Dear T.J.:
I want to start out by saying that I didn't always believe in love at first sight. At least not until you assisted on an Erik Johnson goal one October night in 2010 during a regular season matchup with the Pittsburg Penguins at the Scottrade Center. The game was scoreless and heading into overtime when you swiped Paul Martin, a Penguin defenseman, of the puck and fed it to Johnson for his first goal of the season. Out of all 22 of your assists that season, this one was most memorable, because I was there to witness it. I didn't know a lick about hockey at the time. This happened to be my first NHL hockey game ever. Your puck handling in the corner was pretty impressive and you've held my heart since that gameOver the last four seasons, I have had the opportunity to watch you play many games (a total of 310 to be exact). I watched you grow as an athlete, leader, father, husband and role model to thousands of fans in these last few years. I was here through all of your Weekly Three Stars awards, each time you needed #NHLOshie votes to be on the cover of the EA Sports' NHL video game, and when you sat out for multiple games after a hit to the head against the Minnisota Wild in April of 2014.
My proudest moment, along with everyone else's, comes from the 2014 Winter Olympics, where you seemingly won over every American heart. Not only did you contribute to the US Olympic hockey team's win over Russia but when you were hailed an American hero for those 4 shootout goals, your response was much different than expected, stating that the nation's real heroes have nothing to do with hockey.
I've never had so much respect toward anyone like I did for you during your interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Dehan Kovacevic when you said "The American heroes are wearing camo. That's not me." 
So when the 2014-2015 season ended and speculation began to rise that there was a high chance you could be traded in the off-season, I was crushed. After the official trade was completed between the Washington Capitals and the St. Louis Blues involving yourself in trade of Troy Brouwer (a goaltending prospect) and a draft pick, St. Louis fans truly began to mourn. I knew the trade would happen eventually, but it's still heart-wrenching to watch my favorite right wing move to another organization.
In conclusion, I wanted to thank you on behalf of the city of St. Louis and Blues fans everywhere. Thank you for all of sick toe drags, clutch goals, division titles and playoff appearances that helped elevate the St. Louis Blues Organization to where it is today. We'll miss your love story with Lauren, your goal celebrations, Oshie O's cereal and most of all, your #74 sweater with an "A" on the front.
And we know you'll miss us too. You'll miss the Charles Glenn National Anthem, the "towel guy," and the 18,000+ fans with their arms up at a 90 degree angle dancing because it was "time for an Ameren UE Power Play."
Although I'm extremely excited to watch you play from a distance, my heart feels for you because you won't be here in St. Louis when we celebrate our first ever Stanley Cup championship next season. However, we all know you'll secretly be happy for us, because you'll always bleed blue.
Love always,
A True Blue
