Blues sign McMichael to six-year, $40.5M deal in Steen's first major offseason move

St. Louis locked up recently acquired forward Connor McMichael on a six-year, $40.5 million contract Thursday, avoiding arbitration in the process. The deal carries an average annual value of $6.75 million and runs through the foreseeable future of the rebuild Alex Steen is now overseeing as general manager, having taken over the role from Doug Armstrong.

It is the first significant transaction of Steen's tenure at the top of the Blues' front office, and it signals an intent to build around McMichael rather than treat him as a short-term piece. St. Louis finished 2026 at 37-45, so there is ground to cover — locking in a young forward on a long-term deal is the kind of foundational move that typically precedes broader roster construction.