So far a ho-hum off-season for Blues

The Red Wings added explosive scorer Maria Hossa via free agency. The Blackhawks added offensive defenseman Brian Campbell and goaltender Cristobal Huet. The Blues have countered by signing two depth players -- defenseman Mike Weaver and forward Matt Foy, Ho and Hum -- as free agents. This hasn’t been an exciting off-season for the Blues. There was no money in their budget for a magic wand. Earlier, the team acquired a better back-up goaltender, Chris Mason, and drafted a future all-star for the defense, Alex Pietrangelo. On the down side, the team lost three of its most reliable blue-collar players: Speedy checker Ryan Johnson, rugged winger Jamal Mayers and tough defenseman Matt Walker. Washed-up scorer Martin Rucinsky also departed, to a derisive ovation. So you can see why Blues fans are anxious. It is hard to take a... [read full story]