The 1969–70 St. Louis Blues season involved them finishing in first place in the West Division and being the only team in the West Division with a winning record for the second consecutive season, as they finished 22 points ahead of the second-placed Pittsburgh Penguins. The Blues matched their previous season's total of 37 wins but finished with 86 points, two points shy of the previous season's points total. NHL legend

Camille Henry Joseph Wilfred Camille "The Eel" Henry (January 31, 1933 – September 11, 1997) was a professional Canadian ice hockey left winger who played for the New York Rangers, the Chicago Black Hawks and the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey Leagu ...

played his final game with the St. Louis Blues, notching 3 points in 4 games. From a goaltending standpoint, the franchise experienced many changes.

Glenn Hall Glenn Henry Hall (born October 3, 1931) (aka Gunner Hall) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. During his National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, and St. Louis Blues, Hall seldom missed a ...

had retired at the end of the 1968–69 season but returned. Despite an appearance in the All-Star Game, Jacques Plante played his final season in St. Louis. He was sold by the Blues to the Toronto Maple Leafs for cash on May 18, 1970.

Ernie Wakely Ernest Alfred Linton Wakely (born November 27, 1940) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Career Wakely was a goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues. He also played for ...

was acquired from the defending Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens and became the Blues starting goaltender for the following season. In the playoffs, St. Louis defeated the Minnesota North Stars 4–2 and the Pittsburgh Penguins 4–2 to advance to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, where they were swept by the Boston Bruins.

Phil Goyette Joseph Georges Philippe Goyette (born October 31, 1933) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey center who played in the NHL for 16 seasons between 1956 and 1972. Playing career Goyette played 941 career NHL games, scoring 207 goals and 467 ...

became the first

Lady Byng Trophy The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of ...

winner in franchise history as he led the team with 78 points. This would also mark the last time the Blues would make the finals until

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

, where they again face the Bruins, and captured their first Stanley Cup in seven games.

Offseason

NHL draft

Tommi Salmelainen Tommi Salmelainen (born January 29, 1949) is a Finnish hockey left winger who played for HIFK. He was the first ever European drafted in the NHL Entry Draft in 1969Hockey’s Book of Firsts, p.46, James Duplacey, JG Press, although he never did ...

was the first European drafted by an NHL franchise.

Regular season

Glenn Hall

As he did with the

Chicago Black Hawks (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

in 1966,

retired from St. Louis at the end of the 1968–69 season.Legends of Hockey – The Legends – Honoured Player – Hall, Glenn – Biography
He was talked into returning, usually with a promise of more money, but he didn't profess to enjoy his livelihood. Although Hall stayed in St. Louis, he still got nauseous before each game as he did earlier in his career.

Ernie Wakely

played two games for the Montreal Canadiens from 1962 to 1969. On June 27, 1969, Wakely got his big break when the Canadiens dealt the 28-year-old to the St. Louis Blues for

Norm Beaudin Norman Joseph Andrew Beaudin (born November 28, 1941) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played 25 games in the National Hockey League and 335 in the World Hockey Association, most notably for the Winnipeg Jets. He also pl ...

and

Bobby Schmautz Robert James Schmautz (March 28, 1945March 28, 2021) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oil ...

.Montreal Canadiens Goaltenders: Ernie Wakely 1962–69
/ref> The 1969–70 season was a career season for Wakely. He appeared in 30 games for St. Louis, registering a 2.11 GAA and four shutouts. Wakely had to take over from the legendary Glenn Hall. Wakely made the most of his opportunity as he helped lead the Blues to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Blues were defeated in four straight games by Bobby Orr's Boston Bruins.

Final standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

Playoffs

West Division semi-finals

In the West Division playoffs, the St. Louis Blues ousted the Minnesota North Stars in six games. The Blues won the first two games at the

St. Louis Arena St. Louis Arena (known as the Checkerdome from 1977 to 1983) was an indoor arena in St. Louis, Missouri. The country's second-largest indoor entertainment venue when it opened in 1929, it was home to the St. Louis Blues and other sports franchis ...

. Game three at the

Metropolitan Sports Center The Met Center was an indoor arena that stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States, a suburb of Minneapolis. The arena, which was completed in 1967 by Minnesota Ice, just to the north of Metropolitan Stadium, seated 15,000. It was the home o ...

featured Gump Worsley's sharp goaltending and

Bill Goldsworthy William Alfred Goldsworthy (August 24, 1944 – March 29, 1996) was a professional ice hockey right winger who played for three teams in the National Hockey League for 14 seasons between 1964 and 1978, mostly with the Minnesota North Stars. He r ...

scoring two goals in a 4–2 win for the North Stars. Cesare Maniago played in goal for Minnesota in game four and picked up a 4–0 shutout, tying the series. Game five at St. Louis Arena was tied 3–3 when St Louis scored three goals in the third period by Red Berenson, Terry Gray and Jim Roberts, and the Blues won 6–3. In game six, Ab McDonald scored two goals as the Blues eliminated the North Stars by a score of 4–2.

West Division finals

Stanley Cup Finals

Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues For the third consecutive year, the Blues were swept in the Stanley Cup Finals. This time, they faced the Boston Bruins, who, with stars like Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito, were more than a match for them. The first three games were not close. The Blues managed to force overtime in game four, but Orr scored his famous game-winning goal to end the series.

Player statistics

Regular season

;Scoring ;Goaltending

Playoffs

;Scoring ;Goaltending

Awards and records

* Clarence S. Campbell Bowl *

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of ...

: , ,

* Jacques Plante, goaltender, NHL All-Star Game

Farm teams

References

*
Blues on Hockey Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:1969-70 St. Louis Blues season St. Louis Blues seasons St. Louis St Louis St Louis