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Best St. Louis Blue by Jersey Numbers: 11-20

Welcome to another installment where we look at the best St. Louis Blues player to wear each number. Last week, we looked at numbers one through ten. Today, we will look at the best Blue to wear numbers 11-20.

Best St. Louis Blue by Jersey Numbers: 11-20

#11 Brian Sutter (Forward)

Sutter only played 12 seasons before a back injury forced him into early retirement. However, Sutter made the most of those seasons. He was an All-Star three times and scored over 30 goals five times. Furthermore, Sutter scored forty or more goals twice. Sutter served as the Blues captain for nine seasons.

Early retirement did not stop Sutter. As soon as he retired, Sutter was named the Blues head coach. In 1991, Sutter won the Jack Adam’s Award for the league’s best coach. Furthermore, the Blues made the playoffs each year Sutter was the coach. Sutter currently has the fourth-most wins by a head coach in Blues history with 153.

#12 Adam Oates (Centre)

Oates only played for the Blues for two and a half seasons. However, those were special seasons. The Blues made Oates their first-line centre. Oates’s line mate was the “Golden Brett” himself, Brett Hull. The duo was nicknamed “Hull and Oates” after the band Hall and Oates. In the 1989–90 season, Oates reached the 100-point mark for the first time in his career with 102 points. Furthermore, he increased that total to 115 the next season. His 90 assists in the 1990-91 season is a team record. 

Oates’s Blues career ended in premature and bitter fashion. Feeling he was underpaid, Oates threatened to the leave the team unless the Blues gave him a raise. Oates was later traded to the Boston Bruins. Despite the bitter ending, Oates gave the Blues some great seasons.

#13 Bill Guerin (Forward)

Guerin only played one season with the Blues. However, after a rough season the year before, Guerin bounced back. Guerin scored 28 goals and was named to the All-Star team. Furthermore, Guerin played in his 1,000th game while playing for the Blues.

Guerin was traded to the San Jose Sharks at the 2007 Trade Deadline. That ended Guerin’s time with the Blues, but the trade did have a positive impact on the team. The Blues used the first-round pick they got in the trade to draft David Perron. Perron would turn into a Blues legend. Blues fans, say it together, “Thank you, Bill!”

#14 Doug Wickenheiser (Forward)

Wickenheiser has maybe the biggest goal in team history, although Pat Maroon may disagree. In what has become known as the “Monday Night Miracle,” the Blues erased a 5-2 deficit to force overtime against the Calgary Flames in the Campbell Conference Final. A little over seven minutes into overtime, Wickenheiser scored to win the game and send the St. Louis Arena into a celebratory frenzy.

The Blues lost Game 7, but Wickenheiser’s goal remains famous. Sadly, Wickenheiser died of lung cancer at age 37 in 1999. The Blues have not reissued Wickenheiser’s number 14 since his death. In 1999, a banner with a candle wick and the number 14 was permanently placed in the rafters at what is now the Enterprise Center.

#15 Craig Janney (Centre)

Janney came to the Blues in the Adam Oates trade. Janney would do his best to mimic Oates’s success. In the two full seasons he spent with the Blues, Janney recorded 82 and 68 assists, respectively. Furthermore, Janney’s 82-assist season was part of a 106-point season for the centre.

Janney’s time with the Blues was brief, but productive. Janney ranks second in Blues history for most assists in a single season. His 106-point season ranks sixth in team history.

#16 Brett Hull (Forward)

The best Blue to ever wear the jersey. Hull scored 527 goals in 744 games with the Blues. Furthermore, Hull scored 27 hat tricks. Hull’s best seasons with the Blues came from 1989-1992. In those three seasons, Hull scored 72, 86, and 70 goals respectively. Hull’s numbers did dip a bit the following two seasons. Hull “only” scored 54 and 57 goals in those seasons. Talk about a down year, right?

Hull has numerous records for the Blues. His 527 goals are the most as a Blue. His 86-goal season is a Blues single-season record. It is also the third-most goals scored in a season. Even after retirement, Hull still makes his presence known with the Blues. Blues fans certainly remember Hull’s antics during the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.

