By DAVID HARRIS, Associated Press NHL NewsSt.

Louis, Mo.

(AP) Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews says the new St. Lucie arena is a “great opportunity” for the franchise to improve its brand.

Toews says it’s a big opportunity for the city to move forward, which is why the team will be hosting an event Tuesday with St. Luke’s Hospitality Group to unveil a new merchandise and marketing campaign that will feature the Blackhawks and St. Lawrence University.

Toesons company will host a presentation of the new merchandise in St Louis, which will feature merchandise that will be distributed to the St. Lons community.

He said the goal is to get as many people in St Lucie as possible to visit the new facility.

St. Lucies mayor Mike Huddleston said it was the perfect location for the team to open a new arena.

Huddlestons city has been struggling with an economic downturn since the economic downturn of the early 2000s and has struggled to attract the elite players the Blackhawks have become known for.

He says he thinks the city is on the right track and the NHL should be able to attract top players and fans to the city, something the Blackhawks haven’t been able to do.

The NHL is considering relocating its season-ticket sales from the University of Missouri to the new arena in Stlucie, which Huddls city is hoping to build with money from a state tax.

The league will have to decide by mid-March whether it will move its season ticket sales to the arena in order to build a new facility for the league, according to a league source.

Hurdleston has said St. Lucia is “a long way away” from being able to be the home of an NHL team.