Poll: Who wants Steen taking over?

[a smell of green grass]

It’s a really great question actually. It’s always a good idea to judge a new hire’s performance BEFORE they actually start the new job.

Jesus effing Christ…

Steen is not a new hire. He is the long-term trainee.

The Blues have NEITHER TALENT NOR TOUGHNESS NOR SMARTS. If you don't fire the GM for that situation, then you are not trying hard enough. And if you fire Army, you fire his trainee as well. Simple as that.

You've obviously never worked in management, or you'd recognize that even people who are otherwise sympathetic to your point of view question your whole "baby with the bathwater" mantra. Folks who have managed before realize how foolhardy this is.

You are assuming Steen will only be another Army clone because Army trained him.

In actual practice, this is quite often not the case. Ive been a hand-picked successor before, and while I respect the guy that picked me, my views are my own - and we have some real, material disagreements.

Give Steen a chance to run a draft, negotiate an extension or two, actually consummate a trade, before you decide what he can or cant be.

If nothing else, Steen is a former NHLer, Army isn't. I suspect that, more than being Army's pick, will inform Steen's opinions.

What I want is to throw out all of the management that has been "assisting Army" in the last 5 years. All of them deserve to be fired and replaced, not just Steen.

If the only change is Steen moving into Army's office, NOTHING CHANGES. NOTHING.

Is that what you want?

Do you want Blues Management to think that the Army way is working? We just need a rookie at the head desk?

If Steen comes in and says that he is going to continue what Army is doing, I for one, am out as a fan. That will be my final straw. I am not going to watch the team continue to spiral into boring nameless faceless heartless elite-less hockey - while I watch Detroit, Buffalo, and Minnesota bring in elite talent.

[BudOnTap]

It’s a really great question actually. It’s always a good idea to judge a new hire’s performance BEFORE they actually start the new job.

Jesus effing Christ…

Steen is not a new hire. He is the long-term trainee.

The Blues have NEITHER TALENT NOR TOUGHNESS NOR SMARTS. If you don't fire the GM for that situation, then you are not trying hard enough. And if you fire Army, you fire his trainee as well. Simple as that.

You've obviously never worked in management, or you'd recognize that even people who are otherwise sympathetic to your point of view question your whole "baby with the bathwater" mantra. Folks who have managed before realize how foolhardy this is.

You are assuming Steen will only be another Army clone because Army trained him.

In actual practice, this is quite often not the case. Ive been a hand-picked successor before, and while I respect the guy that picked me, my views are my own - and we have some real, material disagreements.

Give Steen a chance to run a draft, negotiate an extension or two, actually consummate a trade, before you decide what he can or cant be.

If nothing else, Steen is a former NHLer, Army isn't. I suspect that, more than being Army's pick, will inform Steen's opinions.

What I want is to throw out all of the management that has been "assisting Army" in the last 5 years. All of them deserve to be fired and replaced, not just Steen.

If the only change is Steen moving into Army's office, NOTHING CHANGES. NOTHING.

Is that what you want?

Do you want Blues Management to think that the Army way is working? We just need a rookie at the head desk?

If Steen comes in and says that he is going to continue what Army is doing, I for one, am out as a fan. That will be my final straw. I am not going to watch the team continue to spiral into boring nameless faceless heartless elite-less hockey - while I watch Detroit, Buffalo, and Minnesota bring in elite talent.

We’d like to believe you. But many will recall you said you’d go away forever if the blues made the playoffs and won a game last year. And look how that turned out. Having no integrity is one of your many problems.

[Jeff Goldblum]

It’s a really great question actually. It’s always a good idea to judge a new hire’s performance BEFORE they actually start the new job.

Jesus effing Christ…

Steen is not a new hire. He is the long-term trainee.

The Blues have NEITHER TALENT NOR TOUGHNESS NOR SMARTS. If you don't fire the GM for that situation, then you are not trying hard enough. And if you fire Army, you fire his trainee as well. Simple as that.

You've obviously never worked in management, or you'd recognize that even people who are otherwise sympathetic to your point of view question your whole "baby with the bathwater" mantra. Folks who have managed before realize how foolhardy this is.

You are assuming Steen will only be another Army clone because Army trained him.

In actual practice, this is quite often not the case. Ive been a hand-picked successor before, and while I respect the guy that picked me, my views are my own - and we have some real, material disagreements.

Give Steen a chance to run a draft, negotiate an extension or two, actually consummate a trade, before you decide what he can or cant be.

If nothing else, Steen is a former NHLer, Army isn't. I suspect that, more than being Army's pick, will inform Steen's opinions.

