"The temperature isn't the only thing that has been on the rise in St. Louis. The sale of the Blues is warming up, as well.

Robert Caporale, chairman of Game Plan LLC, the company retained to handle the sale of the team, said there has been a spike in activity over the past 10 days. Game Plan has identified five "very interested parties" in acquiring the National Hockey League team, potential buyers that are prepared to submit binding bids.

"Things are definitely heating up," said Caporale, who said he expects the sale to take place before the start of the season. The Blues open the season Oct. 8 against Nashville at Scottrade Center.

Game Plan has established a data site for prospective buyers to do homework, kick the tires and determine if a business marriage is viable. The sale includes the team, the management contracts on the Scottrade Center and the American Hockey League affiliate in Peoria, Ill.

The Blues arrived in St. Louis in 1967, part of a six-city expansion that doubled the size of the NHL from six to 12 teams. The league now consists of 30 teams. Blues chairman Dave Checketts and Sports Capital Partners Worldwide purchased the team from Bill and Nancy Laurie for $150 million in 2006.

A majority stake in the team has been for sale for some time. In May, 2010, TowerBrook Capital Partners announced it was seeking to sell its 70 percent share of the club. At that point, Checketts began pursuing new investors and sought an arrangement to purchase TCP's share.

But in March, Checketts reluctantly announced he was giving up the effort and selling his 20 percent interest in the club, as well. While the sale of the club has been protracted, Checketts and SCP recently received an extension of a $120 million loan from Citigroup Inc., allowing for additional time to find a buyer.

As previously reported, St. Louis businessman Tom Stillman, currently a 10-percent owner in the team, is among those in pursuit. Stillman's initial offer of slightly more than $100 million was rejected, but according to Game Plan he remains in the hunt. Caporale declined to discuss offers or identify any of the parties. While confirming Stillman is the only St. Louis-based entity, he added all but one of the five serious shoppers has established business "interests in the marketplace and knows it well."

Last week, Chicago-based business man Matthew Hulsizer was identified as a new player in the mix. Hulsizer is a New Jersey native who played college hockey at Division III Amherst College. He is co-founder and CEO of PEAK6 Investment, a money management business."