Blues honor Federko with player of the game award

It started with Bobby Plager’s original gloves.

Then it was Keith Tkachuk’s old-school Jofa helmet.

Last season it was Kelly Chase’s original shoulder pads.

Now it’s Bernie Federko’s game-used stick from his 1,000th NHL game.

The St. Louis Blues captains are keeping a tradition alive this season by celebrating the players that came before them. After each win, a player deemed to have made the biggest contributions to the victory — whether on the scoresheet, through a gritty effort or simply providing a spark that helped get the W — will receive Federko’s stick. After the next win, that player will select a new player to receive the honor.

“For those that haven’t really been here, we have a cool thing going with honoring Blues Alumni that have done it before us,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said to the team following their first win of the season, a 4-2 victory in Calgary on Oct. 11. "This guy right here, from his 1,000th game, this guy is all class, respect, integrity and really what it means to be a Blue.”

The stick is an old wooden Titan TPM2020. They don’t make 'em like that anymore.

They also don’t make ‘em like Federko anymore. Both a Blues Hall of Famer and a Hockey Hall of Famer, Federko played exactly 1,000 NHL regular-season games — 927 of which were while wearing the Blue Note. In his 13 seasons in St. Louis, Federko ranks first in Blues history in games played, points (1,073), assists (721) and second in goals (352) and hat tricks (11). His No. 24 is retired in the rafters at Enterprise Center, and his statue proudly sits out front at the corner of 14th and Clark Avenue.

“We called Bernie and told him we wanted to honor him because he’s the true definition of what it means to be a Blue,” Schenn told stlouisblues.com. “He said he didn’t have much memorabilia, but after Justin Faulk suggested we should do a player of the game stick, Bernie said he had one from his 1,000th game.

“We’ve had Bobby Plager’s gloves, Tkachuk’s helmet, Chaser’s shoulder pads… I think it’s cool to honor the guys that have paved the way for us. Hopefully the tradition keeps on going for a long time.”

"It's such a special thing the team does, and to be asked to be part of it is obviously very flattering," said Federko. "I can't be more proud that a stick I used 35 years ago in my 1,000th game is going to be passed around to the player of the game. Hopefully it will bring them all some special magic and a great winning season."