Former Blues C Steen rejoins club as member of hockey ops staff

Alex Steen, who played 12 of his 15 NHL seasons with the St. Louis Blues, has rejoined the team as a member of the hockey ops staff, the team announced on Monday. 

The 39-year-old retired after the 2019-20 season, due to herniated discs in his back. In 765 career games with the Blues, Steen totaled 195 goals and 496 points. 

Steen will join the organization as a European Player Development Consultant, working with the team's prospects overseas. It's a job he has done in various capacities since he retired from the NHL, including with the Swedish World Junior team.

"I've missed it, for sure. This is going to be fun," said Steen. "I still follow the team pretty closely, so I already know the prospects we've got - I just haven't met them yet. It will be fun getting to know them on a personal level and begin working with them."

"I stay in touch with what's going on, and obviously I'm really close with a lot of people around the organization and the players on the team," he said. "Physically I might be far away, but I have a close relationship with St. Louis."

Originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Steen was acquired by the Blues on November 24, 2008 as part of the Lee Stempniak trade. 

In 1,018 career NHL games, Steen scored 245 and collected 622 points. He won the 2019 Stanley Cup with the Blues.