Blues' Ott: St. Louis 'was my No. 1 spot'

The St. Louis Blues re-signed Steve Ott to a two-year, $5.2-million contract, after the center appeared in 23 regular season and six playoff games for the club last season. 

Apparently that was all it took to sell Ott on the virtues of the Gateway to the West.

“I wanted to go to St. Louis,” Ott said, as per the Post-Dispatch. “That was my No. 1 spot. I told my agent, ‘Listen, let’s make this work any which way we can.’ My heart was already locked up with St. Louis. I’m happy that my family and myself, we’re where we wanted to be. That was my No. 1 thing, to be a Blue again.”

The 31-year-old was acquired in the trade that also sent goaltender Ryan Miller from the Buffalo Sabres to the Blues.

Ott failed to score a goal in his brief time with his new club, registering five assists and 51 penalty minutes. General manager Doug Armstrong is sure Ott will be relieved to notch his first with the club.

“I think he’s going to want to get that first goal as much as we’re going to want him to get that off his back,” Armstrong said. “He was in a lot of scoring chances."

Ott acknowledges he has far more to offer than what he brought to the table late in the season.

“To be honest with you, I wasn’t at 100 percent,” he said. “I don’t think I gave a true look at what I can bring the team yet. Call it nerves or being in that situation for the first time coming into a new team...just all those things add up. I was nowhere near my expectations.”

Armstrong added the Blues like "having a little bit of sandpaper" in the lineup, which, ultimately, will be Ott's primary goal next season.