Mike Keenan Era

Lore & Background

Keenan's impact extended beyond tactics; he changed the psychological makeup of the franchise. The 'Keenan Era' is remembered for its intensity, where every shift was fought for and every faceoff mattered. While his methods were sometimes controversial due to their harshness, they produced results that the organization had not seen before. However, the Blues' first Presidents' Trophy came later, in the 1999-2000 season, not during Keenan's tenure.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with a tension only known in St. Louis during the Keenan years. On the bench, Mike paced with his signature intensity, eyes scanning the ice like a hawk. 'More pressure!' he barked, his voice cutting through the roar of the crowd. The players, battered and bruised from a brutal forecheck, nodded silently. They knew what was expected: leave everything on the ice. As the puck dropped for a crucial faceoff in the third period, the entire team surged forward as one unit, a wall of blue and white determination that had been forged in fire.

Reader's Guide

The Mike Keenan era began in 1986 when he was hired to turn around a struggling franchise. His immediate focus was on discipline and physical play, which quickly stabilized the team's defensive issues. By the late 1980s, Keenan had established a culture of accountability that transformed the Blues into a playoff contender. The arrival of key players like Brett Hull in 1990 further solidified his vision, leading to the historic 1990-91 season where the team won the Presidents' Trophy. Throughout the early 1990s, Keenan maintained the team's high standards, guiding them through several deep playoff runs. However, as the decade progressed and the league evolved, his rigid style began to face challenges from more offensive-minded teams. Keenan was eventually replaced in 1997, marking the end of an era that had defined the Blues' identity for over a decade. His legacy remains one of the most significant periods in franchise history.

Did You Know?

• Mike Keenan was head coach of the St. Louis Blues from 1994 to 1996, not the 1980s.
• The Blues did not win a Presidents' Trophy during Keenan's tenure; their first came in 1999-2000.
• Under Keenan, the Blues became known for a physically aggressive style of play that intimidated opponents.
• Keenan's tenure saw the franchise transition from lottery teams to consistent playoff contenders.

Architectural Innovation and Scale

Constructed in 1929 through private funding rather than public money, this venue represented a monumental leap in engineering for its time. Architect Gustel R. Kiewitt designed a massive lamella roof supported by twenty cantilevered steel trusses, a choice that eliminated the need for internal pillars and provided unobstructed views for spectators. The roof's unique aesthetic was created using Douglas fir ribs fitted diagonally to resemble fish scales, creating a structure so vast it could have housed a thirteen-story building inside. Upon completion, measuring 476 feet in length and 276 feet in width, it stood as the second-largest indoor entertainment space in the United States, surpassed only by Madison Square Garden. This architectural marvel was originally intended to host the National Dairy Show but quickly evolved into a multi-purpose hub capable of accommodating diverse events ranging from horse shows to boxing matches, setting a new standard for large-scale indoor facilities across the nation.

A Hub for Historic Sporting Moments

Throughout its operational life, this arena served as the stage for some of the most significant athletic events in American history. It hosted multiple NCAA Men's Basketball Final Fours, including the legendary 1973 game where Bill Walton dominated with a near-perfect shooting performance to lead UCLA to victory, and the 1978 championship where Kentucky defeated Duke. The venue also held the Frozen Four ice hockey finals in 1975 and several NCAA regional tournaments over two decades. Beyond college sports, it was pivotal for professional leagues, hosting Stanley Cup Finals in the late 1960s and serving as a home ground for the St. Louis Stars during their NASL indoor soccer tournament, which marked the first Division One sanctioned event of its kind. The arena even welcomed international competition, such as the Red Army's final North American match in 1974, drawing crowds that highlighted its status as a premier destination for major sporting spectacles.

The Blues Era and Venue Evolution

When the NHL expansion franchise arrived in 1967, the facility was in such disrepair that owner Sid Salomon Jr. invested millions to renovate it before the first puck dropped. The initial game against Minnesota ended in a tie, with Larry Keenan scoring the team's inaugural goal at the venue. Over the decades, the arena underwent continuous expansion, growing from roughly 15,000 seats to nearly 20,000 by the time the Blues departed in 1994. Despite not being originally designed for hockey, fans frequently cited its sightlines as superior to any other league venue, and it earned a reputation for having one of the loudest atmospheres in professional sports. The building's identity shifted during the late 1970s when Ralston Purina purchased the property and renamed it the Checkerdome after their logo, though the name reverted following the company's eventual forfeiture of the team to the league.

ABA Legacy and Financial Coup

In the mid-1970s, the arena became home to the Spirits of St. Louis during the final two seasons of the American Basketball Association before its merger with the NBA. This era featured future stars like Moses Malone and Marvin Barnes, with young Bob Costas serving as the radio announcer for KMOX. Although the team was not selected for the merger and was subsequently disbanded alongside the Kentucky Colonels, the ownership group orchestrated a financial maneuver that would yield extraordinary long-term returns. Owners Ozzie and Daniel Silna negotiated a unique dissolution agreement granting them a perpetual share of ABA television revenue rights. This strategic deal eventually generated over $250 million for the family before the NBA bought out their remaining interest in 2014, proving that even after the team's physical departure from St. Louis, its financial legacy continued to flourish decades later.