St. Louis Blues: What can we expect from the Alexander Steen and Drew Bannister partnership?

Was hiring Alexander Steen as the future general manager of the St. Louis Blues a home run?

Ask most Blues fans, and they are ecstatic about the possibilities. Steen embodies a leader and remains a player who is not only fond of the city and fanbase but has deep roots, having spent over a decade on the team.

With Steen becoming a GM in training and assuming official duties in two years, one wonders how the Drew Bannister and Steen duo will function.

St. Louis Blues: Has the pressure on Drew Bannister increased?

Say what you will, but the job security of an NHL head coach is not exactly promising. Coaching changes occur frequently. The frequent turnover of coaches in the past decade has been well-noted by St. Louis Blues fans.

Interestingly, Bannister’s contract, signed just a few short weeks ago, is a two-year deal, mirroring Steen’s contract until his promotion to permanent GM.

Did current GM Doug Armstrong provide Bannister with such a contract, knowing Steen would eventually come in? It sure looks like it.

Bannister’s deal is up in two years, and Steen has a five-year contract. Steen’s commitment is more permanent, and he will serve as the final say on roster and coaching moves once he takes over the official GM role.

Was Steen involved in the decision to extend Bannister’s contract? While we don’t know for sure, most likely not.

It is certain that Bannister will have to become acquainted with Steen and work towards establishing a close connection with him. The pressure for Bannister to succeed has become even more significant.

By all accounts, Bannister was Armstrong’s guy. Now that a new GM will slowly take the reign, Blues fans might wonder if Steen has a specific coaching style in mind or an ideal candidate.

Sure, it’s all premature now to speculate about such moves, but you better believe Steen has goals and ideas that differ from Armstrong’s philosophy. It’s part of human nature to bring your own perspective into a managerial role.

It seems that Bannister’s job security is safe for at least two years. A change could be made if he fumbles under pressure and performs under .500. Nonetheless, his impressive 30-19-5 record is what landed him the job today.

St. Louis Blues: Winning solves everything

Additionally, prominent figures like Robert Thomas and Jordan Binnington openly endorsed him.

Despite this, the head coaching role became more challenging with the addition of a new GM. Winning and securing a playoff spot is one possible solution to the drama.

If Bannister puts a team on the ice that wins and brings the St. Louis Blues back to the playoffs, expect a Bannister era of coaching. If not, Steen may search for a coach who shares his style of play and coaching philosophy.

Stay tuned; things are beginning to get interesting.