Blues facing growing revolt as backlash explodes just before season starts

The St. Louis Blues made a calculated move this summer when they signed forward Dillon Dube to a one-year, $850,000 deal. But the biggest talking point surrounding the team right now has nothing to do with on-ice strategy.

Two hockey moms from the St. Louis area have organized a petition demanding the Blues release Dube, and the effort has now surpassed 8,000 signatures. The growing campaign reflects a community that is far from ready to move on from the controversy tied to Dube's past.

Dube was acquitted in 2025 alongside four other former players from Canada's 2018 World Junior team. That legal outcome, however, has not quieted the debate.

Hockey Canada's independent appeal board conducted its own review and reached a different conclusion. The board determined that Dube had violated the organization's code of conduct and handed down a suspension from all Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs that runs through Nov. 10, 2028.

The petition organizers have been clear about what they are asking for, and what they are not. They are not calling for a new criminal proceeding. Instead, their argument centers on whether someone in Dube's position should be elevated as a role model in the community while these broader accountability questions remain unresolved.

The Blues, for their part, have stood behind the signing. The organization has not wavered publicly despite the mounting pressure from fans and community members who feel the decision sends the wrong message.

There has also been pushback when it comes to the signing of Alex Formenton by the Oilers in Edmonton. A petition has also been put in place with several thousands fans signing to see the Oilers release Formenton, who was also acquitted in 2025 following allegations of sexual assault connected to the 2018 World Juniors scandal.

With more than 8,000 names now attached to the petition and the story continuing to generate attention, the controversy shows no signs of fading as the Blues prepare for the upcoming season.

The pressure on the organization will likely only intensify as the signature count climbs and the conversation around accountability in professional hockey continues to evolve.