by Bruce Ciskie
In the spring of 2009, the St. Louis Blues were one of the hottest teams in the NHL when they qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs, only to be swept in the first round by the Vancouver Canucks.That playoff appearance led to high expectations entering last year. They were left unfulfilled, as the Blues missed the playoffs. They finished five points out of a playoff spot in the West, only after a second-half surge that followed a coaching change. Former AHL bench boss Davis Payne took over for the fired Andy Murray, and the Blues seemed to improve under his leadership.
Now Payne is on board for a full season, and his young players will get a chance to prove they're ready for prime time.
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