2011 - 12 St . Louis Blues season The 2011 – 12 St . Louis Blues season was the 45th season of operation ( 44th of play ) for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 5 , 1967 . The Blues qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the 2008 – 09 NHL season , and the second time since the end of the lockout . They also won their first Central division title since the 1999 – 2000 NHL season . Off - Season . The Blues extended contracts for all four of their coaches on May 26 : Brad Shaw and Ray Bennette ( assistant coaches ) , Corey Hirsch ( goaltending consultant ) , and Scott Masters ( video coach ) . Forward David Backes is named team captain , filling a vacancy left by Eric Brewer ' s departure during the previous season . Regular Season . November . On November 3 , St . Louis Cardinals ' ace pitcher , 36 - yr - old Chris Carpenter laced up the skates for a practice session with other Blues ' players , taking shots and making passes . He played ice hockey in high school at 16 and was an all - state defenseman his last three years for Trinity High School in Manchester , New Hampshire , with scouts from the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins pursuing him for a hockey career , which he turned down to pursue baseball . He loved this hockey experience with the Blues , holding season tickets , and will be at Cardinals Night on November 4 . The Blues celebrated Cardinals Night before the game on November 4 . Former manager Tony La Russa dropped the ceremonial first puck . The Blues fired head coach Davis Payne ( 6 – 7 – 0 12 pts . , 13th in Western Conference ) on November 6 , and replaced him with Ken Hitchcock . Hitchcock will be the 24th head coach in Blues ' history and agreed to a contract through the 2012 – 13 season . The Blues paid tribute before a home game on November 8 , to two of their past players , Pavol Demitra ( 1996 – 2004 ) and Igor Korolev ( 1992 – 1994 ) , who died in a September 7 plane crash near Yaroslavl , Russia that carried the Lokomotiv _ Yaroslavl team . Both players wore uniform number 38 while with the team . The accident killed 45 players , coaches , team personnel , and members of the flight crew . It is the single biggest tragedy in the history of professional hockey . Chris Stewart was suspended for 3 games on Nov . 16 , because of his hit on Detroit Red Wings ' Niklas Kronwall in the previous night ' s game . Left - winger David Perron was cleared for contact in practice skating on November 19 . He has not played since suffering a concussion on Nov . 4 , 2010 , missing the remaining 72 games last season . Ken Hitchcock is off to the best start for a new coach for the Blues in their team history after 10 games , with a 7 – 1 – 2 ( 16 pts of 20 ) record , an 80 % success rate , surpassing Joel Quenneville who started with a 70 % success rate through his first 10 games . On November 28 , new goaltender Brian Elliott was named " Third Star of the Week " for the week ending November 27 , with his 3 – 0 – 0 ( 0 . 98 GAA , 0 . 963 save percentage , and one shutout ) record with wins over Pittsburgh ( Penguins 3 – 2 OT ) , Calgary ( Flames , 2 – 0 ) , and Columbus ( Blue Jackets , 2 – 1 ) . He presently leads the league with his 1 . 31 GAA and . 951 save percentage , and tied with his three shutouts . December . On December 2 , injured forward David Perron was activated for the home Dec . 3 game , the first regular season game for him since suffering his concussion against the San Jose Sharks on Nov . 4 , 2010 . He missed 97 games . January . Ron Caron , former GM ( 1983 – 1993 , Dec . 1996 - Jun . 1997 ) died at 82 in his Montreal home on Jan . 9 , the night before the Blues shutout the Montreal Canadians there , a team Caron was a longtime scout and asst . GM for . Caron led the Blues to a 438 - 405 - 127 record during his years , including a 47 – 22 – 11 ( 105 pts . ) in 1990 – 91 , the third - best in Blues ' history . The Blues qualified for the playoffs in each of Caron ' s 12 years as GM . Former Blues ' Hall of Fame great center Bernie Federko said he didn ' t know a more passionate hockey man in the world . Ron Caron Guest Book Goaltender Brian Elliott was named to the 2012 All - Star Game in Ottawa , Canada on Sunday Jan . 29 . February . Andy McDonald got an assist on the first goal of the game on Feb . 12 , his first game back after missing 51 games recovering from a concussion . David Perron was named the " Third Star of the Week " after scoring six goals , an assist , and a + 5 in four games in the week ending February 12 . He has 24 points ( 10 goals , 14 assists ) in 30 games . March . The Blues climbed atop the NHL standings with a 3 – 1 win at home over the Anaheim Ducks on March 8 , giving them an NHL - best 93 points ( 43 – 18 – 7 ) . It is the latest date the Blues have been first this late in a season since March 9 , 2000 . They were 30th ( last ) in the NHL as recently as the 2005 – 06 season . They have an NHL - leading 46 points since January 1 , and are a perfect 35 – 0 when scoring at least 3 goals . They were 6 – 7 when coach Ken Hitchcock took over on November 6 . The Blues announced