It’s rare for a player in any professional sport to stay with one team for an extended period of time. It’s even more rare, in the whole “sports is a business” ecosystem, for someone to start and finish their career with the same team. It’s a special thing, as we’re witnessing this baseball season with Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina.
It’s tough when a captain, one you’ve drafted, leaves for a more favorable contract. Blues fans have seen that twice in the last decade, with David Backes and Alex Pietrangelo. Regardless of if it turns out to be a benefit to the team, it’s a bit of a stab in the chest to see them with a different crest on the front of their jersey.