Since the announcement that Alexander Steen will become the general manager of the St. Louis Blues in 2026, the Blues loaded up on Swedish talent with Marcus Sylvegard and Samuel Johannesson from the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) on April 30. A few days later, on May 1, the Blues signed their 2023 draft picks Otto Stenberg and Theo Lindstein to entry-level deals.
Stenberg and Lindstein’s Swedish combo looks impressive after their 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase performances. Their performances suggest they will get some opportunities to play at the NHL level after 2026 with Steen as the general manager. So, let’s look at what influences they will have on the future of the Blues under Steen.
Two Crucial Pieces for Both Offense & Defense
Before general manager Doug Armstrong drafted Stenberg and Lindstein, the team lacked vital prospect pieces for its offensive and defensive rosters. When drafting Stenberg, they added more depth to their center prospects. They had another to call up outside of Zachary Bolduc, who can also play left-wing if needed, which is excellent for line versatility.
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Stenberg can be a tremendous second-line center. His fantastic playmaking, complemented by his four assists in five games at the Summer Showcase, can also enhance the Blues’ power play, which was shakey in 2023-24 and ranked below the top 15 in the league. He was third in points (nine) for Sweden and helped them win the silver medal at the 2024 World Junior Championship.
As for Lindstein, he is an offensive defenseman that the Blues need right now, as they’ve gone too much towards drafting more defensive or two-way defensemen, and they need more balance in their defensive roster. The Blues are in a weird position right now as the hope to make the playoffs in 2024-25 is slim; someone like Lindstein will help get their team back in playoff form.
During his time in the HockeyAllsvenskan (second-tier Swedish hockey) with club Brynäs IF in 2023-24, Lindstein scored 15 points in 49 games. He was involved in helping Brynäs IF win the HockeyAllsvenskan Championship and gain promotion back to the SHL. In those qualification games leading up to promotion, Lindstein scored four points in 13 games. In the 2024 WJC, he finished as a WJC All-Star, with the most assists (six) and points (eight) by a defenseman in his first U20 WJC tournament.
How Will Steen Impact Stenberg & Lindstein’s Careers?
Steen has been a crucial player on the Swedish National Team and the Blues franchise, so he has a lot of knowledge to share that will benefit both Stenberg and Lindstein in the long run. Although Steen was a forward and could probably help with the development of Stenberg, he’s played in the new era of the game and even won a Stanley Cup while playing against players of all positions and ages.
With 622 points through 1,018 games in his career and 496 of those career points from his time with the Blues, Steen knows how to put points on the board, and it all started when he was 21 years old when he played his first NHL game with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team that he initially was drafted by in 2002 being selected in the first round (24th overall).
The Maple Leafs may have played Steen a little later than the average first-rounder of his time, but his experience as a late first-round pick could benefit both Stenberg and Lindstein, as they are also two players selected in the late first round of the draft. This suggests he may have a good plan to ensure both players enter the league correctly.
So how would he do that? It’s simple when looking at Steen’s first season with the Maple Leafs, where he scored 45 points in 75 games, which was a good sign for a rookie. Suppose anyone knows how to get Stenberg and Lindstein going in their first season immediately. In that case, it’s Steen, and there is a lot of potential for both of these players since they have been developed within the SHL and HockeyAllsvenskan on two different teams.
Focusing on the Present for Stenberg & Lindstein
For now, both Stenberg and Lindstein will continue playing in the SHL, as they should at this point in their career. Stenberg is playing the 2024-25 season with the Malmö Redhawks on loan, while Lindstein will look to push Brynäs IF to another great season on loan after returning to the SHL. On the other hand, Steen will continue his last season as a special assistant to Armstrong with some time to figure out what the team truly needs after the 2024-25 season.
With many other young prospects like Bolduc and Jimmy Snuggerud eager to make a big impact on the Blues roster in the upcoming season, the front office will have to shift its focus to them for now as they are the closest to being considered ‘NHL-ready.’
