Former St. Louis Blues and Hockey Hall of Fame member Brett Hull (R) announces to the crowd that the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues will play a hockey game at Busch Stadium in 2017 as Blues Chairman Tom Stillman listens in before the start of the Blackhawks-Blues hockey game at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on March 9, 2016. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Former St. Louis Blues and Hockey Hall of Famer Brett Hull (R) announces to the crowd that the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues will play a hockey game at Busch Stadium in 2017 as Blues Chairman Tom Stillman. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Of course there is baseball at Busch Stadium. There’s been football…even soccer. Now hockey can be added to the list.  The NHL announced that the St. Louis Blues will host the Chicago Blackhawks on Jan 2, 2017 at Busch Stadium.

The Blues’ first game in the league’s Winter Classic will come during the 100th anniversary of the NHL and the 50th season of the Blues, an expansion team in the 1967-68 season.

“The match-up of the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues at Busch Stadium continues the great traditions of the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We’re delighted that, during our Centennial year, the great fans in St. Louis can host the first outdoor meeting of these two Central Division neighbors, who are separated by fewer than 300 miles and are unified by 50 years of an outstanding hockey rivalry.”

No better person to tell the lively crowd at Scottrade Center on Wednesday night than former St. Louis Blues and Hockey Hall of Famer Brett Hull.  His dad, Bobby, played for the Hawks and its fitting these two rivals play in this game.

Blues Chairman Tom Stillman always knew St. Louis would eventually get an outdoor game, but Stillman says it’s even more special for the game to be the Winter Classic, where the day after New Year’s is focused on the league as a whole and more attention nationally and in Canada is paid to the game.

With talk of spring training and contracts picking up steam, Busch Stadium reminds us we're still weeks away from baseball. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

This could be the scene on January 2, 2017 when the Blues and Blackhawks play in Busch Stadium. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

Stillman also shares that Commissioner Gary Bettman’s decision was certainly made with St. Louis’ best interests in mind.  With the NFL and the Rams leaving for Los Angeles, this move allows the NHL to showcase St. Louis as one of the better hockey cities in the league.  Great publicity move by Bettman to show St. Louis fans that this league still cares about St. Louis and their great fans.

The Blues released a promo video

Stillman’s comments on the Winter Classic