St. Louis Blues Tickets
Barrett Jackman and Ryan Johnson of the St. Louis Blues will play for the Missouri River Otters of the United Hockey League while the NHL is mired in a work stoppage. Jackman, a defenseman and the NHL's rookie of the year in 2002-03, and Johnson, a center, were to be introduced at a news conference Thursday and will make their debuts with the River Otters on Saturday at home against the Kansas City Outlaws.
Red Wings defensemen Chris Chelios and Derian Hatcher and center Kris Draper signed with Motor City Mechanics of the UHL earlier this week.
Nearly 400 NHL players are spending the lockout with European teams, but few are playing minor league hockey in the U.S.
New Jersey's Scott Gomez and Chicago's Curtis Brown are playing for East Coast Hockey League teams in Alaska and San Diego. Brad Lukowich of Tampa Bay played some games with Fort Worth of the Central Hockey League.
The NHL lockout is in its 141st day.
The Otters play at the 10,000-seat Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo., about 25 miles west of St. Louis. The team is drawing about 2,300 fans per game.
Team spokesman Dan Silver said more than 1,000 tickets were sold on Wednesday when word leaked that Jackman had practiced with the River Otters and might sign with the team.
"We're hoping it's really going to fill this place up," Silver said. "I don't see any reason we can't get back up to 6,000, 7,000, 8,000."
Hatcher made his debut for the Mechanics on Wednesday night, scoring a goal in a 5-1 loss to Flint.
Chelios and Draper were expected to make their debuts Friday, when the Mechanics host Rockford at their arena in Fraser, Mich.