Confirmed with Link: Steen to be GM in 2026

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Some of the smartest hockey minds have not spoken more highly of another player's hockey IQ than they have of Alex Steen's.

I think this is a great situation for him to come into and I'm excited to see how he performs.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

If there is no assurance than how is it more security? Either we've locked ourselves into the decision or they can really screw Steen by announcing it and then going another way. That would look terrible for Steen and his future prospects.

You don’t think a public announcement (which probably has contractual underpinnings) is more assurance for Steen than if they just make a secret promise? The they made the promise/plan but didn’t announce it now, it means they may change their minds and keeping options open.

The way this has played out, I think the Blues are more worried about losing Steen to another opportunity if they don’t act now. That’s how it reads.

 

[bleedblue1223]

For people happy about this, how would you feel if it was not Alex Steen but some no name player who was super smart with just less talent. If the resume was, he washed out of the NHL quickly, played in Europe, retired, scouted for a year and then was named AGM/GM in waiting. I think many are blinded by Steen's name and skill as a player.

At the end of the day, we aren't in the meetings or discussions, we don't know who is truly a good candidate and who isn't, but I generally trust Army.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

For people happy about this, how would you feel if it was not Alex Steen but some no name player who was super smart with just less talent. If the resume was, he washed out of the NHL quickly, played in Europe, retired, scouted for a year and then was named AGM/GM in waiting. I think many are blinded by Steen's name and skill as a player.

If you gave him Armstrong’s current authority, I’d be concerned. He doesn’t answer to anyone but the ownership. But Steen or the hypothetical player you asked about will have an experienced President of Hockey Operations who I trust.

How do they divide their responsibilities and how involved is that President? Its pretty easy to imagine a gradual shift to greater autonomy for Steen as he grows into the job.

For some GM candidates, that would be insufficient authority. Armstrong would have said NO to that arrangement in Steen’s role. But this works to Steen’s advantage.

It’s also not fair to expect him to have a bunch of preparatory executive experience when he was playing professional hockey during the same time other guys have been “assistant director of salary cap compliance” or whatever. It’s not like Steen hasn’t received an education about a lot of hockey operations from his experience as a player.

I think you are missing the possibility that Steen is recognized by multiple sources as a rising star. There is a good reason the Blues are acting now to secure his services.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I think we will still be heavily under the "Armstrong plan" until he decides he no longer wants to be President of Hockey Operations. Even if Steen is the GM. All decisions will still have to be approved by Armstrong and Stillman.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Agree. Lots of respect for Steener.

My only concern (a small one) is if this will cause a few hurt feelings from others in the org that have put in a lot of years for Steen to jump in inexperienced and get the big job.

Taylor got promoted today too. Sounds like he and Milller going to have bigger roles going forward. I like it.

 

[SirPaste]

Taylor got promoted today too. Sounds like he and Milller going to have bigger roles going forward. I like it.

Agreed. Taylor on the scouting/player evaluation side of things and Miller on the cap/contract/numbers side of things. These two should also be able to help Steen immensely with those things as well.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Taylor got promoted today too. Sounds like he and Milller going to have bigger roles going forward. I like it.

Yeah, I caught that. I’d bet the promotion is a bit of a concession to trying to keep him happy knowing he’s not getting the GM role.

And they need to keep Miller around too. Steen is clearly a smart guy but not a lawyer and Miller as been the main Cap guru for a handful of years now so they need a guy like that.

 

[Louie the Blue]

I still need to listen to the press conference but I don't like this, bordering on hating it.

1) Steen has zero experience, why give him the job now? Bring him in as AGM, and see how he does. Seems very premature.

2) We are in a retool/ reimagining/ refocus/ refried bean/ referendum/ referee/re-whatever. We most likely will not be out in 2 years. We are bringing an inexperienced GM right when our competitive window will start to open and before Atmy's vision is finished. He'll still be there, but why call Steen GM if we are sticking with Army's plan and Army is going to execute it.

3) Did we consider anyone else? Seems like we are fast tracking Steen with blinders on. I'd like a much more thorough search for Army's successor.

Those are my off the cuff thoughts. I still need to listen to the press conference and take time to digest. Army has every right to offload responsibilities on his time table. Given where we are though, I'd rather we stuck with Army long enough to complete his vision or made a clean break now.

