via Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,

While this season looks like an out-of-body experience for Alex Steen (20 goals and 32 points and plus 13), St. Louis Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock says this is no one-off.

He’s the real thing, and the Blues have to resign him for, say, five years at between $5.5 million and $6 million a season. He’s UFA.

“Steen is the closest thing I’ve seen to Jere Lehtinen in the last 15 years,” said Hitchcock, who had the gifted winger Lehtinen on his 1999 Cup team in Dallas.

“He’s hard on every puck, he plays against the other team’s best players, kills penalties when we’re down two men with David Backes.”

He’s a prime Selke contender as best two-way forward.