Blues announce plans for future of front office
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Blues have officially unveiled their succession plans for hockey operations. The franchise announced Alexander Steen has signed a five-year contract and will become the team's general manager in 2026. St. Louis also extended Doug Armstrong's contract through the 2028-29 season where he will continue to serve as the president of hockey operations after Steen takes over as the Blues' General Manager.
For the next two seasons, Armstrong will still be the franchise's president of hockey operations and general manager while Steen will serve as special assistant to the general manager as he prepares to become the team's 12th general manager in franchise history.
Steen served as a European development consultant in St. Louis' hockey operations department last season, and before that, Steen played 15 seasons in the NHL. During his career in St. Louis, Steen appeared in 765 regular season games and 91 playoff matchups with the Blues. Before retiring as a member of the St. Louis Blues in 2020, he posted the fourth-most games played, 10th-most goals, sixth-most assists, sixth-most points and sixth-most game-winning goals in franchise history. Steen also played in all 26 playoff games during the team's first Stanley Cup Championship run.
Armstrong has helped guide the Blues to 601 regular season wins during his 14 years with the club, the fifth-most victories in the NHL during that span, including three Central Division titles, 10 postseason appearances and the team's first Stanley Cup Championship in 2019. The Blues' longest-tenured and winningest general manager in team history was also honored as the NHL's General Manager of the Year in 2012.
Last month, the Blues also named Drew Bannister as the team's new head coach and signed him to a two-year contract extension after he served as the interim leader of the team for most of last season.
St. Louis just missed out on a playoff spot during the 2023-24 campaign, finishing the season with a 43-33 overall record and 92 points.
