OT: St. Louis Blues "team building" in Ann Arbor:

Submitted by w2j2 on

ST. LOUIS - As the preseason wraps up with tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Blues are hitting the road for a four-day team-building trip in Ann Arbor, MI.

The team will hold daily practices at the University of Michigan’s Yost Arena, but outside of that, the players will be free to relax and enjoy a short break before returning to St. Louis on Monday afternoon.

“It’s about being together and doing team activities,” said Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. “Having some team activities that we can just have fun with, along with some good stress-less practices up there, I think we’ll really enjoy it.”

Shattenkirk, who billeted with a family in Ann Arbor while representing the U.S. National Development Program, will watch the Wolverine’s ice hockey team on Sunday evening. His billet family’s son, Niko Porikos, wears No. 22 for the Wolverines.

Other plans include a little fly-fishing for goalies Jake Allen and Brian Elliott and a behind-the-scenes tour of the Big House for the coaching staff.

But for Blues Head Coach Ken Hitchcock, the trip is about business, too, especially since Opening Night vs. Edmonton is just days away.

“I’m looking forward to putting in the work on the ice,” Hitchcock said. “We’ve practiced a lot of general stuff (in training camp), and now we can get detailed on specific things we need to work on. I’m looking forward to that.”

Stay tuned to stlouisblues.com and follow the Blues on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for coverage throughout the weekend of the team building trip in Ann Arbor.

http://blues.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=781328

 

bacon

October 2nd, 2015 at 5:50 AM ^

I'm excited as a Blues fan that they're going to Ann Arbor for a few days. Maybe Hitch can get some pointers on how to coach from Harbaugh and Red. At least I can look forward to another successful regular season. Sigh.

Dunder

October 2nd, 2015 at 6:42 AM ^

All I can say about decades of rooting for the Blues as they find, ever more unique, ways to fall apart in the playoffs: 

Did it occur to noone, absolutely noone, when they named this new franchise in 1966 that you don't pick a name that rhymes with lose for a sports team?

GoWings2008

October 2nd, 2015 at 8:47 AM ^

I never got into the Blues...for other than obvious reasons.  I've adopted the Cardinals as my National League baseball team and will root for them as long as they're not playing the Tigers.  But even if it wasn't for my love of the Red Wings, I'd still not be a Blues fan...their fans are terrible, rude and not very well educated on the game (generally speaking).  

As far as the Rams go...no thanks, I'm already a fan of a dumpster fire NFL team.  

Go Blue84

October 2nd, 2015 at 10:20 AM ^

Big Blues fan here.  I'm actually kind of surprised to see how many Red Wings fans hate the Blues.  Growing up it seemed like the Wings always beat the Blues, then took all our good players a few years later. I mark Yzerman's double OT goal the exact moment my childhood ended.  With the Wings (rightfully) more worried about the Avs in those days and the Hawks later, I always thought Wings fans considered us a pesky little first round appetizer before moving onto the real challenge.  I certainly do miss the rivalry now that the Wings have moved to the East though.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

October 2nd, 2015 at 11:44 AM ^

It was always hard for me to really muster up a lot of hatred for the Blues because, well, uh, they never did beat the Wings.  They were always somewhere between "pesky little first-round appetizer" and full-blown rival.

Besides, the Bluenote is the second-best logo in hockey, and top-five in sports.  Once they got rid of the red in their uniform (why did a team called the Blues ever wear any red??) it became one of the best unis around.

Pronger always needed to be punched in the throat, though.