What I want is to throw out all of the management that has been "assisting Army" in the last 5 years. All of them deserve to be fired and replaced, not just Steen.

If the only change is Steen moving into Army's office, NOTHING CHANGES. NOTHING.

Is that what you want?

Do you want Blues Management to think that the Army way is working? We just need a rookie at the head desk?

If Steen comes in and says that he is going to continue what Army is doing, I for one, am out as a fan. That will be my final straw. I am not going to watch the team continue to spiral into boring nameless faceless heartless elite-less hockey - while I watch Detroit, Buffalo, and Minnesota bring in elite talent.

Nobody considers you a fan. You are an angry, lonely one note troll.

[blackinkbiz]

It's clear that Army has left the team in a lot worse shape than when he took it over. Army himself told us that he brought in Montgomery because HE DID NOT WANT that to happen. And now with Montgomery, we are watching some of the worst Blues hockey in our history. Connecting the dots, this means that Army bungled the roster during his run. I am so sick of watching Buch and Kyrou, and they are here for 5 more years.

Whats up next for us? The bungler that screwed the roster is now putting it in the hands of a rookie GM that was trained by the bungler.

Poll: Do you want rookie Steen taking over this mess?

What are your plans for the future when Army is officially gone? I mean, it's one thing to be obsessed with Petro and Army while they're still in the NHL. But it won't be long before both are just a memory. You'll be entering a whole other level of psychosis if you keep your schtick going through something that no longer exists.

[Rollin' on the River]

It’s a really great question actually. It’s always a good idea to judge a new hire’s performance BEFORE they actually start the new job.

Jesus effing Christ…

Steen is not a new hire. He is the long-term trainee.

The Blues have NEITHER TALENT NOR TOUGHNESS NOR SMARTS. If you don't fire the GM for that situation, then you are not trying hard enough. And if you fire Army, you fire his trainee as well. Simple as that.

You've obviously never worked in management, or you'd recognize that even people who are otherwise sympathetic to your point of view question your whole "baby with the bathwater" mantra. Folks who have managed before realize how foolhardy this is.

You are assuming Steen will only be another Army clone because Army trained him.

In actual practice, this is quite often not the case. Ive been a hand-picked successor before, and while I respect the guy that picked me, my views are my own - and we have some real, material disagreements.

Give Steen a chance to run a draft, negotiate an extension or two, actually consummate a trade, before you decide what he can or cant be.

If nothing else, Steen is a former NHLer, Army isn't. I suspect that, more than being Army's pick, will inform Steen's opinions.

You don’t think that Steen will mirror the guy who trained him? You don’t think that Stillman signed off on Steen under the premise he kept the status quo?

[DawgDad]

LOL. It doesn't matter what we want, the Blues promoted Steen.

[stlhooked]

This organization has made bad decision after bad decision since they won the cup. Firing Berube, getting rid of Kelly and Panger.
Not rewarding players with contracts who helped you get there..

This organization has been tough to support.
Zero loyalty.
Reminds me of my old work place

[MiamiLaw]

This organization has made bad decision after bad decision since they won the cup. Firing Berube, getting rid of Kelly and Panger.
Not rewarding players with contracts who helped you get there..

This organization has been tough to support.
Zero loyalty.
Reminds me of my old work place

Man for sure. It has been tough watching the product be consistently downgraded, and a refusal to sign guys who earn big money bleeding for the team while guys like Krug and Buchnevich are handed big deals before they have done anything of note. Other guys like Steen and Jbo retire and are not replaced. Then you have the downgrade in the broadcast product as well.

This franchise resembles nothing of what it was just five years ago. It has been frustrating to watch and also frustrating to watch people make excuses for it like it was inevitable. Other teams are able to maintain their core and, even if it may not be the best decision from a purely paper standpoint, reward guys who win. Does anyone think Sam Bennett is worth that contract? Hell no. But signing him caused other guys to take less because they wanted to run it back.

[Absolut]

If Steen comes in and says that he is going to continue Army hockey, then it's going to be a real zh1t show.

If Steen comes in and says that he is going to change things.... then I would give him a chance at it.

As long as you give him a chance

[Old_Goat]

It's clear that Army has left the team in a lot worse shape than when he took it over. Army himself told us that he brought in Montgomery because HE DID NOT WANT that to happen. And now with Montgomery, we are watching some of the worst Blues hockey in our history. Connecting the dots, this means that Army bungled the roster during his run. I am so sick of watching Buch and Kyrou, and they are here for 5 more years.

Whats up next for us? The bungler that screwed the roster is now putting it in the hands of a rookie GM that was trained by the bungler.

Poll: Do you want rookie Steen taking over this mess?

You really bring out the best in people.

