Blues trade Lee Stempniak to Maple Leafs for Steen, Colaiacovo

When the St. Louis Blues re-signed right winger Lee Stempniak to a three-year contract after scoring 27 goals in the 2006-07 season, they envisioned the West Seneca, N.Y. native taking his game to another level.

It turned out Stempniak couldn’t even match his production from that breakout season.

Lee Stempniak was traded by the Blues to Toronto on Monday in exchange for center Alexander Steen and defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo, a pair of former first-round draft picks of the Maple Leafs.

“Lee has done a tremendous job in St. Louis,” Blues President John Davidson said in a press release. “He is a classy individual and we would like to thank him for all of his work on and off the ice that he has provided to the St. Louis Blues.”

Stempniak, 25, scored 13 points through 14 games this season, though he netted only three goals. The former Dartmouth captain is signed through the 2009-10 with a cap number of $2.5 million each season.

While Stempniak has been a serviceable player, his offensive numbers never lived up to his contract. Last year, he netted 13 goals and had just 38 points in 80 games. That came on the heels of a 27-goal, 52-point campaign, which would net him a three-year, $7.5 million deal.

Even though Stempniak was scoring at nearly a point-per-game clip through 14 games, it appears the Blues wanted to trade him while his value was high. He scored the overtime game-winner on Friday in the Blues’ 3-2 win over Anaheim.

In return for Stempniak, the Blues got some help up the middle in Steen, the son of former Winnipeg great Thomas Steen and the 24^th overall choice in 2002. They also bolstered the blueline with Colaiacovo, who has shown some offensive ability. Colaiacovo was the 17^th pick overall in 2001.

“We feel we have improved our club today for both the short and long term by adding Carlo and Alex,” Davidson said. “Carlo is solid two-way defenseman and will provide depth to our blueline and Alex can play center or wing and can score at the NHL level.”

With center Andy McDonald out for an extended period of time, the addition of the 24-year-old Steen gives the Blues some skill up the middle, though he shouldn’t be confused with a No. 1 center. Steen has only amassed two goals and two assists in 20 games. Steen’s best season was 2005-06 when he netted 18 goals and had 45 points in 75 games.

Rookie forward T.J. Oshie is still out with a high ankle sprain, but Davidson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Friday he expects Oshie to command more ice time when he comes back based on what the youngster has shown the Blues to date, thus making Stempniak somewhat expendable.

Colaiacovo could be the gem of the deal and give the Blues’ corps of defensemen an offensive spark if he can stay healthy. The 25-year-old is in his sixth NHL season, but injuries have kept him from playing a full slate and realizing his potential. He battled a groin injury last season and only skated in 28 games. He accumulated eight goals and nine assists in 48 games the season before. Colaiacovo has one assist in 10 games.

Tags: blues, hockey, lee stempniak, NHL

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