How Stanley Cup champion Blues were built

The St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup for the first time with a 4-1 win against the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday.

Of the 23 Blues players who played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, 12 were selected by St. Louis in the NHL Draft, eight were acquired via trade, and three were signed as free agents.
The Blues were last in the NHL standings Jan. 3 (15-18-4) but went 30-10-5 since, including an 11-game winning streak from Jan. 23-Feb. 19. They were the seventh team in the NHL expansion era (since 1967-68) to make the playoffs after being in last after New Year's Day.

RELATED: [Complete Bruins vs. Blues series coverage]
Here's how the roster of the Stanley Cup champion Blues was built, along with background on its coaching staff and general manager:

FORWARDS

Ivan Barbashev, C: Selected in the second round (No. 33) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Barbashev had 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) in 80 regular-season games and had six points (three goals, three assists) in 25 playoff games.
Sammy Blais, LW:Selected in the sixth round (No. 176) of the 2014 draft, Blais had four points (two goals, two assists) in 32 regular-season games and had three points (one goal, two assists) in 15 playoff games.
Tyler Bozak, C: Signed as a free agent July 1, 2018, Bozak had 38 points (13 goals, 25 assists) in 72 regular-season games and had 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 26 playoff games.
Robby Fabbri, C: Selected in the first round (No. 21) of the 2014 draft, Fabbri had six points (two goals, four assists) in 32 regular-season games and had one goal in 10 playoff games.
Pat Maroon, LW: Signed as a free agent July 9, 2018, Maroon had 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 74 regular-season games and had seven points (three goals, four assists) in 26 playoff games.
Ryan O'Reilly, C: Acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on July 1, 2018, for forwards Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka and Tage Thompson, a first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, O'Reilly set an NHL career high with 77 points (28 goals, 49 assists) in 82 regular-season games and had 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 26 playoff games to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.

David Perron, LW: Signed as a free agent July 1, 2018, Perron had 46 points (23 goals, 23 assists) in 57 regular-season games and had 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 26 playoff games.
Zach Sanford, LW: Acquired in a trade with the Washington Capitals on Feb. 27, 2017, along with a first-round pick and a conditional second-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft for defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, Sanford had 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 60 regular-season games and had four points (one goal, three assists) in eight playoff games.
Brayden Schenn, C: Acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers on June 23, 2017, for forward Jori Lehtera, a first-round pick in the 2017 draft and a conditional first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Schenn had 54 points (17 goals, 37 assists) in 72 regular-season games and had 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 26 playoff games.
Jaden Schwartz, LW: Selected in the first round (No. 14) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Schwartz had 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 69 regular-season games and had 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) in 26 playoff games, including two hat tricks.
Alexander Steen, LW: Acquired in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 24, 2008, along with defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo for forward Lee Stempniak, Steen had 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) in 65 regular-season games and had five points (two goals, three assists) in 26 playoff games.
Oskar Sundqvist, C: Acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 23, 2017, along with a first-round pick in the 2017 draft for forward Ryan Reaves, Sundqvist had 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) in 74 regular-season games and had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 25 playoff games.
Vladimir Tarasenko, RW: Selected in the first round (No. 16) of the 2010 draft, Tarasenko had 68 points (33 goals, 35 assists) in 76 regular-season games and had 17 points (11 goals, six assists) in 25 playoff games.
Robert Thomas, C: Selected in the first round (No. 20) of the 2017 draft, Thomas had 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists) in 70 regular-season games and had six points (one goal, five assists) in 21 playoff games.

DEFENSEMEN

Robert Bortuzzo: Acquired in a trade with the Penguins on March 2, 2015, along with a seventh-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft for defenseman Ian Cole, Bortuzzo had 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 59 regular-season games and had two goals in 17 playoff games.
Jay Bouwmeester: Acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames on April 1, 2013, for defenseman Mark Cundari, goalie Reto Berra and a first-round pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, Bouwmeester had 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 78 regular-season games and had seven assists in 26 playoff games.
Vince Dunn:Selected in the second round (No. 56) of the 2015 NHL Draft, Dunn had 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 78 regular-season games and had eight points (two goals, six assists) in 20 playoff games.
Joel Edmundson: Selected in the second round (No. 46) of the 2011 NHL Draft, Edmundson had 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 64 regular-season games and had seven points (one goal, six assists) in 22 playoff games.
Carl Gunnarsson:Acquired in a trade with the Maple Leafs on June 28, 2014, along with a fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft for defenseman Roman Polak, Gunnarsson had seven points (three goals, four assists) in 25 regular-season games and had three points (one goal, two assists) in 19 playoff games.
Colton Parayko: Selected in the third round (No. 86) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Parayko had 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 80 regular-season games and had 12 points (twogoal, 10 assists) in 26 playoff games.
Alex Pietrangelo:Selected in the first round (No. 4) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Pietrangelo had 41 points (13 goals, 28 assists) in 71 regular-season games and set the Blues' single-season playoff record for a defenseman with 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) in 26 games. He was named captain of the Blues on Aug. 25, 2016.

GOALIES

Jordan Binnington: Selected in the third round (No. 88) of the 2011 draft, Binnington was 24-5-1 with a 1.89 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and five shutouts in 32 regular-season games (30 starts) and is a finalist for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL rookie of the year. He set a rookie record with 16 wins in the playoffs, and had a 2.46 GAA, .914 save percentage and one shutout in 26 postseason games.
Jake Allen: Selected in the second round (No. 34) of the 2008 draft, Allen was 19-17-8 with a 2.83 GAA, .905 save percentage and three shutouts in 46 regular-season games (45 starts). He made three saves on four shots in one relief appearance in the playoffs.

COACHING STAFF

Craig Berube, coach: Hired as an assistant June 15, 2017, after coaching Chicago, the Blues' American Hockey League affiliate, in 2016-17, Berube took over for Mike Yeo, who was fired Nov. 19. Berube led the Blues to a 38-19-6 record and is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, given to the coach of the year.
Steve Ott, assistant: Hired as an assistant to Yeo on May 25, 2017, the same day he announced his retirement from the NHL, Ott has been on the staff for two seasons. He played 14 NHL seasons, including three with the Blues from 2013-16.
Mike Van Ryn, assistant: Hired as assistant to Yeo on May 30, Van Ryn is in his first season with the Blues after coaching Tucson of the AHL in 2017-18 when he led it to the Pacific Division title. He had been a coach or assistant in the AHL or Ontario Hockey League since 2010. Van Ryn played in the NHL for eight seasons, including 69 games with the Blues from 2000-03.
David Alexander, goaltending coach: Hired as goaltending coach June 15, 2017, Alexander served in the same role with Syracuse of the AHL from 2013-17. Over his two seasons, the Blues have allowed the fourth-fewest goals per game (2.70).

GENERAL MANAGER

Doug Armstrong: Hired July 1, 2010, Armstrong is the fifth-longest-tenured general manager in the NHL. He is a finalist for the NHL General Manager of the Year Award for the second time (having won it in 2011-12) after the Blues went 45-28-9 to reach the playoffs for the seventh time in his nine seasons. Under Armstrong, the Blues have won two Central Division titles and have won at least 44 games in each of the past six seasons.