The 'Weight' is over - Blues begin quest for Cup

ST. LOUIS -- After nine years of stardom on a so-so team, Doug Weight is ready for something bigger and better.

The St. Louis Blues' new No. 1 center is anxious for expectations now that he's with the team that made it to the Western Conference finals last spring, instead of the also-ran Edmonton Oilers.

"I've had pressure on a sixth- or seventh-place team in a lot more of a hockey hotbed, I'll tell you what," Weight said. "You don't play well, the first four pages of the paper are saying you're not playing well and you've got to step up and face the music and go out and do your job."

Weight, who replaces free agent-departee Pierre Turgeon, was the only major offseason pickup for a team coming off its best postseason since 1986. He had 25 goals and 90 points last season and led the Oilers in scoring seven of the last eight seasons.

It didn't take him long to embrace coach Joel Quenneville's system, and didn't take Quenneville long to appoint Weight an assistant captain.

"If we've got guys working hard," Weight said, "we'll win games. This is a big year for the organization."

The Blues, whose only other major acquisition was goalie Fred Brathwaite, open tonight at Columbus. The home opener is Oct. 11 against the Los Angeles Kings.

"I like our team," Quenneville said. "Certainly, I think once we start knowing how we have to play game in and game out, shift to shift, we should get better."

The Blues already loaded up at the end of the regular season, picking up left wings Keith Tkachuk and Cory Stillman. Tkachuk was a bit of a disappointment in the playoffs, but worked with a personal trainer for the first time in his career in the offseason.

There may be other moves down the road, considering the Blues have to battle Stanley Cup champion Colorado, Dallas and Detroit, but not for a while.

"I think every team in the league at this time of year, that's when we've got to prove where are we and what do we need," general manager Larry Pleau said. "We need time to see how it fits in, how it comes together, the chemistry."

Brathwaite came from the Flames in a trade that included last year's starting goalie, Roman Turek, and sticks with the team for now because they were unable to land a marquee player at that position. He and Brent Johnson, 24, likely will rotate at least in the early going, and Johnson will start in the opener.

"Both guys are challenging to get playing time," Quenneville said. "it doesn't make a difference who's No. 1. We'll be comfortable with both guys and we should get strong goaltending."

The Blues are strongest on defense with captain Chris Pronger and ageless Al MacInnis, 37, who had 54 points last year. MacInnis did not wear down in the playoffs last spring as happened a few years ago, and there has been no talk of retirement.

"I would think Al would be wanting to play past this year, and who knows how long," Quenneville said "Al can play as long as he wants to."

The Blues appear a bit thin at center. Daniel Corso, largely untested, is No. 2 and faceoff specialist Mike Eastwood is either the third- or fourth-liner.

Quenneville said he might try left wing Pavol Demitra, who was awarded a $3.5 million contract in arbitration this summer, at the position.