The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). In their 51 seasons of play, the Blues have qualified for the playoffs 43 times and appeared in four Stanley Cup Finals, winning the Stanley Cup in 2019. As part of the NHL’s 82-game regular season schedule, the Blues play 41 home games each season at the Enterprise Center in downtown St. Louis.
Blues Regular Season Schedule
The Blues regular season schedule typically runs from early October through early April. During this time, the team plays 82 total games – 41 home games and 41 away games. The NHL regular season consists of 82 games for each of the league’s 32 teams. The Blues play each of their 15 Western Conference opponents within the Central Division 4 times per season, and they play each of the 16 teams in the Western Conference outside of their division 3 times. They play each of the 16 teams in the Eastern Conference 2 times – once at home and once on the road. This balances the schedule so that each team plays a equal number of home and away games.
The NHL schedule aims to have all teams play on most days of the week and limit long homestands or road trips. During the regular season, NHL teams typically play several games per week. The Blues usually have 2-3 home games each week at Enterprise Center during the regular season.
Some key details on the Blues’ 2022-23 regular season home schedule:
- Total home games: 41
- First home game: October 15 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
- Last home game: April 13 vs. Minnesota Wild
- Home games by month:
- October – 6
- November – 7
- December – 6
- January – 6
- February – 5
- March – 7
- April – 4
- Longest homestand: 7 games – March 2-14
- Number of back-to-back home games: 4
The Blues’ full regular season schedule with dates and matchups is typically announced each summer prior to the start of the season. It includes the 41 home and 41 road games that make up their 82-game regular season slate.
Blues Playoff Games
In addition to the regular season, NHL teams play additional playoff games in the postseason tournament to determine the Stanley Cup champion. The number of home playoff games for the Blues depends on how far they advance in the playoffs.
The NHL playoffs are divided into four rounds:
- First Round (best-of-7 series)
- Second Round (best-of-7 series)
- Conference Finals (best-of-7 series)
- Stanley Cup Finals (best-of-7 series)
In each round, the Blues would play a best-of-7 game series against their opponent, with four wins needed to advance. If the series reaches the maximum 7 games, the Blues would play 4 home games and 3 road games due to having home-ice advantage.
Here is the maximum number of potential home playoff games for the Blues in each round:
- First Round: 4 home games
- Second Round: 4 home games
- Conference Finals: 4 home games
- Stanley Cup Finals: 4 home games
If the Blues were to advance all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals and play the maximum 7 games in each round, they could potentially host 16 home playoff games at Enterprise Center in addition to the 41 regular season home games. However, the actual number tends to be lower since not every series reaches 7 games.
For example, during their Stanley Cup championship run in 2018-19, the Blues played just 9 home playoff games in addition to their 41 regular season home games:
- First Round vs. Jets: 2 home games
- Second Round vs. Stars: 3 home games
- Conference Finals vs. Sharks: 2 home games
- Stanley Cup Finals vs. Bruins: 2 home games
The number of home playoff games can also be reduced if the Blues fail to advance past the early rounds. From 2016-2019, the Blues won just one home playoff game as they lost in the first or second round each season.
While the potential exists for up to 16 home playoff games for St. Louis, the actual number will depend on how far the team advances through the championship tournament bracket.
Total Blues Home Games
To summarize, here are the key numbers related to Blues home games:
- Regular season home games: 41
- Maximum possible playoff home games: 16
- Actual playoff home games: Variable based on playoff advancement
- Total maximum home games: 41 regular season + 16 playoff = 57
- Typical actual total is around 50 home games
While the Blues are guaranteed 41 regular season home games, the number of playoff home games depends on their postseason results. If the Blues were to play the maximum 7 games in each round and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, the total number of home games could reach 57. But in reality, most seasons will see somewhere around 50 home games when accounting for the postseason.