#17 Jaden Schwartz (Forward)

Schwartz quickly emerged as a goal scorer in the NHL. He scored 25 goals in his first full season. He followed that up with 28 goals in the 2014-15 season. His 2019 playoff performance is what stands out the most. Schwartz led the team with 12 goals. One of these goals was a dramatic go-ahead goal with 15 seconds left in Game 5 against the Winnipeg Jets. The next game, Schwartz scored a natural hat trick as the Blues eliminated the Jets. Furthermore, Schwartz would add another hat trick in the Western Conference Final against the San Jose Sharks.

After helping the Blues win their first Stanley Cup, Schwartz would score 22 goals in the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season. Schwartz would leave the Blues a few seasons later. However, Schwartz gave the Blues ten great seasons, not to mention helping to win the elusive Stanley Cup.

#18 Tony Twist (Forward)

Who does not love an old-fashioned hockey fight? That is exactly what Twist is known for. The Alberta native dropped the gloves against some of the league’s toughest enforces. There was no one Twist would back away from. He only scored ten goals in his whole career, but it is the fights that made Twist famous.

How good of a fighter was Twist? Well, he must have been pretty good to have a comic book villain named after him. Albeit, Twist would sue due to the raunchy nature of the comic. Regardless, it shows how famous Twist was just by being a fighter.

#19 Jay Boumeester (Defenceman)

There are a few remarkable aspects of Boumeester’s career. Boumeester has won an Olympic Gold Medal, a World Championship, and a Stanley Cup, something only a handful of players have accomplished. Furthermore, Boumeester has one of the league’s longest iron-man streaks, appearing in 737-consecutive games between 2004 and 2014. Boumeester was part of a key defensive pairing for the Blues in their 2019 Stanley Cup run. Paired with Colton Parayko, the duo shut down some of the league’s best players and top lines of their opponents. Furthermore, Boumeester picked up the primary assist on Ryan O’Reilly’s goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, which was the first goal of the game.

Boumeester was a constant in the Blues lineup since he joined the team. However, Boumeester went into cardiac arrest during a 2020 game. While Boumeester did recover, the cardiac event did end his career. Boumeester will likely find himself in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and an induction into the Blues Hall of Fame can be expected as well.

#20 Alexander Steen (Forward)

Steen wore many hats in his Blues career. He was a 33-goal scorer in the 2013-14 season. In 2018-19, he made the adjustment to be a fourth-line player. Whether it was picking the pocket of Johnathan Quick in overtime in 2013 or helping to shut down the Boston Bruins in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, Steen was always doing what it took to help the team win. The Blues gave Steen his moment of recognition the night they raised the Stanley Cup banner. Steen was chosen to carry the Clarence Campbell Bowl onto the ice during the pregame ceremony. Blues public-address announcer Tom Calhoun reminded fans that Steen was, at the time, the longest-tenured Blue. It was a fitting way to honor Steen and his contributions to the Blues.

Steen retired in 2020 due to an injury. However, his time with the Blues did not end there. After a short time as the Blues European player development consultant, Steen was named the assistant to General Manager Doug Armstrong. Furthermore, in two seasons, Steen will take become the Blues next general manager. After helping the Blues win their first Stanley Cup in his playing days, Steen will have an opportunity to help the team win their next one in a front office role.

Tough Choices

As always, these were not easy choices to make. Gino Cavallini (#17) had some good seasons with the Blues, and even was on the roster at the same time as his brother, Paul. In addition, Brendan Shanahan (#19) was a fan-favorite and a former 52-goal scorer.

Elsewhere On Last Word On Hockey

If you have enjoyed these, you may want to look into other articles that are covering the same topic for other teams. Currently, we have articles on the best Pittsburgh Penguin to wear jersey numbers one through ten, 11-20, and 21-30. This is what inspired the idea to do the same for the Blues. Go check out the best Penguins to wear each number!

Until Next Time

The best Blue to wear jersey numbers 21-30 is planned to come out next week. Until then, behave yourselves. Children, make these summer days count. August is right around the corner!

Main Photo: Jeff Le-USA TODAY Sports

Andrew Willis

Andrew Willis

Andrew Willis has been a hockey and St. Louis Blues fan since 2007. Andrew's passion for the Blues, hockey, and writing have come together multiple times. Andrew wrote hockey articles for his high school newspaper from 2011-2015 and had a brief stint with LWOH in 2020.

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