St. Louis Sports Online

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Mike Huss "The Fuss According to Huss" St. Louis Sports Online lead columnist and host of "Sportstalk" on WGNU AM-920 (8:00-9:00 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays)

Congratulations to Brett Hull. No kidding!!

Very, very early Sunday morning in Buffalo, Hull and his Dallas Stars teammates captured the prize which eluded them for over a decade: the Stanley Cup. The President Trophy-winning Stars defeated the Number 7 seeded Buffalo Sabres in the final series, Four Games to Two. The Minnesota transplants got to celebrate their victory with a big parade. The championship catapulted the team to #2 status behind the Cowboys on the Dallas sports fans' popularity list.

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The winning goal was controversial. The Golden One appeared to be in Dominik Hasek's goal crease when the red light was turned on. Despite the protests of the Sabres, the Referees refused to review the call. The game, series, and season was over. See you in September. The Buffalo fans called the Dallas team many names that morning. Perhaps the best (and definitely the most printable) was the "Dallas Asterisks".

(Just for fun, I quizzed two local veteran sports personalities on the game winner. They have a combined background of nearly fifty years of watching and reporting on hockey. Both agreed with ESPN's Barry Melrose and Kevin Allen of the USA Today, that Hull's goal should not have been allowed. If that exact play occurred in December in a game between Tampa Bay and Nashville, the goal would not been allowed. Bottom Line: This goal stands. Game, Series, Cup, Dallas. It may be questionable, but it goes down as a bullet like slap shot in the record book)

For the future Hall of Famer Hull, the victory was particularly satisfying as he can now dispel the criticism that he could never play for a winner. Also, Hull and his father, are the only father-son combination to have their name inscribed on the Cup. It was perhaps particularly fitting that the series winner occurred in the early morning on Father's Day.

For #22's supporters, they are probably still hung over in celebration. For his detractors, they are probably still sulking. It is amusing to watch both sides jockey for position in this debate.

Once again, though, Congratulations Brett Hull. You now have as many Stanley Cup championships as Al Mac Innis, Doug Gilmour, and Mike Keenan.

The 1998-1999 season was truly a win/win situation for the Golden One and the newly crowned Stanley Cup Champions. Hull, in search of a championship and less exposure, signs a three year deal with a no trade clause to play in Big D. The Stars (or Asterisks for you readers in Buffalo) obtained another sniper for their talented arsenal and perhaps the missing piece to their championship search.

However, I contend that the Hull saga should be best described as a win/win/win, situation. Not only did the Golden One and the Minnesota Transplants reached their goals: but the St. Louis Blues won also. The Blues showed that they are a better team without the services of Brett Hull.

Coach Joel Quenneville's Blues overachieved in March and April. They defeated Phoenix in Round 1 in the playoffs. In Round 2, they took the underachieving eventual champions to overtime four times in six games. At the end of the season, the chemistry of Quenneville's troops was excellent.. If you evaluate the potential free agents of Spring, 1998, the Blues far and away signed the best and most important one: Al Mac Innis. The addition of Brett Hull to the 1998-1999 Blues roster would not have produced any additional significant results for the team

One could make a solid argument that, in light of his past history with the team and the security of his no trade clause, Hull could have been a malcontent this season for the Blues.

As I chronicled in this space in July, 1998 when the Golden One signed with Stars, his divorce with the Blues was best for all parties. It simply had to happen. Brett Hull was the greatest hockey player to wear the Blue Note. Some day, his #16 will be retired and will be hanging proudly high above the Kiel Center.

But, it became obvious that Hull had to leave St. Louis. He was simply a member of this franchise much too long. He was getting stagnant, stale, and disruptive. Just like many employees in all walks of life, one gets too comfortable or too irritable when you stay with one company too long. This isn't a criticism of Hull, but a trait of human nature.

In the same vein, St. Louis had to break ties with their former star. As his hockey skills began to slow down, it became obvious that although you might win a Stanley Cup with Brett Hull, you would not win a Stanley Cup with him as the centerpiece of your team. Despite surrounding him with Wayne Gretzky, Al Mac Innis, Adam Oates, Brendan Shanahan , Scott Stevens and others, and by even making him the team's Captain, Hull could not deliver the Blues beyond the second round during his ten plus season tenure.

As it turned out, the Blues were right. Hull's best role is as a hired gun. He serves as a component which would compliment an already talented team. Dallas identified this. Although, the Stars would have probably captured the Stanley Cup without his services, Hull provided an added dimension and threat for Dallas: a team which needed a nudge/push to get over the top.

So everyone wins in this story, right?? Hull goes to a winner. Dallas win the Cup. The Blues peaked to a playoff run and built enthusiasm during a rebuilding year.

Yet, for some peculiar reason, many in this town actual believe and are gloating that Hull's success in Dallas translates into failure/hardship/jealousy in St. Louis. A local scribe wrote that "this is one more lost opportunity for the Blues" and "that both sides should be sad". I heard a radio morning Gab Master flapping his gums calling those St. Louis Fans who booed #22 "Cementheads". This noise maker went on to say that the Blues are displaying "Sour Grapes" as Hull scored the winning goal. (Perhaps these are the same Cement Heads which PAY an average of $45 per ticket to watch hockey.)

Sorry, I fail to see the connection. Could someone explain it to me?? How is Brett Hull's free agent signing with a Stanley Cup winning team any different than Guy Carbonneau's free agent signing with a Stanley Cup winning team?? What does this have to do with the Blues? Both gentlemen explored the free agency option available to them and made their decision. From the Blues perspective, both gentlemen are now EX EMPLOYEES.

For the Hull supporters and the Hull detractors, this was a win/win/win situation. Translated, everyone wins. Enjoy. It doesn't always end this way..

One more time: Congratulations to Brett Hull (as well as everyone else).