Hitchcock Returns for One Final Season

ST. LOUIS – Ken Hitchcock is coming back for one more season.

After guiding the St. Louis Blues to their first Western Conference Final appearance since 2001, the 64-year-old head coach has signed a one-year contract extension with the club.

“This season has invigorated me like no season before,” Hitchcock said during a press conference at Scottrade Center on Tuesday. “For 10 years, I haven’t seen anything like this and it was really exciting. It was fun to be around and it was a great group of people with a tremendously structured, defined leadership (group) in that locker room. It make it so fun to coach. I really think we have another gear in us and I want to be part of that.”

Hitchcock also said the 2016-17 season would be his last.

“I’m not coaching after this year,” he said. “This is it. I’m done.”

Hitchcock has accumulated a 224-103-36 record in 363 games behind the bench in St. Louis. His coaching career has spanned 19 NHL seasons, 1,404 games and 757 wins, which ranks fourth all-time in NHL history. He’s led his teams to 13 …

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