Meet the Thunderbirds: Blues prospects to play in Springfield, Mass.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KFVS) - The Blues’ affiliation with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League begins this season.

The new long-term affiliation was originally announced in March 2020. This will be the first season that prospects will report to the Thunderbirds after they opted out of the 2020-21 AHL season to COVID-19.

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the Springfield Indians were one of the founding members of the AHL and preceded the Springfield Falcons.

After the Falcons were relocated to Tucson, local business owners in Springfield banded together to bring the then-Portland Pirates to their community.

In honor of the Air Force presence in the region, the team was dubbed the Thunderbirds.

Some fast facts about the team: