Blues sign trio of players to collegiate contracts

Stevens, Reinke, Poganski ink two-year, entry-level contracts; Stevens, Reinke 

will report to St. Louis immediately, Poganski goes to AHL on amateur tryout

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- The Blues signed a trio college players to two-year, entry-level contracts on Sunday night, including 2016 fifth-round pick Nolan Stevens of Northeastern.

Along with Stevens, free agent defenseman Mitch Reinke of Michigan Tech and forward Austin Poganski, a fourth-round pick in 2014, all signed contracts. 

Stevens and Reinke will immediately report to the Blues in St. Louis and be eligible to play in the regular season, while Poganski will go to the San Antonio Rampage on an amateur tryout.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

The Blues signed (from left to right) Mitch Reinke, Nolan Stevens and Austin

Poganski to entry-level contracts on Sunday night. 

Stevens, 21, finished his fourth season at Northeastern University on Saturday with a 3-2 loss against Michigan in the Elite Eight but not without creating plenty of buzz his senior season.

The son of Los Angeles Kings coach John Stevens, Nolan Stevens (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) had 42 points (24 goals, 18 assists) this season. His 24 goals was tied for fifth among all NCAA players this season; he was named a Hockey East second team All-Star.

Overall, Stevens played in 132 regular season games at Northeastern and finished with 118 points (57 goals, 61 assists) and a +32 rating.

Stevens represented Team USA's gold-medal winning team at the 2013-14 U-18 World Junior Championships.

Reinke, 22, a right-handed d-man, played in 35 games for Michigan Tech this season and posted 24 points (three goals, 21 assists) and a plus-8. He was a WCHA third team All-Star.  

Reinke is listed at 5-11, 182 pounds defenseman and helped the Huskies capture the 2017-18 WCHA Championship for the second consecutive season; he played in 76 collegiate games and had 44 points (nine goals, 35 assists) and a plus-14.

Poganski, 22, concluded his fourth season at the University of North Dakota and served as the captain this season.

At 6-2, 210 pounds, Poganski posted 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) and a +6 rating in 40 regular season games this season. Overall, Poganski played in 162 collegiate games and finished with 84 points (37 goals, 47 assists) and was a plus-33 with one NCAA championship in 2015-16.

By going to San Antonio, Poganski's entry-level contract will begin with the 2018-19 season.