MH ERGHER Intell m4, 3 By Brian onic The Intelligencer Thirty-seven-year-old Belleville nee Rick Meagher j is - Louis calling it quits wit Natlona Hockey Blues of the e...0F i Reports out of St. Louis Friday had Meagher, a 12-year NHL vet- retirement Rick Rick Meagher gam in 1991 playoff a notion against De- vill not confirm Meagher says during t he 1990 playoffs - an in- ed to play mn and suited up Red Wings and Minnesota agher indicated that the Blues will offer him a contract for next season - er to "I have until Sep- af ioe whether I'll He admits that, in a discussion with a St. week, he " “sereeppeds myself" in talking about retirem: While Meagher wont confirm his retirement, a betting man uis reporter this announcement was premature: wouldn't give os de odds at play next seas He told The Intelligencer last summer prior to the third annu: Rick Meagher Benefit Golf Tour- nament, that post-career possibil- ities existed with Anheuser- Busch, the oes ted company and owner of the BI "I just can't sa} Paty more about what's going on," he added. "Not yet anyway." e 37-year- old center _ is a Canadiens ceranieation ai F free agent June 27, 197’ le spent two ons with the \ntel! Toy Canadiens’ farm team in Nova cotia, scoring 81 points in 79 games in the 1978- 9. season. In 1979, he had a ee of coffee’ with the Habs, playing in two games and eventually wea dealt to Hartford Whalers in 1980 where his NHL career finally got untracked. He stayed with Hartford for two and one-half seasons, scoring 48 points in 1981-82 - that sould, prove to be his best one-year point total. He was dealt to New Jersey Devils in in 1982 and spent two see sons in the Meadowlands befo1 landing in St. Louis in August of Ht 199/ Tt was in St. Louis that Meat) gher found his niche as a defens sive specialist, generally assigned to cover the opposition'’s top cenit ter. To that end, Meagher was nominated twice for the Frank J: Seike Trophy as the lated best defensive forward. ig the award last June in an ermal ceremony in Toronto where Rici« thanked his parents. Doreen for their continued sup- port throughout his years of hock- ey. ‘In 691 regular season NHL leagher scored 144 goal§ and added. 165 assists for a career tal of 309 points. He spent 383 ee in the penalty box. 3