Welcome to another lively game day thread for your First Place Overall In The Entire National Hockey League St. Louis Blues (need to copyright that or something). Tonight the Blues travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks.

First, Capt. Serious. Jonathan Toews is not expected back tonight. He's got a concussion. Finally came out of the closet and admitted it. He's doing some exercises (I picture him in leg warmers doing jazzerzise or Zumba), but I don't think he's been on the ice much. Unless he's been practicing his ice dancing. And that's a shame because a Hawks game without Toews is like a win without as much adversity.

Here's the difference in the Blues and Hawks right now. One team signed Daniel Carcillo to a two-year contract extension and the other signed one of the best collegiate players in the country to a contract on the same day. And no, it's probably not likely that Jaden Schwartz will make his NHL debut tonight, but as a famous Cardinals starting pitcher used to say back in the early 1980s: Jouneverknow.

I would bet my first born the Blues will have Jaroslav Halak in net tonight. He stole the game Sunday evening in Columbus. He's earned the bulk of the playing time. End of discussion.

The Hawks are an interesting team right now. They absolutely gave up under the intense pressure of the Blues one week ago in St. Louis. And then they went home and beat the New York Rangers (thanks for the help, fellas!) on Friday and beat the Kings in a shootout on Sunday. So maybe they figured out how to tie their skate correctly and which way they're shooting without their captain. Or not. I'd like the not, I'll be honest. Because two points is two points and I don't care who's not playing for the other team.

This is your game day thread. Don't cheer the anthem, don't drink Old Style, but do comment like you know the answer to the question everyone has on their minds: Why not the St. Louis Blues?