Blues Sign Mitch Reinke, Nolan Stevens And Austin Poganski To Entry-Level Contracts

St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today the club has signed defenseman and college free agent Mitch Reinke (REN-key) as well as forwards Nolan Stevens and Austin Poganski to two-year, entry-level contracts.  Both Reinke and Stevens will report to St. Louis this week and will be eligible to join the Blues in the regular season.  Poganski will report to the American Hockey League’s (AHL) San Antonio Rampage on an Amateur Tryout (ATO) this week.

Reinke, 22, played in 35 games for the Michigan Tech Huskies this season, posting 24 points (three goals, 21 assists) and a +8 rating, earning WCHA Third Team All-Star honors.  The 5’11, 182-pound defenseman also helped the Huskies capture the 2017-18 WCHA Championship for the second consecutive season (2016-17).  A native of Stillwater, Minnesota, Reinke dressed in 76 career collegiate games, amassing 44 points (nine goals, 35 assists) and a +14 rating.

Stevens, 21, recently finished his fourth season at Northeastern University.  As team captain, the 6’2, 195-pound forward dressed in 38 2017-18 regular season games, collecting 42 points, including 24 goals, which shared fifth among all NCAA players.  For his efforts, Stevens was named a Hockey East Second Team All-Star.  Overall, the Sea Isle City, New Jersey, native appeared in 132 career regular season games at Northeastern, totaling 118 points (57 goals, 61 assists) and a +32 rating.  In 2015-16, Stevens guided Northeastern to the Hockey East Championship and was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team.  Internationally, he represented Team USA at the 2013-14 U-18 World Junior Championships, helping the team capture the Gold Medal.  Stevens was originally drafted by the Blues in the fifth round, 125th overall, of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Poganski, 22, recently concluded his fourth season at the University of North Dakota.  Serving as team captain, the 6’2, 210-pound forward posted 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) and a +6 rating in 40 regular season games in 2017-18.  Overall, he dressed in 162 career collegiate games, tallying 84 points (37 goals, 47 assists) and a +33 rating.  Poganski also guided North Dakota to the NCAA Championship in 2015-16.  A native of St. Cloud, Minnesota, Poganski was originally drafted by the Blues in the fourth round, 110th overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.  His entry-level contract will begin with the 2018-19 season.