The St. Louis Blues are on pace to be the worst team in the NHL this year. Now we know that every year, at least one team has to be the worst, but the fact that the music is about to stop and the Blues will not have a chair to sit in will bring an end to an amazing streak.

Twenty-five years, twenty-five playoff appearances.

The Blues, while never winning a Stanley Cup, have been a model of consistency in making the annual tournament for Lord Stanley’s prized trophy. Not since the 1978-79 season have the Blues missed the playoffs. Until this year.

After losing to the San Jose Sharks in the 2003-2004 playoffs and then the ensuing lockout, the Blues lost two major components, Pavol Demitra and Scott Mellanby to free agency or retirement. They also traded team captain and former Norris Trophy winner Chris Pronger to Edmonton. Power forward Keith Tkachuk has been limited to 10 games by a hand injury.

The situation in the net has been bleak, at best. No less than four players have combined to let up a conference worst 188 goals.

They unloaded Mike Sillinger, the team’s second leading scorer, to Nashville over the weekend and leading scorer Doug Weight is also expected to be moved to a contender before the trading deadline.

Lookout below.

The Breakaway

The Carolina Panthers retired the number 10 of center Ron Francis this weekend. Francis began his career with the Hartford Whalers before being traded to Pittsburgh to be a part of the Pens’ back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in the early 90s. He later returned to the team that drafted him, now called the Hurricanes having moved to North Carolina.

Francis was known as a class act and was well respected around the league. Another victim of the lockout, he retired with fourth-most points and second-most assists tallied in the NHL.