50 Most Outstanding Players in St. Louis Blues History: 30-21
23. Scott Young
Forward, 1998-02, 2005-06; 377 games, 125 goals, 129 assists, plus-14 rating, 153 PIM
Much like Brad Boyes, Scott Young was a guy who was an elite scorer for a short period but is usually remembered as more of a complimentary player. Young signed with the Blues as a free agent prior to the 1998-99 season, and at 31 years old, he immediately began making a major offensive impact during one of the scarcest eras of offense in the history of the NHL. Young finished with 52 points (24 goals and 28 assists) in 75 games to rank fourth on the team in ’98-’99, and he also collected four goals and seven assists in 13 playoff games as the Blues advanced to the Conference Semi-Finals.
Young had a rather pedestrian season as the Blues won the Presidents’ Trophy in 1999-2000, but he did have another 20-plus goal campaign, collecting 24 goals in 75 games. He was one of the Blues’ few consistent performers in their first-round series loss to the San Jose Sharks, collecting six goals and two assists while playing in six of a possible seven games.
Young’s time to shine was during the 2000-01 season, when he notched career highs in goals and points. Playing in 81 games, Young had 40 goals and 33 assists, becoming the Blues’ first 40-goal scorer since Brett Hull in 1996-97. He earned consideration for the Lady Byng trophy and once again starred in the playoffs, collecting six goals (including a game-winner in double overtime against the Colorado Avalanche) and seven assists as the Blues advanced to the Western Conference Finals.
He regressed to the norm in 2001-02, failing to score 20 goals for the first season since he joined the Blues, and he departed to sign with the Dallas Stars in free agency the following summer. After the lockout, though, Young would return to play one final season in St. Louis in 2005-06, and at 38 years old, he went out with a bang, collecting 18 goals and 31 assists to lead the last-place Blues with 49 points.
Young was never the Blues’ best player, but he was an important contributor to several extremely successful teams during the late ’90s and early 2000s. He thrived as a goal-scoring when scoring goals wasn’t easy, and he’ll go down as one of the Blues’ best all-around forwards of all time.