Blues, Capitals Swap AHL Defenders

Journeyman in the AHL

The Blues are getting a journeyman in the league with the acquisition of Rosen. The 31-year-old Swedish-born defender has appeared in over 350 AHL games in his career. He’s collected 198 points and nearly 150 penalty minutes in that span.

Rosen also has experience at the NHL level, and he could be a player the Blues turn to if injury struggles strike. He’s appeared in NHL games across seven seasons with three different organizations.

His longest stretch in the NHL came during the 2022-2023 campaign with St. Louis. He played in 49 games, registering eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points while averaging over 15 minutes of ice time per contest. In total, he’s played in 93 NHL games and recorded 31 points.

Rosen will report to the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Capitals Add Experience to Hershey

Heading back to Washington is another veteran defender in Schueneman. The 30-year-old puck-mover was born in Michigan and played his collegiate hockey at the University of Western Michigan.

He turned professional following the completion of the 2018-2019 season in the NCAA, signing with the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate in Stockton. Since debuting in the AHL, he’s played in 316 AHL games across multiple organizations. He’s accumulated 26 goals and 90 assists for 116 points.

This year, he was off to a strong start with the Blues’ AHL club, recording six points in his first nine games. He will try to keep that pace going with the Hershey Bears, the Capitals’ AHL affiliate.

Shaking Things Up

The trade is a relatively minor one for both teams, but that doesn’t mean it won’t pay off in due time. Both organizations have big plans for their AHL clubs and the players within their systems, and this move is clearly aimed at adding to their development system. Who will win this AHL deal is unclear, but both teams are being aggressive in trying to improve early into the season.