St. Louis Blues set new course, name Pietrangelo captain

When it came down to it, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo had all the right qualifications to become the 21st captain in the 50-year history of the St. Louis Blues.

Blues President and General Manager Doug Armstrong made the official announcement Thursday at Scottrade Center, confirming something Pietrangelo said he had known for two weeks. The team played a video featuring several other former Blues captains, including Bob Plager, Bernie Federko, Chris Pronger and Al MacInnis.

Pietrangelo replaces former Blues captain David Backes, one of his best friends. Backes left the Blues earlier this summer to sign a five-year, $30 million free-agent deal with the Boston Bruins.

“First I wanted to punch him,” Pietrangelo joked. “After things kind of settled down, we’ve had some real good dialogue over the last couple weeks. We’ve become such good friends now away from hockey that I know his phone is always there when I want to call. He’s always going to answer, he’s always going to help me.

“He still knows the guys on this team, he still knows the organization, so if I’ve ever got a question he’s going to be there for me. He’s been great so far. You had five years to learn from the guy. I saw him grow as a leader and he’s done the same, seeing me grow as a person and a leader.”

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock talked about the difference between Pietrangelo and Backes.

“I would say he’s more vocal all the time, so he’s willing to express himself all the time — which quite frankly in this day and age is what you need in leaders,” Hitchcock said. “I think that’s what’s changed from the last 10 years is the captaincy was a position of ... you look at what the Blues had, they had players who were great players but they were quiet guys.

“I don’t think that works any more. I think the captain has to be a good player and a good person but he has to be vocal because there’s way more distractions than there were before and I think Alex fits that bill perfectly.”

Making the call on the new captain

Armstrong said that while the team had a lot of quality candidates for captain, Pietrangelo was an easy choice.

“When we had to make this decision, he was at the front of the line and every time I thought about it and Ken (coach Ken Hitchcock) and I talked about it, he stayed at the front of the line,” Armstrong said of Pietrangelo, who was already one of the team’s alternate captains. “So he’s 26 years old, he’s an elite player in our game. He logs a lot of minutes and he’s well-spoken. He can cross-pollinate through the locker room with married guys to single guys, older guys, younger guys and that’s very important for a captain.

“He has to be able to get the pulse of everyone. We just thought that where we’re at now, what we’ve done this summer of transferring ownership of this team to that mid-to-younger 20 group, he’s the natural leader for that.”

Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and forwards Alexander Steen, Paul Stasty and Vladimir Tarasenko will serve as alternate captains. Pietrangelo said it’s important for a young captain to have that type of experienced support group.

He hasn’t been a team captain since his junior days with Niagara in the Ontario Hockey League.

After losing Backes and forward Troy Brouwer to free agency and trading veteran goalie Brian Elliott, the Blues are heading in a younger direction. Many of the team’s top players are still in their 20s, including Pietrangelo, Tarasenko, Jake Allen and Shattenkirk.

“Sometimes you’ve got to say the things that are uncomfortable,” Pietrangelo said. “David was great at that, he knew when something had to be brought up and he would say it. There’s a lot of guys in that room that when things are going the wrong way, they’re going to stand up and say what needs to be said. I’m lucky in that sense that I can have these guys beside me, where it’s not going to rely solely on my shoulders.

“I’m going to lean on them to help me through that.”

Armstrong has seen Pietrangelo grow since entering the NHL as a teenager following the 2008 draft.

“I think he had them in his draft year,” Armstrong said. “I think watching him represent Canada on the world stage a couple of times and then just watching him every night ... watching how he controls himself in the locker room, around the players, around the media, without the media around how he acts ... he’s just a leader. He’s got a very calm demeanor but a very intense fire burning within.”

Pietrangelo also got a special video message of congratulations from St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, which was fitting since Pietrangelo got to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Thursday night before the Cards’ game at Busch Stadium.

Adding responsibility

Pietrangelo has known about the decision for two weeks, but he admitted the weight of the situation brings out several emotions.

“Humbling is a good word,” he said. “I’m excited, I’m nervous, I think it’s every emotion you can come up with. This group of guys who have worn the ‘C’ (here) have carried themselves in a way that I want to carry myself. I’ve had the opportunity to learn from one one of my best friends and one of the best leaders I’ve seen with David (Backes).

“He’s kind of groomed me into this role, so more of the same what he brought but we’re different people. I’ve learned from him and I’m excited to kind of put my stamp on things.”

Pietrangelo helped the Blues reach the Western Conference Final last spring in his seventh full season in the NHL. He had seven goals and 37 points in 73 games, then added a career-high two goals and 10 points in 20 playoff contests.

Pietrangelo has 51 goals and 255 points in 459 games and is the only defenseman in Blues history with at least 40 points in each of his first four seasons.

Pietrangelo has gained more valuable experience with Team Canada, winning gold medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2009 World Junior Championships. He also earned a silver medal at the 2009 World Juniors and will represent Canada again at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto.

This story was originally published August 25, 2016 at 4:25 PM with the headline "St. Louis Blues set new course, name Pietrangelo captain."