1. He is being brought as an assistant GM. He won't be the actual GM for another 2 years and even then he'll still be reporting to Armstrong, who will have final say, ala McFarland and Sakic in COL or McPhee and McCrimmon. He's being groomed to eventually be the guy who has final say and I believe the organization views Steen's hockey evaluation skills in a high regard.

Naming him as the soon-to-be GM is weird 2 years out, but they did the same thing with Pleau and Armstrong.

2. Because the Blues don't want to lose Steen's hockey mind to some other team so they're being proactive.

3. Why does that matter? As long as Armstrong is here, it doesn't matter. I think Armstrong will be the "guy" to make final decisions for another 5-10 years unless he wants to do something else. Steen will just more or less oversee the day-to-day operations I'd imagine and be involved more in big hockey decisions.

 

[stl76]

Taylor got promoted today too. Sounds like he and Milller going to have bigger roles going forward. I like it.

Agreed. Taylor on the scouting/player evaluation side of things and Miller on the cap/contract/numbers side of things. These two should also be able to help Steen immensely with those things as well.

Sounds a bit like the leadership structure Carolina has put together where multiple voices are involved in any important decision and the GM doesn’t necessarily have the most “pull” in deciding things. Seems to have worked out well for them, and it’s encouraging to me that Steen will have plenty of experienced support around him.

Overall, I like this move a lot.

 

[STL fan in MN]

To clarify, Steen will be Special Assistant to the GM, not Assistant GM. Miller and Taylor will have the title of Assistant GM.

*insert Dwight Shrute joke here*

 

[mk80]

Overall I like the move. Not only will he receive the on the job training from Armstrong over the next few years, but he’s being left with the remaining years of the Armstrong plan in place to follow when he moves into the GM role, so he can follow that roadmap and will still have Army around to bounce the ideas off of.

Now there’s a discussion to be made eventually on whether having Armstrong still above him is more of benefit or a handicap to Steen’s abilities as a GM. But I would only have concern about that if the Blues were to extend Armstrong again as President of Hockey Ops as the 3 year extension would be winding down.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Overall I like the move. Not only will he receive the on the job training from Armstrong over the next few years, but he’s being left with the remaining years of the Armstrong plan in place to follow when he moves into the GM role, so he can follow that roadmap and will still have Army around to bounce the ideas off of.

Now there’s a discussion to be made eventually on whether having Armstrong still above him is more of benefit or a handicap to Steen’s abilities as a GM. But I would only have concern about that if the Blues were to extend Armstrong again as President of Hockey Ops as the 3 year extension would be winding down.

Legit concern but one I’m not really even going to think much about until at least 3 years from now.

One thing that I haven’t really seen talked about yet is that this all started bc Army went to Stillman and said he thought it’d be a good idea for the Blues to move on from him. To have a new voice. That’s the part I find interesting. He’s purposely stepping back. And Steen is the beneficiary of an absolutely golden opportunity.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

We don’t know about his business sense and management of Cap, contract structures, etc. Bit this arrangement gives Steen strong support in the inexperienced areas.

Just buy Puckpedia

 

[BlueDream]

If you gave him Armstrong’s current authority, I’d be concerned. He doesn’t answer to anyone but the ownership. But Steen or the hypothetical player you asked about will have an experienced President of Hockey Operations who I trust.

How do they divide their responsibilities and how involved is that President? Its pretty easy to imagine a gradual shift to greater autonomy for Steen as he grows into the job.

For some GM candidates, that would be insufficient authority. Armstrong would have said NO to that arrangement in Steen’s role. But this works to Steen’s advantage.

It’s also not fair to expect him to have a bunch of preparatory executive experience when he was playing professional hockey during the same time other guys have been “assistant director of salary cap compliance” or whatever. It’s not like Steen hasn’t received an education about a lot of hockey operations from his experience as a player.

I think you are missing the possibility that Steen is recognized by multiple sources as a rising star. There is a good reason the Blues are acting now to secure his services.

I agree with your overall point, but I will point out that Armstrong even made a remark during today’s presser that he’s not sure Steen would be willing to do this for any other team. He specifically stated that Steen is making this commitment because it’s the St. Louis Blues, and Steen deeply loves this organization.

