Blues new ownership promotes Bruce Affleck to chief operating officer, sign Nichol

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Blues promoted Bruce Affleck, a former player, broadcaster and sales manager with the franchise, to chief operating officer Thursday.

Affleck played five seasons with the Blues beginning in 1975, and returned to the franchise as sales manager in 1987. Affleck has been heavily involved with many local charities and helped start the Blues Alumni Association and the St. Louis Amateur Hockey Hall of Fame, into which he was inducted in 2011.

New team chairman Tom Stillman, whose group purchased the franchise on May, announced the move Thursday.

The Blues also signed forward Scott Nichol, a staple on the checking line, to a one-year contract. The 37-year-old Nichol joined the Blues as a free agent last July and had three goals and five assists in 80 games while winning a team-best 57.6 per cent of his faceoffs.