Photo: Lucas Armstrong
The St. Louis Blues have signed Steve Ott to a two-year contract extension as head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Ott, 43, took over as Springfield’s head coach on Jan. 19, 2026, and led the team to a record of 19-13-2-0 to secure a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs. There, Ott guided the team to an improbable run to the Atlantic Division finals, including a come-from-behind first-round series win over Charlotte and the largest upset in AHL history with a division semifinal victory over Providence, which finished 38 points ahead of the Thunderbirds in the regular season.
Ott originally joined the Blues’ coaching staff on May 25, 2017, spending seven seasons as an assistant coach before being elevated to associate coach ahead of the 2024-25 season. The Summerside, P.E.I., native helped the Blues to five postseason appearances, including the 2019 Stanley Cup championship.
Ott joined the Blues after retiring in 2017 following a 15-year pro playing career which included 848 games in the NHL and 110 more in the AHL.