The St. Louis Blues made a move for their future by signing one of their first-round picks to a three-year entry-level contract (ELC.) Defenseman Theo Lindstein, the 29th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, by agreed to terms with the organization on his ELC, becoming the second of the team’s three first-rounders to be under contract. The 19-year-old Swedish product was the last of the Blues’ three first-round selections this past summer and has been playing for Brynas IF in the HockeyAllsvenkan, a men’s league in his native Sweden. He also represented Sweden in the 2024 World Juniors this past winter and impressed as a last-minute addition to the roster.
Blues management chose Lindstein after forward Dalibor Dvorsky at 10th, and Otto Stenberg at 25th — primariily for his puck movement and playmaking ability. His offensive output and skating prowess made him a developmental asset to the team’s future. After showing great strides in his hockey IQ and overall defensive awareness this season, the Blues could be looking at a potential top-pairing defenseman, which they desperately need to play alongside veteran Colton Parayko. With Lindstein’s offensive upside, general manager Doug Armstrong identified him as a potential solution to that hole on the defense core.
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It is incredibly impressive that Lindstein, at 19 years old, is playing in Sweden’s second-tier men’s league and producing at a reasonably high level. He has 15 points in 49 games for the club this season and has been improving his defensive awareness all season. At the World Juniors, he flourished with eight points in seven games, helped Sweden win the tournament’s silver medal, and got selected to the tournament’s all-star team.
Expectations for Theo Lindstein
With Lindstein signing his entry-level contract, the expectations of his role remain unclear. His fellow draftee in the first round, Dvorsky, signed his ELC earlier this season and was loaned to the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves, where he has flourished by scoring 40 goals. Meanwhile, the fellow Swede, Stenberg, still needs to sign an agreement with the club. The contract signing could be a formality that Armstrong and the Blues management team wanted to get out of the way so that the transition to Lindstein potentially playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) would be smoother. Still, it could also be a sign of things to come for the club moving forward.
Lindstein’s development will be a priority for the organization alongside Dvorsky and Stenberg. If the club believes the first- rounder can be a top-pairing defenseman and counterpart to franchise cornerstone Parayko, they’ll unequivocally ensure he is ready before bringing him to the NHL club.
The expectations for the blue liner remains in question next season, but with his ELC contract signed, one would assume he will be in Springfield with the Thunderbirds next season. There is no doubt that he, like many other prospects, will have the right to earn a roster spot out of training camp this upcoming fall, but with the Blues historically known for being patient with their prospects, Lindstein taking at least half a season in the AHL to get acclimated to the North American style of hockey seems like the logical solution.
Undoubtedly, the Blues see a bright future for Lindstein in the NHL in the upcoming seasons. He has a lot of room for growth, and the Blues’ effort into his development at such a young age showcases how much the organization believes in him as a potential key piece to revitalizing the roster. While it may be a while before Lindstein is ready for the NHL, his arrival in St. Louis may come a lot sooner than many anticipated, and signing his entry-level contract is the first step to making that happen.