3View: St. Louis Jr. Blues
The 3View series will feature an in-depth look into all NA3HL teams in preparation for the 2022-23 season, with two teams being highlighted daily, leading all the way up until the start of the regular season. 3View goes in-depth into each NA3HL team and will include interviews with all the head coaches in the NA3HL, as they provide fans with their expectations and outlook for the 2022-23 season, including taking a look at their potential roster and their strengths as a team for the upcoming season. It will also take a look back on the 2021-22 season and how each team fared and what they accomplished. Best of all, 3View will provide the fans of the NA3HL with an inside look at their favorite team and what to expect.
St. Louis Jr. Blues
2021-22 Record: 6-38-3, 15 pts. (6th in Central Division)
2022 Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
Head Coach: Brian McGlynn
2022-23 Division: Central
After a challenging year in the Central Division, St. Louis’ head coach Brian McGlynn has expectations to rebound and challenge for a playoff spot in this upcoming season. McGlynn will be heading into his second season standing on the bench for the Jr. Blues and is ready to get the season underway.
When asked about this past season he said, “We had a very young team that competed well throughout the year. We struggled on special teams but expect improvement with our returning players gaining experience and new talent acquired in the off-season. We will add the core group of returning players to the incoming players and expect to be a dangerous all around squad.”
While succeeding in their division and advancing in the Fraser Cup playoffs is important for McGlynn and the coaching staff, helping their players advance to the next level is even more important. The Jr. Blues roster was represented well in player advancement, as it has had 12 college committed players in this past 2021-22 season and 30 total in the past three seasons.
“The tradition of moving players has been one of the major focal points of the organization for since its inception and will continue. The organization prides itself in providing a venue for players to excel and move throughout the hockey world. You can expect most of our young players from last year to advance in conventional and non-conventional avenues.”
With many players leaving and moving on to the next level, McGlynn still believes that, “you will see a solid returning defensive group who will be deep. Offensively we will have some dangerous forwards who can put pucks in the net and we should be deeper across the board,"
With many key returning players and some very good new talent, St. Louis has expectations to not only enable players to succeed and advance but also to continue improving as an organization.
“We have a main goal as a staff to maintain the performance level and make marked improvements throughout the season. The commitment to our players is at the top of the list and improvement as a team will follow.”
Even with a player-centric focus, as the new season rapidly approaches in a division with the reigning Fraser Cup Champions, the Jr. Blues believe they are ready and will compete. “We do compete in the Central and feel experience across the board will help throughout the season. The strong competition will only make us a stronger squad,” McGlynn said.
In their 12 seasons as a member of the NA3HL, St. Louis has yet to take home the Fraser Cup. With a confident staff and head coach and some exciting new faces in the lineup, the Jr. Blues are looking to change that in the 2022-23 season and come out swinging.
Next Up: Sheridan Hawks