The 2019 Stanley Cup champions will provide a reunion of sorts for current Utah general manager Bill Armstrong.
For a long time, the St. Louis Blues were seen as the 1967 expansion team that wasn't able to get over the hump.
It took until Doug Armstrong and Bill Armstrong showed up in 2007 that turned the franchise's fortunes, and 12 years later, it was rewarded with a Stanley Cup.
That foundation was built on the basis of a team under Ken Hitchcock that featured future stars like Alex Steen, Alex Pietrangelo, and more, garnered through shrewd trades and excellent drafting.
That sound familiar? It's what Bill Armstrong has brought to the table as the general manager for Utah.
And it's also what the Dallas Stars, among other teams in the West, have followed to become contenders in their own right.
The Blues also still have key pieces like Robert Thomas, who had 86 points last season, Pavel Buchnevich, who had 27 goals, and Brayden Schenn, who tied for the lead on the team with 8 power play goals.
They've also added Alex Texier via trade and Radek Faksa via free agency, which will increase their intensity on defence and power on offence.
Those elements of experience and physicality is what will make St. Louis a playoff contender, and will make those games meaningful for the Utah Hockey Club, even though we won't see most of the stars play when these two squads meet in the preseason opener on September 23 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Bill Armstrong did say they could pull off some shockers, and this would be a great opportunity to show how far they've come as the end of the season comes near.