Some more bad news for the St. Louis Blues on the concussion front.
Already without center Andy McDonald for most of the season (he’s been on IR with a concussion since Oct. 15) , the Blues have learned that third-leading scorer Alex Steen failed his concussion baseline test, according to FAN 590 Radio’s Andy Strickland. Steen’s been out with a concussion since Dec. 27 -- a 3-2 loss to Detroit, in which he scored his 13th goal of the year -- and missed St. Louis’ last three games.
Barring a rapid reversal in fortune and tests results, Steen will miss game No. 4 this Thursday when the Blues host the Oilers.
The injury is a big setback for both team and player. From a team perspective, the 27-year-old Swede has emerged as a versatile and valuable player, leading the Blues in plus-minus (+20) and second only to captain David Backes in terms of ice time for forwards. Steen also leads the team in even-strength goals and is a top penalty-killer.
From a player’s perspective, this looked to be Steen’s breakout campaign. He was on pace for a career-high 30 goals and appeared to be in good health, which hasn’t always been the case. His time in St. Louis has been marked by solid play, but a series of ailments have cost him 45 games over the last three years.