ST. LOUIS — The round of former Blues coming to town includes Paul Stastny and Ryan Reaves, both members of the Blues once upon a time and past players that were glad for friends to win a Stanley Cup.
Stastny is close friends with a number of current Blues players, particularly Steen, Jaden Schwartz and Robert Bortuzzo, and kept in contact with them surprisingly during the Cup run.
"I was talking to them throughout the playoffs," Stastny said. "Once we were out, I was talking to them, whether it was Schwartzy or Bobbo or Steen, guys I'm really close with. Then I sent a text right away. I wasn't expecting a text back for at least three or four days. Some came back right away, some came back a week later, which is what was expected. You realize how hard it is. Some guys work so hard for it and never get there and obviously takes a lot of hard work, a lot of luck, so you're happy for some of those guys.
"It was bittersweet. You're happy for the city. Growing up a St. Louis fan and knowing the hardships the team went through, some of the times, like you knew the city was waiting for it. There are certain guys I was super-happy for just because I know how hard they worked. Not just on the ice but away from the rink, the kind of the battles that they went through, ups and downs, whether it was the year before or so many years before that."
The feeling was mutual for Reaves, as far as a bittersweet feeling is concerned.
"Bittersweet obviously. Happy for all the guys I played with, happy to see them win and lift the Cup. Happy for the city's first Stanley Cup in team history, but you never want to get traded from somewhere and them go win. It doesn't usually feel too good," Reaves said. "The city was thirsty for the win and they got it. I could only imagine it was a good time. I saw some videos, some pictures, it was fun. ... I text all the guys I played with and congratulated them for sure."
