What Does The Blues Mount Rushmore Look Like?

[seattleblue]

Everyone's criteria for Mt. Rushmore is slightly different which is fine. I prefer the concept of a Rushmore that says "these are the four greatest of the thing" so I would go The Third Man, Chinatown, Out of the Past and Sunset Boulevard for noir. Double Indemnity would be my 5th and akin to Barclay Plager in this analogy the same way I would understand Double Indemnity in someone's top 4.

I'm going to take Hull, Pronger, Sutter as my first three. A lot have an argument for fourth. Federko, each Plager for different reasons, Macinnis. I understand the argument that despite its nearness you need a core Cup contributor and that is Petro or Binnington. Petro's time with the Blues and Pronger's time with the Blues are not as different as you'd think, so if Pronger is on Mt Rushmore Petro has at least an argument. Binnington if he leads the Blues to another Cup Final becomes the 4th guy on Mt Rushmore IMO.

1. Hull
2. Pronger
3. Sutter
4. whichever of Federko vs. Barclay Plager was the better hockey player probably Federko who I saw all of and Plager who I was too young to properly appreciate.

[rezero]

Federko, Hull, Plager are locks. For the other player, I would pencil in Parayko. He will probably finish his tenure on top of the Blues list for most games played with the Blues, but before we etch in a current player we need to see how their career finishes.

[HighStick]

Federko, Hull, Petro and Binner.

Federko as a nod to the early Blues years.
Hall because he is/was the best Blue ever.
Petro because he was the team Captain when they won the Cup. He was also the best player on the team and a main cog when they won the Cup. It all started with Petro.
Binner just because..... To go from 4th on the depth chart to the first Stanley Cup Playoff 16 game winning goalie in NHL history is worthy of the place. Respect!

[clemonsonroots]

It is no doubt these 3:
Brett Hull
Chris Pronger
Bernie Federko

after that I would put
Al Macinnis
But you could argue
Garry Unger
Brian Sutter
David Backes
Vladimir Tarasenko
Jordan Binnington
Alex Pietrangelo

If Binnington wins another cup...it will be him as the 4th

[netboy65]

To me a Mount Rushmore list is the best 4 long time members of whatever subject, in this case Blues players. While Plager is one of the most influential players to be a Blue he's not in the top 10 as far as "best player" let alone top 4.

Pronger
Hull
Federko
MacInnis

Solid reasoning, but I still think Binnington has to be up there. All time goalie leader in wins and brought us our only Cup. He goes in place of probably MacInnis.
In all honesty, limiting it to only 4 is a fool’s errand. We have a lot more that are deserving

I had Binnington over MacInnis at first but MacInnis is a HoF player, just couldn't leave him off for Binnington.

Sure! You could give me a list of 10 other guys and I’d say “ok”
Chopper gets cut for me (reluctantly) because he did a lot of his heavy lifting in Calgary, and I think Binner is more significant to the history of the franchise.

[Galatians221jb1]

To my mind, they have to be in the NHL HOF:

Hull/Federko/Pronger/McInnis

[callitwhatyouwant]

Brett Hull
Bernie Federko
Brian Sutter
Barclay Plager

replace sutter with unger and I'd agree

I have to disagree. I mean I love Unger, he was the first player as a kid who I identified and understood was an elite scorer. Brian Sutter to me is like what the hockey must have been like just before my time. Sutter was the most skilled true Blue if that makes sense. The will that Brian Sutter had was the will that the St. Louis Blues had.

As my old North Count brother, "Moose" Cleveland said," Sutter can kick your (donkey) AND score 30 goals".
I agree, Seattle, Red7''s Old School list is the one. Bobby was an Ambassador, but there would not have been a Bobby worth mentioning... if it weren't for his big brother.

you have to have a guy from the cup team on this list. it's a MUST. without it, it's just another franchise of great players who never got it done. Every player to play for the Blues was vindicated by the cup run that Army, Berube, ROR, and Lord Binner brought. Without those guys, we never seal the deal. And term does matter, so Army and Binner are the more clear distinctions. Binner, ESPECIALLY if he stays for another contract has to go down in history as he will have every goalie title for the foreseeable future that a Blues goalie will have to chase. To me if and once he crosses 200, it's a no brainer.

I hear that, but am loathe to pull any of the four on Red7’s list.
Who would you cut from his Rushmore?

