ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Blues legend Bob Plager suffered a cardiac event before crashing his SUV on Interstate 64 earlier this year, according to the final report from the St. Louis Medical Examiner’s Office.
The autopsy lists the manner of death as natural and the immediate cause of death as cardiac dysrhythmia with other contributing factors, which suggest he died of complications of chronic heart disease.
On the afternoon of March 24, emergency crews responded to the eastbound lanes of I-64 near Vandeventer Avenue for a report of a crash. Police believe Plager veered to the left and hit a Dodge Grand Caravan. After hitting the Dodge, Plager’s SUV hit a concrete wall, then crossed the highway and hit a concrete center median.
Plager was rushed to a nearby hospital where he later died. He was 78 years old.
The city’s medical examiner’s office previously said Plager’s death was cardiac-related but doctors were waiting on further test results before releasing the full report.
Plager was born on March 11, 1943 in Kirkland, Ontario. He was an original member of the Blues, joining the team as a defenseman in their inaugural season of 1967-68. He played 11 of his 14 years in the NHL in St. Louis, scoring 20 goals and notching 121 assists as a Blue.
After his playing years, Plager became even more beloved by the St. Louis hockey community. He held various roles and positions in the Blues organization, but his most notable impact on the franchise was his unofficial role as ambassador. If it had to do with the Blues, you were bound to see Bobby Plager in attendance.
Plager had his No. 5 retired by the Blues in 2017, and it hangs in the rafters alongside his brother Barclay's retired No. 8.