Alexander Steen’s first summer running the St. Louis Blues already left a mark, and the real pressure is still ahead.
Since taking over as general manager on July 1, Steen has overseen a sweeping reset. The old core has essentially been cleared out, and a new era is waiting to take shape.
The most eye-catching move came with the timing of it all: Robert Thomas was named the 25th captain in franchise history. It was the right call, even if it came as a surprise given where the organization is headed in 2026-27.
Now the spotlight shifts from the offseason to the season itself, and Steen’s biggest job will be trusting Jim Montgomery to sort out the lineup. Steen brought in the pieces, but Montgomery will be the one tasked with turning that group into something that actually works on the ice.
The next major test for Steen likely comes around the middle of the season, when the trade deadline starts to matter. That’s when nearly every team gets involved, and the Blues figure to be no different. Jordan Binnington could become a major trade target, and Colton Parayko could also be in that conversation if he doesn’t rebound.
There’s also the possibility that St. Louis is sitting in a playoff spot or right in the mix, which would give Steen a chance to swing for a late-season addition and strengthen the roster for a push.
That’s what makes his first year in charge so hard to pin down. The range of outcomes is wide, and the Blues’ exact place in the standings is far from clear.
But the baseline expectation is simple enough: by the end of 2026-27, the Blues need to be in a better spot than they were. That’s the job now.
In Other News...
Blues Camp Split Already Hints At Opening Night Decisions
The first signs of how the Blues may sort out their roster are already in place with training camp set to open in two groups, a split that gives an early glimpse at who is being treated like a regular and who still has work to do. Group A is packed with most of last seasons mainstays and the clubs new arrivals, while Group B is loaded with hopefuls trying to force their way into the picture, the kind of camp setup that usually tells you where the toughest conversations are going to happen.
For St. Louis, the most interesting decisions are up front and on the back end, where the final spots are not likely to come easy. The battle for the seventh defenseman job is one part of it, and the second-line center race is another, with the preseason opener against the Stars on Sept. 19 offering the first real test of how those roles might start to shake out. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Get Early Read On Young Goalie In Crowded Pipeline
Vladimir Proskurin is getting an early look at what life in the Blues organization could demand, and the fourth-round pick from the 2026 NHL draft is already around the club at training camp. A young goaltender with experience in Russias MHL, Proskurin is part of a pipeline in St. Louis that already includes Joel Hofer and Jordan Binnington, so every chance to absorb NHL-level pace and detail matters as he begins mapping out the next steps in his development.
The Blues do not need to rush him, and that is part of the appeal of a goaltending prospect at this stage. Proskurin is slated to keep building in major junior before he reaches Springfield, giving St. Louis time to see how much he can add against better competition while the organization sorts through a crowded depth chart. For now, the bigger story is the access he is getting, and how much of that first impression can carry over once the spotlight shifts from camp to his next season. [Read more 🡒]
Jimmy Snuggerud Contract Delay Shouldn't Worry Blues Fans
Jimmy Snuggeruds contract situation has been the sort of thing that can spark unnecessary hand-wringing in a market that has already invested plenty of hope in its 2022 first-round pick. He is entering the final year of his entry-level deal, and while the window to sign a maximum eight-year extension before the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement deadline has closed, the Blues winger is not treating the timing like a red flag.
Snuggerud said he expects the process to work itself out naturally, and the broader tone around the negotiations suggests the same. He wants to stay in St. Louis long term, while Alex Steen and Doug Armstrong have made clear the club is watching leaguewide contract trends but sticking to its own approach, which is the kind of measured posture that usually signals patience rather than panic. [Read more 🡒]