Hull Defined a generation of Blues fandom. He was also probably the best to ever do it from a goal scoring perspective (at least top 5 all time) and we happened to have him in a Blues uni. Contributions to the org currently are still going.

Federko is the best lifer Blue in terms of points. Contributions to the org currently are still going.

Plager - According to every Blue that walks thru the room, he is the standard. Everyone looks up to him and what he contributed. RIP

Those 3 are the untouchables as of right now. And the only way a guy like Federko or Hull come off the list is if Thomas wins another Cup and lifes as a Blue, which very well could happen. But he is the only one that has the opportunity to shatter some records if things go the right way.

*** Sutter is my choice to come off the list. While contributions are high, that period of hockey is somewhat of an afterthought the NHL. ****

Binner, helped usher in a new era of Blues Hockey. Without him, all the other guys on the list careers are apart of a franchise that could never get it done. It was a cursed franchise. It seems like recency bias but it really isn't. You have to put yourself in those shoes of 2012 or 2015 or 1996 etc.. and what it felt like to be a Blues fan. Always the bridesmaid but never the bride.

[DawgDad]

Brett Hull
Bernie Federko
Brian Sutter
Barclay Plager

replace sutter with unger and I'd agree

I have to disagree. I mean I love Unger, he was the first player as a kid who I identified and understood was an elite scorer. Brian Sutter to me is like what the hockey must have been like just before my time. Sutter was the most skilled true Blue if that makes sense. The will that Brian Sutter had was the will that the St. Louis Blues had.

As my old North Count brother, "Moose" Cleveland said," Sutter can kick your (donkey) AND score 30 goals".
I agree, Seattle, Red7''s Old School list is the one. Bobby was an Ambassador, but there would not have been a Bobby worth mentioning... if it weren't for his big brother.

you have to have a guy from the cup team on this list. it's a MUST. without it, it's just another franchise of great players who never got it done. Every player to play for the Blues was vindicated by the cup run that Army, Berube, ROR, and Lord Binner brought. Without those guys, we never seal the deal. And term does matter, so Army and Binner are the more clear distinctions. Binner, ESPECIALLY if he stays for another contract has to go down in history as he will have every goalie title for the foreseeable future that a Blues goalie will have to chase. To me if and once he crosses 200, it's a no brainer.

I hear that, but am loathe to pull any of the four on Red7’s list.
Who would you cut from his Rushmore?

Hull Defined a generation of Blues fandom. He was also probably the best to ever do it from a goal scoring perspective (at least top 5 all time) and we happened to have him in a Blues uni. Contributions to the org currently are still going.

Federko is the best lifer Blue in terms of points. Contributions to the org currently are still going.

Plager - According to every Blue that walks thru the room, he is the standard. Everyone looks up to him and what he contributed. RIP

Those 3 are the untouchables as of right now. And the only way a guy like Federko or Hull come off the list is if Thomas wins another Cup and lifes as a Blue, which very well could happen. But he is the only one that has the opportunity to shatter some records if things go the right way.

*** Sutter is my choice to come off the list. While contributions are high, that period of hockey is somewhat of an afterthought the NHL. ****

Binner, helped usher in a new era of Blues Hockey. Without him, all the other guys on the list careers are apart of a franchise that could never get it done. It was a cursed franchise. It seems like recency bias but it really isn't. You have to put yourself in those shoes of 2012 or 2015 or 1996 etc.. and what it felt like to be a Blues fan. Always the bridesmaid but never the bride.

Afterthought?

I've been following the Blues (sometimes from afar) since the beginning. There is no "afterthought" period, though the 70's was a down decade overall.

It's difficult to pick just four players who define the Blues as a franchise.

Guys who earned HHOF induction with significant consideration of their work with the Blues include:
Federko
Hull
Pronger
MacInnis
[Shanahan had 500 goals and Cups with other teams]

Heart and soul leaders:
Barclay Plager
Brian Sutter
David Backes

On the map guys:
Glenn Hall
Red Berenson

Cup team leaders:
Ryan O'Reilly
Jordan Binnington
Alex Pietrangelo

That's 11 guys who have a case, hope I didn't overlook someone deserving. I cannot do justice to selecting just four. Some comments:
Hull is a shoo-in, as is Federko.
Pronger was a better player than Plager, who was no slouch. What really constitutes a bigger heart? Plager bled Blue, no question, and he carried the banner for the family effort. Pronger is in discussion of "best ever" defensemen. Tough choice. Pick one, or take both?
Goaltender. Binnington won a Cup and he had to be spectacular more often than not over 26 games. Hall was more consistently other-worldly over three seasons and playoffs but his team didn't have the horses. To represent the Cup team I'd pick Binnington, but in Hall is deserving, too.

