Alexander Steen Explained

Position:Left wing
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:212
Played For:Frölunda HC
Modo Hockey
Toronto Maple Leafs
St. Louis Blues
League:NHL
Ntl Team:SWE
Birth Date:1984 3, df=yes
Birth Place:Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Career Start:2001
Career End:2020
Draft:24th overall
Draft Year:2002
Draft Team:Toronto Maple Leafs

Alexander Lennart Steen (born 1 March 1984) is a Canadian-born Swedish former professional ice hockey player. Steen was drafted 24th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, and started his NHL career with Toronto. Steen was traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2008, where he played the remainder of his career. Steen won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019.

Steen is the son of Thomas Steen, who also played professional ice hockey and later became a conservative politician.

Playing career

Elitserien (2001–2005)

Steen played for Frölunda HC from 1999 to 2004. He spent the 2004–05 season with Modo Hockey after a highly controversial signing.[1] [2]

Toronto Maple Leafs (2005–2008)

In the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Steen was selected in the first round by the Toronto Maple Leafs, 24th overall. He played his first game with the Leafs on 5 October 2005 during the season opener against the rival Ottawa Senators, and registered a minor penalty. His first career NHL goal came in the next game on 8 October against the Montreal Canadiens. This goal marked the first time a Swedish father (former Winnipeg Jets player Thomas Steen) and son both scored in the NHL (beating Robert Nilsson, son of Kent Nilsson, by 21 days).Steen scored his first career hat-trick on 4 January 2007 against the Boston Bruins, ending with a five-point game night.[3]

St. Louis Blues (2008–2020)

On 24 November 2008, Steen was traded by the Leafs, along with Carlo Colaiacovo, to the St. Louis Blues for Lee Stempniak.[4] [5]

On 1 July 2010, Steen signed a four-year contract extension with the Blues.[6] He had an NHL career-high 51 points in the 2011–12 season.On 25 September 2012, Steen returned to Modo Hockey on a short-term contract during the 2012–13 NHL lockout.

He was named the NHL First Star of the Month for October 2013, with his 11 goals leading the league, and 16 points, fourth-best.[7] With a goal and an assist against the Carolina Hurricanes on November 16, Steen extended his point streak to 13 consecutive games, the best such streak by a Blues player since Pierre Turgeon in 1999–2000.[8]

Steen signed a three-year, $17.4 million contract with the Blues on 18 December 2013.[9]

On 4 April 2014, he was nominated by the St. Louis chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The trophy is awarded annually to the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." Steen lead the Blues with 33 goals, and lead them in the points department as well with 62 points despite losing 11 games from a concussion in December 2013.[10]

On 23 September 2016, he signed a four-year, $23 million contract extension with the Blues.[11]

Steen won the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals with the Blues, St. Louis' first Stanley Cup in their 52-year franchise history.

Retirement

On 17 December 2020, Steen announced his retirement from hockey due to a back injury.[12] Steen finished his career fourth in games played, sixth in assists, and fifth in points in Blues franchise history. Additionally, he and his father are one of just four father-son duos to each obtain 600 points in the NHL.[13]

Post-playing career

Steen spent the 2023-24 season working in the St. Louis Blues hockey operations department as a European development consultant. On June 13, 2024, it was announced that Steen would be promoted to special assistant to the general manager, with plans to become the general manager after the 2025-26 season.[14]

