Retire Steen's #20?

[TheDizee]

Very simple poll. Yes for me.

NUMBERS AS A STL BLUE ONLY

REG SEASON

765GP
195G
301A
496P
+50 (often used in shutdown roles, very impressive!)

PLAYOFFS

91GP
15G
21A
36P
1 STANLEY CUP
NUMEROUS OT GAME WINNERS

represented the note well. RETIRE 20!

Click to read more...

 

[Ranksu]

Not sure. If Pietro #27 should be retired. I dont know does Steen match Pietro's level. Steen was my favourite as Blue and one reason why I started to follow Blues. Special Bluenote for sure, but retire number? I dont know. Doesnt qualify IMO.

 

[Mike Liut]

For some reason when I think of the all time great Blues players, Steen just doesn’t come to mind. Hall of very good? Sure.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Absolutely. He was better player and more impactful than several already retired numbers.

 

[Mike Liut]

Are these the only retired numbers?

2- Macinnis
3- Gassoff
5- Plager - Bob
8- Plager - Barclay
11- Sutter
16- Hull
24- Federko
44- Pronger
Dan Kelly

 

[EastonBlues22]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Blues did, but I don't think he quite clears that bar for me.

For as much as he did, and as long as he did it, he was never one of the best players in the league, or even really the best player on the team, or a face of the franchise sort who was synonymous with the team in the general public's consciousness, or someone whose outstanding individual accomplishments (on or off the ice) affected the franchise's trajectory in some significant or unique way. Normally a retired number checks at least one of those boxes...and, IMO, Steen doesn't.

All that said, I wouldn't mind seeing a heart and soul glue guy get a lifetime achievement award.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

Are these the only retired numbers?

2- Macinnis
3- Gassoff
5- Plager - Bob
8- Plager - Barclay
11- Sutter
16- Hull
44- Pronger
Dan Kelly

Bernie.

It’s why Kostin wears 37 for us. 24 is his number in the minors and Russia.

 

[ort]

I love Steen and everything he did for the organization, but I don't think he's a "number retiring" level of player. He was always more of the 4th or 5th best player on the team kind of guy during his run... and in my mind, retired players have to be one of your teams very top-level star players...

Steen was never really "the guy". He was one of the guys... but not a Hull/Pronger/MacInnis type...

 

[Mike Liut]

Steen was the 3rd best player on the Backes and Oshie line. To me that doesn’t scream retired number.

 

[Majorityof1]

I was ready to torch Dizee on this one, then I looked at where those numbers put him on the list of all Blues. Its a lot closer call than I thought, A LOT closer.

Points - 5th all time (Behind Federko, Hull, Sutter, Unger)
Goals - 9th
Assists - 6th
Games - 4th

Although its a close call, I still don't think that is worthy of number retirement. Blues seem to retire numbers not for longevity with the Blues, but for being outstanding during the whole career, including the Blues. Pronger and MacInnis have nowhere near Unger numbers as a Blue. They get retired because they were studs for the few seasons they were here and had hall of fame careers overall.

Steen also just doesn't have that extra-something else to push him over the top. If he was more of a factor in the cup run, from a statistical sense, than I'd give it to him. But he was a 3rd/4th liner then. He has no hardware, and was never the best player on the team, imo.

 

[Mike Liut]

I was ready to torch Dizee on this one, then I looked at where those numbers put him on the list of all Blues. Its a lot closer call than I thought, A LOT closer.

Points - 5th all time (Behind Federko, Hull, Sutter, Unger)
Goals - 9th
Assists - 6th
Games - 4th

Although its a close call, I still don't think that is worthy of number retirement. Blues seem to retire numbers not for longevity with the Blues, but for being outstanding during the whole career, including the Blues. Pronger and MacInnis have nowhere near Unger numbers as a Blue. They get retired because they were studs for the few seasons they were here and had hall of fame careers overall.

Steen also just doesn't have that extra-something else to push him over the top. If he was more of a factor in the cup run, from a statistical sense, than I'd give it to him. But he was a 3rd/4th liner then. He has no hardware, and was never the best player on the team, imo.

Pronger and Macinnis were here like 9 years each. That’s more than a few.

 

[Majorityof1]

Pronger and Macinnis were here like 9 years each. That’s more than a few.

Valid point. I was more implying they had robust careers outside of StL as well as there time here. They only spent half their careers here. As many years/games as they played here, they played a similar number elsewhere. Steen was 12 years here, but only 4 elswhere. So while his Points as a Blue rank highly, his career points do not. Pronger has more career points than Steen even though his points as a Blue is much less.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

I think his impact as a Blue is very along the lines of Tkachuk's. I think his number at the very least gets honored. I wouldn't be upset if his number is retired or not.

 

[Mike Liut]

I think his impact as a Blue is very along the lines of Tkachuk's. I think his number at the very least gets honored. I wouldn't be upset if his number is retired or not.

I’d retire Tkachuk’s number for sure. One of my favorite all time Blue.

 

[Blueline2757]

I loved Steen and everything he did for the Blues, He is was a good player but I'm not sure if he is worthy of "number retiring" I wouldn't be upset if he did, But I see more of a lifetime achievement award or something along those lines.

 

[joe galiba]

Absolutely. He was better player and more impactful than several already retired numbers.

better and more impactful?
than who?
macinnis, hull, sutter, federko, barc? nope

bobby plager has been the soul of the franchise for 50 years

gassoff was the most entertaining blues player I ever watched outside of hull and died tragically (stupidly too) just as he was blossoming

 

[joe galiba]

unger 9 years 292/283/575
red 8 years 172/240/412
tkachuk 9 years 208/219/427,
demitra 8 years 204/289/493
unger, red, and tkachuk were all the face of the franchise too, at least at forward
steen 12 years 195/301/496
he shouldn’t have his number retired before any of the above

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

I love Steen, but I feel like if you retired his number you’d have to ask “why stop there? Might as well do Backes and Jackman and similar types like that”. To me they’re in a Blues specific Hall of Very Good instead of a Blues specific Hall of Fame (I.e. those with numbers retired)

 

[joe galiba]

Larry Patey was one of my favorite players
we could retire his number
actually, I think the only blues player I didn’t like back then was Klassen

 

[Stealth JD]

Not just "NO"...but LOL, NO.

Dude was a complimentary player for 13 season; never 'the man'. If you retire Steen, you've got to retire Jackman. Longevity does not equate to excellence.

 

[TheGoldenGod]

Love Steen...but nah

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Jackman

Jackman.

I mean, technically, his number is retired

 

[BlueSeal]

The only person I would entertain to have their number retired out of this group is ROR and that's -before- Pie.

Anyone else with the exception of Binnington, who is already in the HOF as the first starter rookie netminder to hoist the Cup.

ROR with the Conn Smythe + Stanley Cup AS A BLUE outclasses any name you throw in this conversation. The others played for a shot at the Cup, ROR helped win it and was our MVP.

 

[BlueSeal]

I love Steen, but I feel like if you retired his number you’d have to ask “why stop there? Might as well do Backes and Jackman and similar types like that”. To me they’re in a Blues specific Hall of Very Good instead of a Blues specific Hall of Fame (I.e. those with numbers retired)

Then we get into the conversation for Pat Maroon's 20t goal and down the rabbit hole we go!

 

[Blanick]

I love Steener, ultimate team guy but I think he falls just below the threshold for a number retirement. I am sure he will get plenty of other recognition for his contributions in coming years.

Not sure what plans he has for the future but I think he would be good coach some day.