That leaves me with five. Can we squeeze five heads into the budget?

[Smoke and Mirrors 02]

Everyone has different set of four. Mine are:

Barclay Plager
Bernie Federko
Brett Hull
Ryan O'Reilly

ROR being the Conn Smyth winner of our only Stanley Cup winning team.

[ClassicO]

To my mind, they have to be in the NHL HOF:

Hull/Federko/Pronger/McInnis

That's a great top 4. I watched the Plagers a lot and, while Barc was very good, Bob is far overrated defensively and zero offense (a high of 4 goals - 20 total) - and he was a poor skater. McKinnis is better than either by a margin and a great all-time Blue after he played. Even if it's not Al, I'd go Petro (likely HOF; 2 cups and two golds).

[brianstlou2]

For someone who grew up with with the Fort Wayne Komets, Robbie Irons has to be on the list with his 0.00 GAA. On a more serious note:

Hull
Federko
Pronger
Binner

This is the right answer! Now if we aren’t talking about best players, then Plager and Sutter may belong on there. Maybe we need a Mt Rushmore of most influential players in Blues history, anyone?

[DawgDad]

For someone who grew up with with the Fort Wayne Komets, Robbie Irons has to be on the list with his 0.00 GAA. On a more serious note:

Hull
Federko
Pronger
Binner

This is the right answer! Now if we aren’t talking about best players, then Plager and Sutter may belong on there. Maybe we need a Mt Rushmore of most influential players in Blues history, anyone?

Binner is NOT better than Glenn Hall was with the Blues. Binner is good, don't get me wrong. His 2019 run and Cup win (over 26 hames) was epic. So was Hall, with what was in reality a very pedestrian team in front of him. It's hard to compare and contrast two goaltenders separated by 50 years of equipment, game play, and rules innovation. Binner won a Cup, Hall a Smythe in a losing effort, and a Vezina. He really was THAT good, as an "old" man athletically.

I do not disagree with giving the nod to Binner. He deserved the Smythe. For both of these guys, that's what it takes to be the best, superhuman effort and production.

[INBF715]

For someone who grew up with with the Fort Wayne Komets, Robbie Irons has to be on the list with his 0.00 GAA. On a more serious note:

Hull
Federko
Pronger
Binner

This is the right answer! Now if we aren’t talking about best players, then Plager and Sutter may belong on there. Maybe we need a Mt Rushmore of most influential players in Blues history, anyone?

I think if there was a Mt. Rushmore for off ice contributions or a combination of on ice/off ice, it may go like this:

Army
Berube
Dan Kelly (reason I am a Blues fan)
Then choice of: Harry Ornest, Salomon brothers, Brian Sutter, Bob Plager with Bob Plager my choice. I maybe missing a couple obvious candidates.

[DawgDad]

For someone who grew up with with the Fort Wayne Komets, Robbie Irons has to be on the list with his 0.00 GAA. On a more serious note:

Hull
Federko
Pronger
Binner

This is the right answer! Now if we aren’t talking about best players, then Plager and Sutter may belong on there. Maybe we need a Mt Rushmore of most influential players in Blues history, anyone?

I think if there was a Mt. Rushmore for off ice contributions or a combination of on ice/off ice, it may go like this:

Army
Berube
Dan Kelly (reason I am a Blues fan)
Then choice of: Harry Ornest, Salomon brothers, Brian Sutter, Bob Plager with Bob Plager my choice. I maybe missing a couple obvious candidates.

Harry deserves immense credit for stepping up and saving the Blues for St. Louis but he operated in an opportunistic manner. I'd give the nod to Sid.There may be better choices than Berube, though he owns the Blues Gettysburg Address trophy.

[rezero]

Would it change people’s opinion if Parayko eclipses 1500 NHL games with the Blues which is quite possible? I think only 3 players ever have played more than 1500 games all with one team.

[ScalesofJustice]

Hull without a doubt but I'd be fine with any of the following joining him:

Plante,
Liut,
Binny,
Berenson,
Unger,
Federko,
Brian Sutter,
MacInnis,
Barclay,
Pronger,
Bowman,
Berube (won the cup)