After the trade deadline saw the St. Louis Blues send veteran defenseman Justin Faulk to the Detroit Red Wings for a package that included a 1st-round pick, it was time to give a prospect or two playing for the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Blues' AHL affiliate, a look at the next level. Theo Lindstein made his NHL debut on March 10 and played 17 games to close out the regular season.
Expectations for 2025-26
Lindstein, the 29th-overall pick of the 2023 draft, didn't make the Blues out of camp, but that was hardly a surprise as the Blues' backend was already quite set. The expectations were that, should a defenseman get injured during the grind of the regular season or traded at some point, Lindstein would likely be one of the top call-up options if he played well in the minors.
Grade: B+
It turned out to be the latter. In the 17 games Lindstein played, he registered two goals and two assists, good for four points while averaging 15:46 of ice time each night. His strong play coincided with the Blues' late-season surge, and he could be considered a key reason why. According to Natural Stat Trick, Lindstein posted a 57.24 xGF%--the second highest of any Blues skater all season behind Jordan Kyrou. It's a small sample size (which is why we can't give him an "A" grade), and Lindstein wasn't getting the toughest of minutes, but driving play to that degree and finishing with a plus-6 goal differential at 21 years old is still impressive.
Where does he go from here?
Unless Lindstein bombs at training camp or winds up traded elsewhere to try and retool the roster, he should be roster-locked for opening night of the 2026-27 season. He showed well at the NHL level in limited minutes, and the Blues could still trade Colton Parayko or another defenseman this summer to make sure he has a roster spot. Lindstein's ceiling may ultimately be only a solid second-pair defenseman, but his impressive play down the stretch was a good start down that path.
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