St. Louis Eagles

1934/35:St. Louis had first applied for an NHL expansion franchise in 1932 but was rejected because it was to far from the other cities in the league and concerns arose over travel costs especially in the middle of the Great Depression. With the once mighty Ottawa Senators heading into bankruptcy the team was transferred to St. Louis during the summer of 1934. The NHL was still concerned by the travel cost, but did not want to lose another franchise after the Pittsburgh/Philadelphia franchise folded. Wearing patriotic red white and blue uniforms the team, which was, renamed Eagles played in front of solid crowds at the St. Louis Arena. However, it became apparent the team was doomed to failure as they finished dead last with an awful record of 11-31-6, as escalating travel cost wiped out what little money the team had left from Ottawa as long costly train rides from the American Midwest to the Canada and Boston destroyed any chances the team had of survival, as they folded after just one season.

1935-1967:After the Eagles folded St. Louis attempted to lure the Montreal Maroons who went under in 1938. However, after the quick failure of the Eagles, due to travel costs the NHL was not about to give St. Louis another try. Eventually the NHL would be paired down to six teams, which lasted for 25 years until the NHL decided to add six teams in 1967 to double to 12 teams. St. Louis who had only been choked off due to travel cost in the great depression was a natural choice to land one of the new teams. The expansion team known as the Blues would even play in the same St. Louis Arena which was ahead of it’s time in 1934.