The Blues yesterday named Hockey HOFer Brett Hull Exec VP, and for "anybody who thinks that Hull is back simply to flash his familiar grin to Blues fans and the business community, that doesn’t appear to be the case," according to Jeremy Rutherford of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Blues Owner Tom Stillman said, "I don’t think it’s just a matter of shaking hands. He’ll be involved in the substance of selling and showing people and companies in the market that this is an organization that you want to be associated with." However, Hull admitted that the financial side "is not his area of expertise and that there will be a learning curve." Rutherford notes the Blues have "made some in-roads in convincing the business community, but there’s still a ways to go in selling suites and season tickets." Hull said, "It’s hard economic times. It’s a small market. It’s not like we’re the New York Rangers who have a TV deal that helps everything. We need to dig in our heels and get to work and show the community that we’re a class group. I think anybody in the community and the business community sees a team that is classy and is doing the right things not only on the ice, but off the ice ... they’ll jump on board and be a part of it as well." Hull previously worked as Stars co-GM from '07-09 and "found the work to be full of 'minutiae.'" He was "fired as GM, but remained an executive in Dallas." The announcement with the Blues has been "months in the making" (ST.LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 9/10).