[Rollin' on the River]

This organization has made bad decision after bad decision since they won the cup. Firing Berube, getting rid of Kelly and Panger.
Not rewarding players with contracts who helped you get there..

This organization has been tough to support.
Zero loyalty.
Reminds me of my old work place

Decision making has been questionable for a while. Winning masked a lot of problems for a good while. People got some a lot longer leash than they should’ve and some issues were overlooked because of the cup shine.

[Old_Goat]

It’s a really great question actually. It’s always a good idea to judge a new hire’s performance BEFORE they actually start the new job.

Jesus effing Christ…

Steen is not a new hire. He is the long-term trainee.

The Blues have NEITHER TALENT NOR TOUGHNESS NOR SMARTS. If you don't fire the GM for that situation, then you are not trying hard enough. And if you fire Army, you fire his trainee as well. Simple as that.

You've obviously never worked in management, or you'd recognize that even people who are otherwise sympathetic to your point of view question your whole "baby with the bathwater" mantra. Folks who have managed before realize how foolhardy this is.

You are assuming Steen will only be another Army clone because Army trained him.

In actual practice, this is quite often not the case. Ive been a hand-picked successor before, and while I respect the guy that picked me, my views are my own - and we have some real, material disagreements.

Give Steen a chance to run a draft, negotiate an extension or two, actually consummate a trade, before you decide what he can or cant be.

If nothing else, Steen is a former NHLer, Army isn't. I suspect that, more than being Army's pick, will inform Steen's opinions.

Everybody's different. Your example is a good one. That's why people are naturally resistant to change in organizations -- the unknown. Countless times the person whom Fleets-up is vastly different, despite people expecting it to be the same or better or worse...some in the rest of the organization become disappointed and some get a refreshing new opportunity and outlook. Change is inevitable...kind of like not being able to keep every prospect or favorite player.
Every GM becomes the first-time actual boss GM at least once. Just like Scotty Bowman, Al Arbour, Joel Quenneville became a brand new head coach once. Forget the comparisons to the guy (Army) whom he replaces. Judge him solely on how he handles what he has on day one as well as what HE does going forward.
We'll soon be able to verify and identify the natural tendencies of various posters.

[Bacchk29]

We’ll know soon enough if Steen has any freedom to run things his way or its status quo. I have a hard time believing it will change with Stillman and Army around.

[Rollin' on the River]

We’ll know soon enough if Steen has any freedom to run things his way or its status quo. I have a hard time believing it will change with Stillman and Army around.

This is my thinking too.

Army isn’t totally gone. He’s still in a position of power within the Blues organization. He will still have a say in how the roster is constructed whether that’s spelled out directly or not.

The Blues need a clean break from Armstrong. Let him go about working for Hockey Canada as they prepare for the Olympics and the continued image rebuild.

The less interaction he has with this organization going forward, the quicker we can get a new mindset and ideas in place.

[DawgDad]

We’ll know soon enough if Steen has any freedom to run things his way or its status quo. I have a hard time believing it will change with Stillman and Army around.

This is my thinking too.

Army isn’t totally gone. He’s still in a position of power within the Blues organization. He will still have a say in how the roster is constructed whether that’s spelled out directly or not.

The Blues need a clean break from Armstrong. Let him go about working for Hockey Canada as they prepare for the Olympics and the continued image rebuild.

The less interaction he has with this organization going forward, the quicker we can get a new mindset and ideas in place.

https://www.nhl.com/news/doug-armstrong ... -president

[BleedingBleu]

I wish they would go with a completely different mindset than what they’ve had for the last 10-15 years. HOWEVER, the fact that we’ve had organizational stability for the same
Time period is nice. Teams seem to fire/replace GMs every 3-4 years and don’t let an organizational mindset develop.

I still feel like going in a different direction is best for this franchise, but I don’t know who you hire as a young GM with a freshmindset. All of the GMs that come available are recycled around the league it seems.

I admire that this team has identified a former player in Alexander Steen to hand the reigns off too. Not only has he contributed on the ice (856 GP as a Blue, Stanley Cup Champion, 532 Points & +42) and off of it (Hired to FO 2023), but he was a NHL hockey brat who grew up around the Game w/his dad accumulating +850 points in +1,000 GP.

To recap, his dad was a successful NHLer. He grew up around it. He came of age with the Franchise (12 Years), retired and became a valuable FO asset by aiding in both European Scouting (Dvorsky, Stenberg, Lindstein, Jiricek, & Harenstam) and Player Development, and now learning under one of the Best GM’s in the Game (See SC Championship, see Team Canada).

Where’s the problem?

If you want a different direction, European mindset vs Canadian is PRETTY DIFFERENT.