As the St. Louis Blues get ready to face their rivals the Chicago Blackhawks at the Scottrade Center on Saturday night, the team and fan base in St. Louis received some terrible news regarding the team’s leading scorer Alexander Steen.
As it turns out, Steen’s “upper-body injury” is a concussion and the forward who has 24 goals on the season has been ruled out indefinitely.
BREAKING: Steen out indefinitely with a concussion. #stlblues
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) December 28, 2013
For some, this comes as devastating news and on the surface for this Blues fan, it feels that way too.
But general manager Doug Armstrong has built this roster to withstand a loss like this and there are several reasons why the loss of Steen for an extended period of time is not the end of the world.
1. Chris Stewart has already stepped up his game and taken over leadership as the team’s top scoring threat. Nobody in the NHL has been hotter than Stewart of late, who two games ago netted three goals in a win over Edmonton. Stewie is as streaky as anybody in the NHL and right now, he is on fire. He is the type of talent that can carry a team on his back for weeks at a time and if he can continue playing this way.
2. Derek Roy’s role can continue to expand. While Stewart has been lighting the lamp regularly, it has been Roy who has been helping him find his way. Roy’s playing time has increase of late, and his production has increased substantially as well. Roy can help keep Stewart hot, which will help replace Steen’s coring. But Roy’s role on the power play unit can increase too and his making ability will be vital in order to keep the league’s No. 6 unit pumping in goals.
3. Dmitri Jaskin can be given a chance to play big time minutes. Jaskin is one of the organization’s brightest prospects and could be given a chance to play alongside captain David Backes and TJ Oshie. It is a huge opportunity for Jaskin and if he can step in and fulfill his enormous potential, he should fit in nicely on the Blues top-line if head coach Ken Hitchcock chooses to use him in that role.
Losing Steen for a long time is not a good thing, but it is not the end of the world. The Blues can overcome his loss with a hot Stewart, an engaged Roy and with Jaskin getting a chance to play at the NHL-level.
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