Personal life

Alexander Steen's father is former Winnipeg Jets star Thomas Steen, a forward who scored 817 points in 950 NHL games between 1981 and 1995. As Steen was born in Winnipeg during his father's tenure with the Jets, he has dual Canadian and Swedish citizenship; he has chosen to represent Sweden in international hockey competition.[15] Alexander has two surviving siblings — his youngest brother Amadeus died at the age of two months of a heart condition. His death was the motivation for Alex, along with family members, to create the Amadeus Steen Foundation to raise funds for, and offer support for, infant and child health care.[16]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1999–2000Västra Frölunda HCSWE J1812 3 5 8 142 0 0 0 2
2000–01Västra Frölunda HCSWE J184 3 3 6 91 0 0 0 0
2000–01Västra Frölunda HCJ2015 5 7 12 65 4 2 6 2
2001–02Västra Frölunda HCJ2025 22 18 40 492 1 1 2 2
2001–02Västra Frölunda HCSEL26 0 3 3 1410 1 2 3 0
2002–03Västra Frölunda HCJ202 0 2 2 0
2002–03Västra Frölunda HCSEL45 5 10 15 1816 2 3 5 4
2003–04Västra Frölunda HCSEL48 10 14 24 5010 4 6 10 14
2004–05Modo HockeySEL50 9 8 17 266 1 0 1 4
2005–06Toronto Maple LeafsNHL75 18 27 45 42
2006–07Toronto Maple LeafsNHL82 15 20 35 26
2007–08Toronto Maple LeafsNHL76 15 27 42 32
2008–09Toronto Maple LeafsNHL20 2 2 4 6
2008–09St. Louis BluesNHL61 6 18 24 244 0 1 1 0
2009–10St. Louis BluesNHL68 24 23 47 30
2010–11St. Louis BluesNHL72 20 31 51 26
2011–12St. Louis BluesNHL43 15 13 28 289 1 2 3 6
2012–13Modo HockeySEL20 8 15 23 28
2012–13St. Louis BluesNHL40 8 19 27 146 3 0 3 6
2013–14St. Louis BluesNHL68 33 29 62 466 1 2 3 6
2014–15St. Louis BluesNHL74 24 40 64 336 1 3 4 2
2015–16St. Louis BluesNHL67 17 35 52 4820 4 6 10 30
2016–17St. Louis BluesNHL76 16 35 51 5310 3 4 7 4
2017–18St. Louis BluesNHL76 15 31 46 0
2018–19St. Louis BluesNHL65 10 17 27 1426 2 3 5 2
2019–20St. Louis BluesNHL55 7 10 17 124 0 0 0 6
NHL totals1,018 245 377 622 45491 15 21 36 62

International

YearTeamEventGP G A Pts PIM
2002SwedenWJC188 2 6 8 8
2003SwedenWJC6 4 2 6 6
2004Sweden WJC6 2 1 3 4
2007SwedenWC9 2 2 4 6
2014SwedenOG6 1 3 4 4
Junior totals20 8 9 17 18
Senior totals15 3 5 8 10

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Steen till Modo upprör Frölunda . Dagens Nyheter . 2007-01-12 . sv . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071001110732/http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=672&a=259566 . 1 October 2007 . dmy-all .
  2. News: Alexander Steen till Modo . Upsala NYa Tidning . 2007-01-12 . sv . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927192312/http://www2.unt.se/avd/1%2C%2CMC%3D4-AV_ID%3D316182%2C00.html . 27 September 2007 . dmy-all .
  3. News: Maple Leafs burn Bruins with 10 goals . Associated Press . 2007-01-04 . 2007-01-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070106041314/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=190892&hubname=nhl . 6 January 2007 . live . dmy .
  4. Web site: Leafs acquire winger Stempniak from Blues . tsn.ca . 2008-11-24 . 2008-11-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20081210193558/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=257162&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl. 10 December 2008 . live.
  5. Web site: Leafs trade Steen, Colaiacovo. sportsnet.ca. 2008-11-24. 2008-11-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20081202232327/http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/11/24/leafs_trade/. 2 December 2008. dead. dmy-all.
  6. Web site: The Canadian Press. ST. LOUIS BLUES SIGN FORWARD ALEX STEEN TO FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION. thehockeynews.com. The Hockey News. 11 December 2017. St. Louis. 1 July 2010.
  7. Web site: Steen Named NHL's First Star for October. NHL.com. St. Louis Blues. 11 December 2017. St. Louis. 1 November 2013.
  8. Web site: Steen saves Blues again against Hurricanes . . 2013-11-17.
  9. Web site: The Associated Press. Pierre LeBrun. Alexander Steen signs with Blues. ESPN.com. ESPN. 11 December 2017. St. Louis. 20 December 2013.
  10. Web site: Steen Nominated for Masterton Trophy . NHL.com . 4 April 2014.
  11. Web site: Pinkert. Chris. Steen signs 4-year extension. NHL.com. St. Louis Blues. 11 December 2017. St. Louis. 23 September 2016.
  12. Web site: Blues' Alexander Steen retires from hockey due to back injury.
  13. Web site: St. Louis Blues Career Leaders. 2020-12-18. Hockey-Reference.com. en.
  14. Web site: Armstrong signs extension, Steen named to new position. 2024-06-17. nhl.com. 13 June 2024 . en.
  15. Web site: Steen signs with Swedish team Modo. sportsnet.ca. 2012-09-26. 2023-03-23.
  16. News: Steen Foundation is a family affair. Toronto Star. 2007-09-07. 2010-02-08 . Kevin . McGran.
  17. Web site: Blues win cup for first time, defeat Bruins in Game 7 of final . . June 12, 2019 . June 12, 2019.