It looks like the St. Louis Blues finally have a new owner: Dave "Checkbook" Checketts.

Checketts earned his moniker from his days running the Rangers franchise into the ground with his authorization of some extremely bad contracts and the tendency to overpay for washed-up talent. Theoren Fleury probably sends him card every Christmas.

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss!

The St. Louis Blues have signed a letter of agreement to sell the hockey franchise and the lease to Savvis Center to businessman David Checketts.

He lives in Connecticut and his roots are in the NBA. At 28, he became president and general manager of the Utah Jazz, making him the youngest chief executive in NBA history. He then spent a year as the general manager of NBA International, where he worked to increase the league's presence around the world.
...
Checketts, a former NBA executive, was president of the New York Knicks in
1991 and set records for attendance, television ratings and revenue under
his watch.

He went on to become president and chief executive officer of Madison Square Garden, the company that owns the New York Rangers, New York Knicks, New York Liberty of the WNBA and Madison Square Garden and the MSG television network.

Checketts is definitely a business man first, a basketball man second, and a hockey man 137th. On the other hand, he certainly knows how to run businesses not related to hockey, and the new CBA will prevent him from spending $70mil on a crappy roster...So, I'm willing to give him a chance. If he fires GM Larry Pleau on the first day, he'll win the hearts of Blues fans rather easily.

From Childhood Trauma, we hear the sad news that the Game Night Review, a 'cherished' St. Louis institution, will be closing down. The GNR is/was a humourous fan-published magazine that was written and produced as only a bunch of drunken and jaded St. Louis Blues fans could. If this is true, the GNR will be sadly missed.

Childhood Trauma's warped mind produced this Top 11 list of why this potential sale would be a good thing

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11: The Laurie's need money to buy someone to pass the bar exam for Paige.

10: After putting up hoops in Somalia, Checketts is ready to put down roots in Fenton

9: Who better to replace a basketball loving, hockey idiot than a basketball loving, hockey idiot?

8: The deal will be financed with "Tiger" bucks. call 1-800-CAT-PAWS for more info

7: The Saavis Center already has a full sized basketball court in the owners box

6: Hey! isn't the Jazz and the Blues the same thing?

5: Checketts is still mad about the way the return to Peoria hurt his New England minor league hockey rivals, seeks REVENGE.

4: Nancy Laurie wants to insure the team moves on to someone who cares for it in the same way she did.

3: Gene McNary and Vince Schoeml stepped in during terse last second negotiations to save a St. Louis sports team, just like they always did..

2: Mark Sauer pulled the "sell the team now" string on Bill Laurie.

and most importantly...

1: Checketts is already familiar with the taste of Bettman's butt from the old days!