Hockey runs in this team’s blood, so they adapted music to their favorite sport. The club uses the unusual St. Louis Blues logo, featuring a stylized note resembling a hockey stick. Inspired by that support, the players gladly take to the ice to show their skills.
The St. Louis Blues entered the NHL in 1967 as part of the league’s expansion from six to twelve teams, alongside the Minnesota North Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and California Seals. The name came from W. C. Handy’s song “Saint Louis Blues,” tied to the city’s musical culture. To enter the league, co-owner Arthur Wirtz purchased St. Louis Arena, which became the club’s home for 27 years.
In their first season under Scotty Bowman, the Blues reached the 1968 Stanley Cup Final with a roster built largely from veterans and overlooked players. They lost to the Montreal Canadiens in four close games. The pattern repeated in 1969 and 1970, with losses to Montreal and then the Boston Bruins.
The 1970s brought a decline, though the arena remained one of the NHL’s loudest. In 1983, Ralston Purina acquired the team and began rebuilding. During the 1980s and 1990s, players like Brett Hull, Adam Oates, Brendan Shanahan, and Al MacInnis led the club to 25 consecutive playoff appearances. In 1995–1996, Mike Keenan traded Shanahan and Curtis Joseph for Wayne Gretzky and Grant Fuhr. That run ended in a Game 7 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
In 1999–2000, the Blues posted the league’s best record but lost to the San Jose Sharks in the first round. Their deepest run came in 2001, when they lost to the Colorado Avalanche in the Conference Final. After 2004, results declined, with only one playoff appearance by 2009.
A turnaround began in 2011 under coach Ken Hitchcock. The defining moment came in 2018–2019, when the team rose from last place in January to reach the Stanley Cup Final. With Craig Berube as interim coach and rookie goaltender Jordan Binnington, the Blues defeated the Boston Bruins in seven games. Ryan O’Reilly was named playoff MVP.
Meaning and History
St. Louis is the birthplace of blues and jazz, musical genres intimately linked to the city. Therefore, Sid Salomon Jr., who received the franchise, had no difficulties with the team’s name. He immediately approved the name “St. Louis Blues,” seeing it as an excellent fit for a city that loves to sing.
His reasoning was manifold:
- It’s part of the region where the hockey team is based.
- It connects with the city’s legendary performers and traditions.
- It’s the name of the famous tune “St. Louis Blues,” which W.C. Handy wrote in St. Louis one morning as he reflected on his beloved.
As a result, the logo’s symbolic element was clearly chosen: a winged blue note. Over the years, the club’s emblem has changed seven times, but has always remained linked to the musical theme. Despite redesigns, it accurately conveyed the athletes’ geography.
What is the St. Louis Blues?
It’s a professional-level hockey team from St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1964, the team is an NHL member that competes in the Central Division and the Western Conference. Its home stadium is the Enterprise Center. In 2019, the club won the Stanley Cup.
1967 – 1978
The debut version contains just one element: it is clean, precise, and concise. It fully supports the concept of team leadership and reflects the city’s connection to the global blues scene.
The note is depicted with a left-pointing slanted stem. It features an improvised wing, symbolizing ascent, the achievability of high goals, and career agility. It consists of four feathers, neatly arranged by length: the largest at the top and the shortest at the bottom. The last element has two miniature protrusions, like a “down” arrow. All lines are straight, strict, and calibrated. The emblem’s figure has a yellow border.
1978 – 1984
In 1978, the club decided to change. As a result, the emblem gained a circle that enclosed the legendary note. The added element was made in the same style as the center. The wide band has a triple border of thinner lines.
At the top of the field, which resembles a vinyl record and a puck, are the inscriptions “St. Louis” and “Blues.” Blue letters on a yellow background are very legible. The wing also changed: a deep notch at the beginning of the top feather was painted yellow.
1984 – 1987
For a very short time, the hockey players’ emblem consisted of two parts: a graphic and a verbal element. The former featured the musical note, framed in red. The latter sat at the top and looked like a semi-arch spelling “Blues.”
1987 – 1989
A year later, the club administration approved an updated emblem: the famous winged note with two ends. The developers removed the top inscription, leaving “St. Louis” on the first feather. In this version, they also enlarged the central detail.
1989 – 1998
In 1989, the team adopted a logo with an exquisite red stripe along its contour. They used it for almost a decade.
1998 – 2025
After another redesign, the club returned to the old emblem. The designers then darkened the blue, removed the red outline, removed the “St. Louis” inscription, and sharpened the top of the stem. Moreover, they made all lines clear and even. In 2008, the designers adjusted the yellow color to a golden hue. No other changes followed.
2025 – today
Font and Colors
Throughout the franchise’s existence, the musical note was considered the logo’s primary element. In the current version, it stands alone, consisting of a head (oval), a stem (left-slanted leg), and a flag (wing with four feathers).
Early versions used two fonts: a chopped sans serif and a custom broad serif. All letters were uppercase. In the current version, the text is missing.
The emblem’s corporate palette is tied to the hockey club’s name and the color blue, so blue is the primary color. It changed from classic Oxford blue to royal blue. The emblem also features white and Spanish yellow.