they had signed 19 - yr . - old center Jaden Schwartz , their first overall 2010 draft pick to an entry - level contract on March 12 . He was added to the roster . < br > He scored in his first NHL game on Saturday , March 17 in Tampa against the Lightning . It was the game - winner in the 3 – 1 win , and he was the 13th player in Blues ' history to do it . < br > In that same game , the Blues became the first team to attain 100 points , and also clinch a playoff spot . Alexander Steen was activated on March 25 , after missing 39 games due to concussion syndrome since last playing on December 27 . Kris Russell also returned to the lineup since experiencing a concussion on February 23 . The Blues set their all - time franchise record with Brian Elliott ' s eighth shutout of the season ( in only 35 appearances ) on March 25 , giving the Blues 14 for the season . Jaroslav Halak has six shutouts in 43 appearances . The duo breaks the previous record of 13 set by Glenn Hall and Jacques Plante from the 1968 – 69 season . Elliott also tied Hall with his eighth shutouts in one season , but Hall still owns the team record with 16 shutouts . The Blues set their all - time franchise record with their 30th home win on March 27 . More records were set with goalie Brian Elliott ' s Most Consecutive Shutout Minutes ( 186 : 33 ) , surpassing Manny Legace ' s 186 : 15 . His ninth shutout against Nashville surpassed Glenn Hall ' s eight in 1968 – 69 . Elliott and Halak have combined for a Modern Era NHL Record of 15 shutours , extending their previous record of 14 set March 25 ( see previous paragraph ) . The team ' s 105 points are their second - best in their history , surpassed only by the 1999 – 2000 season when they earned 114 points and won their first Presidents ' Trophy . They clinched the Central Division title on March 31 . April . Brian Elliott ' s shutout streak ended on April 4 , after 241 : 33 . It was a new franchise record beating Manny Legace ' s previous record of 186 : 15 set from Dec . 28 , 2007 to Jan . 8 , 2008 . Elliott and Jaroslav Halak captured the William Jennings Trophy for the first time in leading the NHL in fewest goals allowed by a team ' s goaltenders with 165 . It was only the second time , with Roman Turek getting the honors in the 1999 – 2000 season . They also tied the modern NHL record with the 1969 – 70 Chicago Blackhawks , with 15 shutouts . They are the first tandem goaltenders to record at least six shutouts each in the same season ; Elliot had nine . He led the NHL with a 1 . 56 goals - against average and a . 940 save percentage . His three consecutive shutouts tied the franchise record of Greg Millen in the 1988 – 89 season . Halak ranked fifth with a 1 . 97 goals - against average and a . 926 save percentage . They will be honored on June 20 at the 2012 NHL Awards . Playoffs . The Blues ended the 2011 – 12 regular season as the Western Conference ' s 2nd seed . They defeated the # 7 seed San Jose Sharks 4 – 1 in the first round , winning their first playoff series since 2002 . They next faced the # 8 seed Los Angeles Kings in the second round and were swept out of the playoffs . Game three of the Blues - Sharks ( Monday ) April 16 playoff was the highest - rated Blues ' game ever broadcast on Fox Sports Midwest with an 11 . 0 household rating . Game three of the 2001 playoff game against the Dallas Stars was the previous high with a 9 . 9 household rating , followed by a 9 . 8 rating for game four of that series , and fourth - highest a 9 . 7 rating for the game one opener with the Sharks on ( Thursday ) April 12 , 2012 . Schedule and results . Playoffs . Key : Win Loss Player statistics . Skaters . ( Regular season through games of April 21 , 2012 ) FINAL < br > Stats " Note : GP = Games played ; G = Goals ; A = Assists ; Pts = Points ; + / − = Plus / Minus ; PIM = Penalty Minutes " < nowiki > * < / nowiki > indicates not currently on the active roster . < br > Traded away mid - season , date of last game in ( ) . Stats reflect time with Blues only . < br > Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Blues , date of first game in ( ) . Stats reflect time with Blues only . Bold = leading team in category . Goaltenders . ( Updated through April 7 , 2012 ) FINAL < br > Stats " Note : GP = Games Played ; TOI = Time On Ice ( minutes ) ; W = Wins ; L = Losses ; OT = Overtime Losses ; GA = Goals Against ; GAA = Goals Against Average ; SA = Shots Against ; SV = Saves ; Sv % = Save Percentage ; SO = Shutouts " BOLD = individual leading NHL * = Modern NHL Record Final roster . < br > Transactions . The Blues have been involved in the following transactions during the 2011 – 12 season Draft picks . St . Louis ' s picks at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft in St . Paul , at the Xcel Energy Center from June 24 – June 25 , 2011 . The Blues had no first - round pick in the draft , because of the trade with the Colorado Avalanche during the 2010 – 2011 season . Farm teams . Peoria Rivermen . The Peoria Rivermen are the Blues American Hockey League affiliate in 2011 – 12 . Alaska Aces . The Alaska Aces are the Blues affiliate in the ECHL .