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ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues have won at least 49 games in each of the past three seasons and advanced to the Western Conference finals last spring.Doing it again this season will require effort from a bunch of new players.David Backes, who spent 10 years in St. Louis, is now in Boston. Goalie Brian Elliott was traded to Calgary. Troy Brouwer, the Blues second-leading goal scorer in the playoffs last spring, signed with Calgary. Steve Ott, after two-plus seasons with the Blues, is now in Detroit.Theres no time to be sad about somebody, Blues right winger Vladimir Tarasenko said. They were great players and theyre still good players, but they play for other teams, so were going to play against them now. It seems like we have a really good team right now and Im just looking forward for our season to start.Before the 2015-16 season, the Blues traded T.J. Oshie to Washington for Brouwer and opted not to re-sign defenseman Barrett Jackman. St. Louis went 49-24-9 with 107 points, just two points less than in 2014-15.The Blues core group has changed slightly over the years but Ken Hitchcocks squad remains one of the most talented groups in the NHL.Tarasenko set career highs in goals (40) and points (74) last season, ranking fourth in the league in goals and 12th in points, after signing an eight-year contract extension. Alexander Steen (52 points), Paul Stastny (49) and Kevin Shattenkirk (44) ranked second, third and fifth among the Blues in scoring and are all back. Robby Fabbri accounted for 18 goals and 37 points as a rookie last season.The defensive group, led by Alex Pietrangelo, Jay Bouwmeester, Shattenkirk and youngster Colton Parayko, is among the best in the NHL.The biggest change for the Blues is in net, where St. Louis broke up its successful tandem of Elliott and Jake Allen, who went 26-15-3 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .920 save percentage last season. After sending Elliott to Calgary for a second-round draft pick, St. Louis signed Allen to a four-year contract extension that kicks in for the 2017-18 season.I think I have a great opportunity in front of me, Im very fortunate for that, and its been a long road, Allen said. Its been four years in the minors, some stints up and down here, a couple seasons here. Its been quite the grind to get to this point but I feel like the process is finally paying off.Some things to watch this year with the Blues:FAREWELL HITCHHitchcock announced this offseason that this would be his final season, which led to a shakeup among his assistant coaches and with former Minnesota Wild coach Mike Yeo coming in as an assistant and the designated coach in waiting.MIND THE NETCan Jake Allen carry the load? The Blues are counting on Allen to be their No. 1 netminder after trading Brian Elliott to Calgary. Allen has looked the part in a part-time roll, with a 2.34 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in 99 career regular-season games, but St. Louis needs him to carry the load this season.LEADERSHIP QUESTIONSThe Blues lost veteran forwards in captain David Backes, Troy Brouwer and Steve Ott in free agency. Alex Pietrangelo, a 26-year-old defenseman, became the 21st captain in the organizations history.TWENTYSOMETHINGSOne of the surprises this offseason was the signing of 28-year-old forward David Perron, who spent his first six seasons with St. Louis before the Blues traded him to Edmonton. Hes scored 20 or more goals in three of his nine seasons and the Blues will need him to produce. The Blues also re-signed Schwartz, 24, to a five-year deal. He had 28 goals and 63 points in 2014-15 but was limited to just 33 games a year ago because of an ankle injury and is now out for at least a month after hurting his left elbow. Dalvin Cook Vikings Jersey . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. Fran Tarkenton Jersey . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. http://www.authenticvikingspro.com/Brian-oneill-vikings-jersey/ . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. Adrian Peterson Womens Jersey . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. Randy Moss Womens Jersey . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. A host of Australians will fight for their World Surf League future at the season-ending Pipeline Masters in Hawaii.Davey Cathels, Kai Otton and Adam Melling each find themselves outside of the top-22 qualification cut-off for next year in the world rankings ahead of the headline event, which starts Thursday (Friday AEDT).It means they would no longer be guaranteed entry into any events in 2017, and would have to rely on wildcard invitations or replacement spots.Rookie Stuart Kennedy and veteran Mick Fannings spots are also in doubt, ranked 17th and 18th respectively, however they would each need a stack of results to go against them to miss out.Fanning will skip the Hawaiian event as part of his semi-sabbatical year, and is non-committal as to whether he will return in 2017.Australian up-and-comer Jack Freestone is also out of the top-22, but will surf on next season in the world tour after finishing eighth in the qualifying series.Countrymen Connor OLeary and Ethan Ewing also have the chance to join him after finishing first and second respectively.However the other three do not have the same luxury.The situation is most dire for Melling and Otton - the latter of whom finished as high as seventh in the 2013 championship after recording hhis only career win in Portugal.ddddddddddddThey find themselves 4,700 points in arrears of the qualifying mark, effectively needing at least a semi-final finish at one of the most unrelenting surfing spots in the world to continue full-time on the tour.Otton will face 11-time world champion Kelly Slater and Brazilian Caio Ibelli in the non-elimination first round, while Melling takes on Brazilian Felipe Toledo and Australian Josh Kerr.Cathels is ranked 28th, and could sneak through if he reaches the quarter-finals and results fall in his favour. He faces countryman Adrian Buchan and Michel Bourez of French Polynesia.Meanwhile Matt Bantings fate appears to be sealed. Ranked 27th, he has not been named for Pipeline.Australian rookie Ryan Callinans chances also look sunk heading into the event, ranked 36th after having won just three heats this season.Julian Wilson, Bede Durbidge, Matt Wilkinson and Joel Parkinson make up the rest of the Australian contingent at the season-ending event.Hawaiian John John Florence, who grew up minutes from the famous beach, wrapped up the world title at the last event in Portugal. ' ' '