Hockey is not a sport where the I-70 rivalry has flourished. While its roots trace back to the 1920s, there has been no hockey rivalry since Kansas City’s NHL team skipped west to Colorado.

The rivalry originated when the St. Louis Flyers joined the Kansas City Pla-Mors the American Hockey Association. The Pla-Mors won one championship in 1930 before winning two more in 1933 and 1934 as the Greyhounds. The Flyers later won a record five titles in a six-year span. The league’s demise also brought about the rivalry’s demise for over three decades.

I-70 Series Part I: The KC v STL Overview

The I-70 hockey series was reignited when the Kansas City Scouts joined the NHL in 1974. It started well for Kansas City, who won the first-ever KC-STL matchup in the NHL by a final of 5-3 at Kemper Arena. It only went downhill from there as they lost the final five matchups that season and had one win, three losses and two ties the next season. In all, every aspect of the Scouts franchise was a disaster. The team recorded two wins, eight losses and two ties against the Blues in two seasons. The Blues outscored the Scouts 47-28 in those 12 matchups.

The Scouts moved to Colorado after those two seasons, concluding any rivalry built between Kansas City and St. Louis. It’s been nearly five decades since their final meeting and the KC-STL hockey rivalry has not been touched since.

The “Rivalry” Today

The relationship in hockey between Kansas City and St. Louis nowadays is much more a partnership than a rivalry.

As much as some neglect to admit, Kansas City is very much the territory of the St Louis Blues. They come to Kansas City every year to play a preseason exhibition and remain the most supported NHL team in the area.

According to Vivid Seats’ county map outlining ticket sales in every country across America, the Blues are Missouri’s most supported NHL team. Local counties such as Jackson, Platte, Clay and Cass all backed their cross-state team. The Blues have great pull across all of Missouri and much of Illinois. While Kansas counties such as Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth support the Blues, very few other counties had them away from the eastern border with the Sunflower State favoring their western neighbors in the Colorado Avalanche.

If that wasn’t enough, the city’s only hockey bar is Blues-based. The Blue Line Hockey Bar in Kansas City’s River Market area has no shortage of Blues and NHL memorabilia hanging around. The bar was the spot to be during the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals when the Blues won it all for the first time ever.

Part I: The KC vs STL Overview — Released on Oct. 11

Part II: Baseball’s I-70 Origins — Released on Oct. 18

Part III: True Rivals Indoors — Release on Oct. 25

Part IV: Exhibiting the Rivalry in the NFL — Release on Nov. 1

Part V: Hockey’s Limited Action — Release on Nov. 8

Part VI: Soccer is the Past, Present and Future — Nov. 15