This just in, the St. Louis Blues have named forward Brayden Schenn as the 24th captain in team history.
The Blues have been without a captain since former captain Ryan O’Reilly was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs just prior to last season’s trade deadline. Schenn has been with the Blues since 2017 and was an integral part of the team's 2019 Stanley Cup championship.
“I don’t think it has set in yet, to be honest,” Schenn told stlouisblues.com. “The history of this franchise, the great captains they’ve had, and now getting your own name added to that extraordinary list, it’s a huge honor that I’m thankful for. I’m excited for the opportunity and the challenge this will bring.”
Blues GM Doug Armstrong had been non-committal about naming a captain for the upcoming season, so Schenn wasn't sure exactly what to expect when he was called into his boss' office this offseason.
“Honestly, your first initial reaction is how big of an honor it is,” Schenn said. “I’ve always said, St. Louis has been the best thing for me. Getting the opportunity to come here and play, winning the Stanley Cup and now [being named captain], it’s an opportunity for us to work together and get back to where we feel we should be as an organization. I’m looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to lead this team.”
“For me personally, I’ve played with a ton of great captains and even guys that weren’t captains but were still leaders,” Schenn said. “You learn from those people, and over time you learn the most from the teammates that were closest to you. I got to play with two great captains here in Alex Pietrangelo and Ryan O’Reilly. Just how they tried to carry the Blues culture forward and how selfless they were and how much they cared about their teammates, it taught me a lot.”
“Schenn is a leader,” Blues Head Coach Craig Berube said in a prepared statement. “He’s an experienced player, he’s done a lot of really good things in St. Louis and he’s been part of a winning team. He shows leadership on and off the ice on a daily basis and he’s worked hard since Day 1 when he got here.”
