Dave Checketts Quotes (13 Quotes)

I've known J.D. forever. He's really encouraged us to pursue (the sale) based on the passion for hockey in St. Louis. We have a lot of people who have worked with us and for us at the garden and we've known a lot of people in hockey. But first we're going

What's been done in the past I really have no control over. Frankly, I like the fact that we have kind of a blank canvas with some young talent, some very good draft picks and a chance to really build.

These things don't work unless there's some public-private partnership there. The notion that any of this money is just lining our pockets is just erroneous. They're (the county and city) taking over the land, just the way they do with any other private enterprise. . . . This just happens to be more public because it's private sports.

I succeeded in turning a building into a business.

The fans are the reason we get into this business. The fans here are worth a goal a game to the Blues.

The fact that we have 44 to 50 alumni that still live here and still love St. Louis ... I want those guys involved with us, working for us.

Any notion that we bought this to go elsewhere is silly at this point.

The good news for St. Louis fans is I understand what we did right in New York with the Rangers, and I also understand what we did wrong. Where we started to go wrong with the Rangers is when we got away from a drafting, developing, being careful about a team chemistry approach with an owner that just wanted us to buy every big name in the business. That doesn't work in hockey. I knew it then, I especially know it now.

You would never rule anything out that way, but I have to tell you, our total attention and focus is very much on establishing the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League.

Next season we will move ahead and begin working toward the ultimate goal of a Stanley Cup championship. That's what I think is very possible and I want our fans clearly to know that.

The people here are very passionate about sport if it's presented in the right way. They want to be major league and they want to win. Two very simple things.

We've got to get ready for that draft. It's real important. I want to understand what's done. If we have one of the first three picks, we could come away with a very good player.

It's time for Salt Lake City to have another major league team.