Frank St. Marseille
One of my favourite stories from the first expansion was the “arrival” of Frank St. Marseille. For four seasons he had toiled in the IHL – the last three with the Port Huron Flags. During the 1966-67 season – which would be his last in the IHL – St. Marseille was putting up big numbers: finishing with 41 goals and 77 assists for 118 points in 72 games. That same season – in a game in Toledo – he had Lynn Patrick and Sid Salomon in the audience, thanks to a letter Frank's older brother Frederic had written to Patrick. St. Marseille was invited to attend the St. Louis Blues' training camp in the Fall of 1967.
At that training camp, Frank immediately “clicked” with Gary Sabourin and Terry Crisp, but – nonetheless – the entire trio was sent to the Kansas City Blues of the CPHL to begin the season. After 11 games there – where St. Marseille had 7 goals and 8 assists – that trio was brought back to St. Louis. Scotty Bowman said that trio was better than the third line which had begun the season. Frank, Gary and Terry formed the Blues' new third line, and – besides being very effective in a checking role – put up 38 goals. St. Marseille finished his first NHL season – playing 57 games – with 16 goals, the same amount of assists, and 32 points. In 18 playoff games, he had 5 goals, 8 assists and 13 points. Dickie Moore – with 14 points – was the only Blue to have more.
Frank ended up playing ten seasons in the NHL: parts of six seasons in St. Louis, and parts of four seasons in Los Angeles.
One of my favourite stories from the first expansion was the “arrival” of Frank St. Marseille. For four seasons he had toiled in the IHL – the last three with the Port Huron Flags. During the 1966-67 season – which would be his last in the IHL – St. Marseille was putting up big numbers: finishing with 41 goals and 77 assists for 118 points in 72 games. That same season – in a game in Toledo – he had Lynn Patrick and Sid Salomon in the audience, thanks to a letter Frank's older brother Frederic had written to Patrick. St. Marseille was invited to attend the St. Louis Blues' training camp in the Fall of 1967.
At that training camp, Frank immediately “clicked” with Gary Sabourin and Terry Crisp, but – nonetheless – the entire trio was sent to the Kansas City Blues of the CPHL to begin the season. After 11 games there – where St. Marseille had 7 goals and 8 assists – that trio was brought back to St. Louis. Scotty Bowman said that trio was better than the third line which had begun the season. Frank, Gary and Terry formed the Blues' new third line, and – besides being very effective in a checking role – put up 38 goals. St. Marseille finished his first NHL season – playing 57 games – with 16 goals, the same amount of assists, and 32 points. In 18 playoff games, he had 5 goals, 8 assists and 13 points. Dickie Moore – with 14 points – was the only Blue to have more.
Frank ended up playing ten seasons in the NHL: parts of six seasons in St. Louis, and parts of four seasons in Los Angeles.
