When the Blues unveiled their succession plan Thursday morning 鈥 transitioning general manager duties from Doug Armstrong to Alexander Steen in two years 鈥 they understood it was a bit unorthodox.
Professional teams don鈥檛 usually have succession plans. If they do, they鈥檙e not announced publicly. And they鈥檙e not typically centered around someone with a decorated playing career but a limited management one.
So St. Louis鈥 arrangement (two years with Armstrong as GM and president of hockey operations with Steen as special assistant to the GM, then three years with Armstrong as president of hockey operations and Steen as GM) was different from the rest of the NHL.
鈥淚n just about every line of business or any big enterprise in our country, the organization has a succession plan, especially for the top people,鈥 Blues owner Tom Stillman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 well thought out, it鈥檚 all in place. In sports, it鈥檚 kind of seen as something unusual. That just doesn鈥檛 make sense to me, or to us.
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鈥淲e want to be thinking not just about the next game or of this season, but what comes next. If we want X to come next, what do we have to do now to put that in motion? That鈥檚 prudent planning so that as we go forward, we know what we鈥檙e doing. We鈥檙e prepared for it. We鈥檙e aligning ourselves.鈥
Stillman said it was important for the Blues to outline a vision publicly 鈥渁s an operation in the public eye,鈥 a move that can 鈥済ive people some confidence that we鈥檙e set for not just next year, but well beyond that.鈥
Blues owner Tom Stillman announced Thursday morning that Alexander Steen would be the future general manager of the team, taking over for current GM Doug Armstrong following the 2025-26 season.
None of the current 32 general managers were named GMs in waiting, although succession plans have been discussed in other markets. Dallas has confirmed that it was working on one to prepare for the end of Jim Nill鈥檚 tenure. Washington is rumored to be setting one up to follow Brian MacLellan.
Less than half of the current GMs (14 out of 32) were promoted internally to their position and 11 of those were because the previous GM was fired, resigned or was not renewed. In only three cases has there been an internal hire with the previous GM sticking around in some capacity.
In Vegas, George McPhee became president of hockey operations as Kelly McCrimmon ascended to the GM role. Same in Colorado with Joe Sakic and Chris MacFarland. Of course, Blues fans might remember the third instance: Armstrong taking over as GM in 2010 with Larry Pleau serving as a senior advisor across the next decade-plus.
Stillman said he and Armstrong had discussions about succession plans going back years, but this time resulted in action.
鈥淵ou talk about it, and you talk about it again and you become more acclimated to the idea,鈥 Stillman said. 鈥淎s the discussions go, Doug鈥檚 view (was) that we need new energy, youth and a new voice. That becomes more persuasive and more compelling, especially when it comes from the person I consider the best in the business.鈥
How Steen inspired a Stanley Cup-winning team with a selfless move caught the attention of both Doug Armstrong and Tom Stillman.
It should come as no surprise that Armstrong favored this approach, given his managerial history. In Dallas, Armstrong learned for more than a decade under Bob Gainey before becoming the Stars GM. In St. Louis, there was Pleau.
At 14 years, Armstrong is the longest-tenured GM in Blues history and currently is the longest-tenured one in the NHL.
鈥淭here were selfish reasons for me to stay on as a manager,鈥 Armstrong said. 鈥淧otentially get to 1,000 wins. There鈥檚 things that selfishly I wanted to accomplish. But my selfishness or what I want to do was always outweighed by what鈥檚 best for the St. Louis Blues and its fans and its ownership.鈥
When Steen takes over as GM in 2026, he鈥檒l do so as one of the most inexperienced GMs in the NHL. At that time, he will have spent three years in Blues management, one as European development consultant (2023-24) and two as special assistant to the GM (2024-26).
Philadelphia鈥檚 Daniel Briere only had one year of NHL management experience before becoming the Flyers GM, but he brought four-plus years of running an ECHL team. Buffalo鈥檚 Kevyn Adams had more than a decade with the Sabres before becoming GM, but most of that was spent running the team鈥檚 youth hockey operations. Rob Blake (Los Angeles) had four years as assistant GM prior to his promotion.
鈥淚鈥檓 as attentive as possible throughout the meetings and Doug and I have spoken a few times after the meetings just to go through where the thought process was before and after, and things for myself to evaluate and think about,鈥 Steen said. 鈥淭he experience is one part of it. I have so much respect for Doug鈥檚 work ethic and how hard he works, and how hard the whole staff works. It鈥檚 interesting for me to see the thought process but also to understand where all that came from.鈥
There are currently just two GMs younger than the 40-year-old Steen: Chicago鈥檚 Kyle Davidson (35) and Pittsburgh鈥檚 Kyle Dubas (38). Both of them, however, were able to begin their management careers early while Steen was still playing in the NHL until he was 36.
鈥淚 feel like he鈥檚 drinking through a firehose right now,鈥 Armstrong said. 鈥淔rom whether it鈥檚 player development to drafting to free agency to budgeting. There鈥檚 a whole host of things. We have contracts that we have to sign. 鈥 I wish I could give you four drafts in the next year and a half, but I can鈥檛. It鈥檚 going to take four years to get four drafts.鈥
鈥 Steen will also be just the second Swedish GM in NHL history. Vancouver鈥檚 Patrik Allvin was the first.
KPLR is interested in returning to the business of televising St. Louis pro sports teams.