Blues center Ryan O'Reilly replaces Alex Pietrangelo as team captain. Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan O'Reilly named 23rd captain in Blues history

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 12/23/20

When Alex Pietrangelo signed a seven-year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights this offseason, he left the St. Louis Blues without a captain.

The 2020-21 season is set to get underway on Jan. 13, and St. Louis wasted no time naming the franchise's 23rd captain. The Blues announced Wednesday that Ryan O'Reilly will serve as the next team captain. Vladimir Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn and Colton Parayko have been named alternate captains.

"Ryan's work ethic on and off the ice and his commitment day in and day out is second to none," Blues head coach Craig Berube said in a statement. "He leads by example with how hard he works during practices and our games and he relays the right message from our coaching staff to our entire team."

We have something we'd like you to C. https://t.co/dQLHrYCFKW #stlblues pic.twitter.com/umN0mx0Yq7
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) December 23, 2020

O'Reilly is entering his third season with the Blues and his 12th year in the NHL. He helped the franchise capture its first Stanley Cup in 2019, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy that year as MVP of the playoffs with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 26 games. He also won the Selke Trophy in 2019.

The 29-year-old has had some of the best years of his career in St. Louis, tallying 138 points (40 goals, 98 assists) in 153 regular-season games. He was traded to the franchise in July 2018 from the Buffalo Sabres.

After the 2020-21 campaign, O'Reilly will have two years remaining on the seven-year, $52.5 million contract he signed in July 2015. He'll then become an unrestricted free agent.

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