50 Most Outstanding Players in St. Louis Blues History: 30-21

30. Barret Jackman

Defenseman, 2002-15; 803 games, 28 goals, 153 assists, plus-53 rating, 1,026 PIM

Barret Jackman wasn’t the loudest contributor over the course of his long NHL career, but there are few players with greater ties to the Blues franchise than “Jax.” While a 73-game stint with the Nashville Predators in 2015-16 spoiled an opportunity to play his entire career in the Blue Note, Jackman’s 803 regular season game with the Blues rank only behind Bernie Federko’s 927.

Jackman was very much a stay-at-home defenseman; he posted career highs of four goals (twice, in 2005-06 and 2008-09) and 24 assists (2006-07), and he exceeded 20 points in a season just twice in 14 seasons. He was a steady, physical presence in his own zone, though, posting a minus rating for a season just four times during that span.

In addition to his spot on the Blues’ all-time games played leaderboard, Jackman is in the Blues’ record book with his plus-53 career rating (ninth) and 1,026 career penalty minutes (fourth). He won the Calder Trophy after averaging 20 minutes per night and posting a plus-23 rating in 2002-03, and after ownership gutted the roster in the mid-to-late 2000s, he stepped into a franchise player role. That may have exposed him to unnecessary criticism for a time, but it seems that the fan base has forgotten those tough times in Jackman’s retirement. As a well-liked, long-tenured player who has chosen to settle down for the long haul in St. Louis, Jackman could become the Bob Plager of his generation.