Comparing Home Games to Other NHL Teams
The Blues’ number of home games is consistent with all other NHL teams since the league’s scheduling model is balanced. Each team plays 41 home and 41 road games in the regular season. In the playoffs, home game advantage in each series also applies to every team. So the Blues have the same home game potential as any other NHL franchise.
For example, here is a comparison of the Blues’ 2022-23 home game schedule to two other NHL teams:
| Team | Regular Season Home Games | Maximum Playoff Home Games | Total Possible Home Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Blues | 41 | 16 | 57 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 41 | 16 | 57 |
| Florida Panthers | 41 | 16 | 57 |
The only variation between teams is the actual number of playoff home games based on how far each team advances. But the maximum potential is the same – 41 regular season games plus up to 16 playoff games for 57 total.
Enterprise Center Capacity
When considering the Blues’ home schedule, it’s also important to look at the size of their home arena. Enterprise Center, located in downtown St. Louis, has a capacity of 18,096 for hockey games. This is the number of tickets available for Blues home games.
With 41 regular season home games per year, this adds up to around 742,000 tickets available just in the regular season. Enterprise Center can then accommodate over 288,000 more fans if the Blues played the maximum 16 home playoff games. So the arena could potentially host more than 1 million Blues fans each season!
Enterprise Center is a state-of-the-art venue that regularly sells out for Blues games. For popular games like the playoffs, tickets are in high demand and sell quickly as fans look to support the Blues in person.
The arena’s capacity and enthusiastic fan base create an exciting home ice advantage for the Blues throughout the regular season and playoffs.
Blues Attendance and Ticket Sales
In terms of actual fans attending Blues home games each season, attendance numbers are also among the highest in the NHL. For the 2021-22 season, the average home attendance for St. Louis was 18,096 fans – filling Enterprise Center to 100.0% capacity over 41 regular season home games. The 742,936 total home attendance ranked 6th in the NHL.
The Blues have enjoyed strong fan support and attendance throughout their history, especially in recent winning seasons:
| Season | Average Home Attendance | Total Home Attendance | Capacity Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 18,035 | 739,435 | 99.7% |
| 2017-18 | 17,949 | 736,849 | 99.2% |
| 2018-19 | 18,096 | 742,936 | 100.0% |
| 2019-20 | 18,096 | 742,936 | 100.0% |
| 2020-21 | N/A (COVID) | N/A (COVID) | N/A (COVID) |
| 2021-22 | 18,096 | 742,936 | 100.0% |
Despite limited attendance in 2020-21 due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Blues have consistently drawn over 17,000+ fans per home game. This exemplifies the passion Blues fans have for attending live games to cheer on their team at Enterprise Center.
With nearly 750,000 in attendance over a 41 game home schedule, regular season tickets are in high demand. Playoff tickets then become even harder to obtain with the increased scarcity during a short postseason run.
The Blues have established themselves as one of the strongest sports franchises and fan bases in St. Louis. This loyal support from Blues fans is reflected in the outstanding attendance numbers and electric atmosphere at Enterprise Center each season.
Conclusion
In summary, the St. Louis Blues play 41 regular season home games each year at Enterprise Center as part of the NHL’s 82-game schedule. They can also potentially host up to 16 additional playoff home games if they advance to the Stanley Cup Finals and play 7 games in each round. This puts the total maximum number of Blues home games at 57. In reality, most seasons will end up with around 50 total home games after accounting for the postseason.
The Blues’ home game schedule and maximums are consistent with other NHL teams due to the league’s balanced scheduling model. Enterprise Center can accommodate over 18,000 fans for each sold out Blues home game. This results in outstanding attendance totals that regularly place the Blues in the top 10 league-wide. The Blues have cultivated a passionate fan base that provides an intimidating home ice advantage in St. Louis.
So while the actual number of games varies each season with the playoffs, Blues fans can count on around 50 opportunities every year to experience the excitement of a live home game and cheer on their beloved Blues at Enterprise Center.