Which Direction Should GM Alex Steen Take The St. Louis Blues In?

For the past three seasons, the St. Louis Blues have been a mediocre team.

They've finished fifth or sixth in their division in that span and only made the Stanley Cup playoffs once, losing in the first round.

Despite making significant on-ice changes this summer, it's not totally surprising to see the Blue have a middling start to their 2026-27 campaign, posting a 5-4-1 record that has them sitting in fifth place in the Central.

To be fair, St. Louis is only two standings points from being tied for third in their division, but there weren't any changes that would suggest they could elevate past the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, and even the Utah Mammoth. And so far, that’s been exactly the case.

That brings us to first-year Blues GM Alexander Steen. The long-time player is taking over from GM Doug Armstrong and has kept a relatively low profile as he settles into the job. But Steen is one of the most intriguing managers in the league, in part because he could be one of the big sellers on the trade market as he puts his stamp on the organization.

The last thing the Blues need is another season where they're not good enough to be a playoff team, but not bad enough to land a high-end player at the top of the entry draft. With 10 percent of the season completed, that's where the Blues are tracking to land. 

They do have a core of talent to build around – including star center Robert Thomas along with wingers Jimmy Snuggerud and Jake Neighbours. But if you were asked to choose between taking the Blues' roster or virtually every other team in the Central, you almost surely wouldn't choose St. Louis'.

But that's what makes Steen such an interesting figure. Now that he has taken control, we're quickly going to see what direction he takes the team in.

If the Blues stay in their current place in the standings, you have to think Steen is going to sell off some pieces – starting with goalie Jordan Binnington. The veteran netminder is in the final season of his $6-million-per-season contract.

With Connor Hellebuyck out of the division and off the trade market, Binnington could be a solid rental option for a team seeking experience and accomplishment between the pipes.

Meanwhile, a team that needs help on the blueline will likely come calling for Blues veteran D-man Colton Parayko. Of course, Parayko vetoed a trade to the Buffalo Sabres last season, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s not another team out there that would be appealing to him. And that’s one of Steen’s jobs – convincing some of his veterans that there’s a better road ahead for them outside of St. Louis.

Otherwise, Steen's options to improve his lineup are extremely limited. He has virtually no salary cap space, and he should want no part of trading his first-round picks. To the contrary – he should be picking up draft picks and prospects at every turn. 

Perhaps we're wrong about the Blues. Maybe Steen has a plan in place to elevate this franchise to the top of the Central, and to a deep playoff run. But the recent history of this team would say otherwise, and Steen has the bullets to make major moves to turn his team in a different direction.

We’ll see if that’s what happens for Steen and St. Louis, but it's fair to be skeptical the Blues currently have the pieces to challenge the true powerhouses of the Central. Their record for the past half-decade is an indictment of management's refusal to take the steps necessary to bring in top-tier talent through the draft. 

Until that changes, St. Louis appears destined for yet another mushy middle season – and yet another year wasted.

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