Hitchcock 'uncomfortable' catching Arbour in wins

ST. PAUL - As a student of the game and someone who appreciates history, Blues Head Coach Ken Hitchcock can appreciate his own place in hockey history even if it makes him feel uncomfortable.
With his next win, Hitchcock would tie Al Arbour for third on the all-time wins list among NHL coaches at 782.

"Moving along beside Al is uncomfortable for me because of the way we feel about him," Hitchcock said. "Other guys, you don't really think about it and you move on. This one is uncomfortable to be honest with you because he was a special guy, a special coach."
Hitchcock currently ranks second on the Blues' all-time wins list with 248, trailing only Joel Quenneville, who posted 307 victories with St. Louis. Since Hitchcock was hired by the Blues on Nov. 8, 2011, the club has posted the second-best regular season record in the League with a 248-122-41 record.

Under Hitchcock, the Blues have also posted three consecutive 100-point seasons for the first time in franchise history. In addition, they've recorded 53 shutouts, which is a League-best in that time span and 10 more than second-place Los Angeles.
Hitchcock is also one of only six coaches to earn at least 200 wins with two different teams.
Arbour, who once served as a player and coach for the St. Louis Blues, coached in 1,607 games, making 16 appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and claiming four consecutive Stanley Cups with the New York Islanders from 1979-1983.
"This just means he's been around a LOOOOONG time," Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo joked. "That's pretty impressive to be able to reach that accomplishment. He's been around this League for a long time for a reason. It's great to see anytime someone can reach an accomplishment like that. It's impressive."