterprise branding on the helmets and Stifel on the uniforms.
- At some point during the home opener, the inaugural St. Louis Blues Hall of Fame class will be announced. At least 11 former players and staff members will be honored. Click here for more information.
And some fun home opener history…
- The Blues are 32-20-1-2 (1 overtime loss, 2 ties) all time in home-opener games over 55 seasons.
- St. Louis has won seven of its last 10 home openers, riding a two-game winning streak and three-game point streak in such action.
- The Blues tied twice in their first six seasons of existence, including their first-ever game in 1967. The NHL dropped ties after getting past the 2004-05 lockout.
- St. Louis has never hosted the Columbus Blue Jackets for a home opener, but opened the season against them on the road in the 2001-02 season.
Alas, the wait is over. Happy hockey season, St. Louis Blues fans!