Blues Cut Loose Veterans

Three Blues players are on their way out of St. Louis. In the wake of the team’s first-round elimination, management has informed forwards Bob Bassen and Stephane Richer and defenseman Dave Ellett that they will not be back in the fall. Bassen will turn 35 this summer, and says he will probably retire. Richer, who turns 34 in June, helped the Blues over the final two months of the regular season, but was scratched in the final four playoff games. He and Ellett say they will try to land jobs with other teams.