Game On Magazine - April 2017 GameOn-Apr2017-P001-144-ONLINE | Page 81

ing his father Thomas play hockey for the Winnipeg Jets; Brandon
product, Joel Edmundson who forked out “hundreds of dollars on
Wheat Kings tickets” as a child; and, of course, tough-guy, role-
player Ryan Reaves, the son of former Winnipeg Blue Bombers star
Willard Reaves, have brought their talents to the forefront at a time
when it matters most to the people of the Gateway City.
“Anytime a coach gets fired it is obviously a difficult thing to
hear, and it hit us all,” Steen said. “But I do think that it has helped
the whole group, and it has been a collective approach to a much
sounder game. Mike knows
the game; he knows exactly
what he wants to do, what
he wants to accomplish, and
exactly how he wants the group
to play.”
The 33-year-old Steen clearly took
matters into his own hands to help turn
the sinking Blues’ ship around. With a goal and
an assist in the Blues’ first game under Yeo, Steen
found himself on his coach’s good side from the get-
go. Playing upwards of 21 minutes a night he has ce-
mented himself on the Blues’ top line.
Playing 21 minutes a game is nothing new for Steen, who began
his hockey career in Winnipeg and at the age of 12 went off to play
hockey in Germany, before testing his luck in the Swedish elite
league. It was with Vastra Frolunda and MODO where Steen put his
B
ack in
January,
when Mike
Yeo took over from
Ken Hitchcock behind
the bench of the St.
Louis Blues, the club
was out of the play-
off picture. In fact, with
Hitchcock coaching, the
Blues had registered just
one regulation win in their
previous seven games. At the
time,
they
were
I do think that it has helped
the whole group, and it has been a
collective approach to a much sounder
game. Mike knows the game; he knows
exactly what he wants to do, what he
wants to accomplish, and exactly how
he wants the group to play
just one point ahead of Dallas and Winnipeg in the Central Division
playoff race and were fast-tracking their way to a potential lottery
pick in the upcoming NHL entry draft.
Fast forward one month, and the Blues are thriving under Yeo.
Now third in the Central Division, St. Louis won seven of their first
eight games under the new coach, outscoring their opponents 26-
12 in that stretch. Although getting production from many depth
players, there have been three Manitobans who have risen to the
occasion and are contributing in a myriad of ways.
Winnipeg-born, Alexander Steen, who spent his childhood watch-