And it makes sense. Steen seemed to be very happy living in Sweden. He’s not going to move back and live in a random city like Philadelphia and be a GM or something for a team he has no connection to. At least I doubt he was thinking of something like that anytime soon.

But it’s a good thing. Steen is passionate about this city and team, and he’s going to give it everything he’s got. Like you mentioned earlier, he’s an intense and fiery guy. I think that’s going to be hugely valuable when it comes to negotiations and other things a GM needs to do, and it makes me excited to see his vision. He is going to demand a lot out of his team, just like he did as a player, and that’s going to benefit us.

 

[Xerloris]

Love this. Have thought for whole Steen would someday make great gm. Having him learn under Army as he assumes responsibility is great. Gives us both stability and fresh blood. The job has gotten so big that having GM separate from President feels like great path forward. I look forward to seeing one of my all time favorite players at the helm.

my concern is a new gm with possible different ideas of how the team should be built just in time for the current timeline to start competing again. Could it muck things up?

For people happy about this, how would you feel if it was not Alex Steen but some no name player who was super smart with just less talent. If the resume was, he washed out of the NHL quickly, played in Europe, retired, scouted for a year and then was named AGM/GM in waiting. I think many are blinded by Steen's name and skill as a player.

I don't think his skill as a player has anything to do with this at all, It's entirely his leadership, ties to St.Louis and emotional investment into the Blues that make this a good move.

 

[kimzey59]

my concern is a new gm with possible different ideas of how the team should be built just in time for the current timeline to start competing again. Could it muck things up?


I don't think his skill as a player has anything to do with this at all, It's entirely his leadership, ties to St.Louis and emotional investment into the Blues that make this a good move.

The Blues general philosophy on team construction hasn't changed since Larry Pleau was GM.
I wouldn't expect any kind of massive change under Steen.

If anything, I'd expect there to be more focus on the defensive end of the ice. Steen spent far too many years playing under Ken Hitchcock to have an over the top offense-first mentality.

 

[SirPaste]

Legit concern but one I’m not really even going to think much about until at least 3 years from now.

One thing that I haven’t really seen talked about yet is that this all started bc Army went to Stillman and said he thought it’d be a good idea for the Blues to move on from him. To have a new voice. That’s the part I find interesting. He’s purposely stepping back. And Steen is the beneficiary of an absolutely golden opportunity.

This is a good point, I heard Stillman's interview and noticed that as well. Shows Army is aware that a new voice and new leadership is needed at some point and Stillman said he was reluctant to agree at first but did agree Steen was the man for the job.

 

[Celtic Note]

My first thought was this sounds familiar, then I remembered the Hitch-Yeo connection.

 

[BleedBlue14]

my concern is a new gm with possible different ideas of how the team should be built just in time for the current timeline to start competing again. Could it muck things up?


I don't think his skill as a player has anything to do with this at all, It's entirely his leadership, ties to St.Louis and emotional investment into the Blues that make this a good move.

I'd highly doubt it. With Steen being included in pretty much everything to this point with the understanding that he will be moving into a more executive role in the decisions, his input is going to be pretty highly valued, as will it seems all of the other Assistant GMs.

It's honestly probably better than us not having a succession plan in place in this scenario. Especially given the ties to the organization and the seemingly high level of trust between Armstrong and Steen. On top of that, Armstrong is still going to be heavily present after the change and ultimately in charge, although it seemed by his words he has no desire to overrun Steen's operation but in turn be a voice of caution in the ear.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I'd highly doubt it. With Steen being included in pretty much everything to this point with the understanding that he will be moving into a more executive role in the decisions, his input is going to be pretty highly valued, as will it seems all of the other Assistant GMs.

It's honestly probably better than us not having a succession plan in place in this scenario. Especially given the ties to the organization and the seemingly high level of trust between Armstrong and Steen. On top of that, Armstrong is still going to be heavily present after the change and ultimately in charge, although it seemed by his words he has no desire to overrun Steen's operation but in turn be a voice of caution in the ear.

Agreed. I think Vegas is a great example of how succession like this can work.

 

[BlueSeal]

You know, I have to hand it to Army for finally have a plan, any plan.

 

[Fez Whatley]

Wow. Please don't make me hate you steener!

 

[Xerloris]

I swear to god if I ever see Dizee talk about Armstrong being better than Steen.

 

[Ranksu]

Im so happy. Best news in long time. Army out.