ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - One of the most popular annual theme nights of the St. Louis Blues' season is happening Thursday. It's "Salute to Military Night" and it will be headlined by the family of fallen Marine and St. Charles County native Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz performing the ceremonial puck drop.
It will be the first puck drop in St. Louis since the pandemic began in March 2020. There at center ice will be Jared's father, Mark, stepmother, Jaclyn, mother, Sue, Blues captain Ryan O'Reilly and a member of the Predators.
St. Louis have a number of other special ways to honor our military tonight, as they host the Nashville Predators at 7 p.m.
Schmitz, who lived in Wentzville, MO, was killed along with 12 other U.S. service members in a bombing at the Kabul airport in Afghanistan on Aug. 26.
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During the game, all Blues players will have a helmet decal that reads "LCPL JS" in honor of Schmitz. There will also be a moment of silence before the game in his honor.
The Blues will have a number of new elements on their warmup jerseys as well:
• The jerseys will honor the 13 service members who lost their lives during the evacuation mission in Kabul, including St. Louis native, Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz
• The left sleeve will feature a patch listing all 13 namesThe right sleeve with have the number 13 with American flag
• Each jersey will have the name of one of service member on right chest
• Majority will have ‘Schmitz’ and will be raffled to benefit the Lance Corporal Schmitz Memorial Fund and H.E.R.O.E.S Care
• 12 players will wear the names of one of the 12 other service members
• 2 O’Reilly jerseys will be presented to LCpl Schmitz’ mother and father
There were 872 tickets given out to local service men and women as part of the Military Night Out program.
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