Two Blues Prospects Ink Deals with Ilves
Blues prospect defenseman Leo Lööf and forward Ondrej Kos sign deals with Liiga hockey club
Ilves Tampere made a pair of moves on May 26, that will have Blues fans paying close attention this offseason. Swedish defenseman Leo Lööf is heading back to the Finnish Liiga on a two-year contract (2026-27 and 2027-28), rejoining the club where he first made his pro mark. At the same time, Blues 2024 third-round pick Ondřej Kos signed a one-year extension, keeping the young Czech forward in Tampere through at least next season.
The two signings mean Lööf and Kos will once again be teammates, a nice full-circle moment for the organization that drafted both.
Leo Lööf Heads Back “Home” to Ilves
Lööf, the 24-year-old left-shot defenseman from Karlstad, Sweden, originally played for Ilves from 2021-23, helping the club to back-to-back SM-liiga bronze medals. In his final season there (2022-23) he posted 16 points (4G, 12A) in 55 games with an outstanding +22 rating. The Blues liked what they saw back in 2020 enough to draft him in the third round (88th overall) in and eventually sign him to a three-year entry-level contract in 2023.
After three seasons in North America, all of which were spent with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, Lööf never cracked the Blues’ NHL roster. He appeared in 168 AHL games total, including 47 last season where he registered just 6 points (2G, 4A). With his ELC now expired and the Blues’ left-side depth looking crowded (recent extensions for Philip Broberg and Cam Fowler, plus other young options), a return to Europe made sense.
Ilves Sports Director Timo Koskela was thrilled to welcome him back:
“Leo Lööf is a familiar returning player to us who brings strong all-around play to our defense, both with and without the puck. He is capable of playing high-quality, physical, and aggressive game that effectively advances the team’s cause across the entire ice. It’s great that we’re getting Leo back to Ilves on a two-year contract.” ilves.com
Lööf is a big, poised, physical blueliner who can move the puck and play a heavy game. Ilves clearly sees him as a top-pair piece who can help them push for another deep playoff run. For Blues fans, though, this feels like the end of the road. At this point, it is doubtful Lööf returns to North America with the organization. The window has closed.
Ondřej Kos Stays Put for More Pro Development
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Czech winger Ondřej Kos (6’2”, 176 lbs, left shot) inked a one-year extension with Ilves. Drafted 81st overall in 2024, Kos remains unsigned on an NHL entry-level deal. After spending most of the season dealing with post-concussion symptoms, he split time between Ilves’ Liiga squad and their U20 team this past season, showing flashes of the two-way energy game that made him an intriguing mid-round pick.
Staying in familiar surroundings in Tampere gives Kos another full pro season of ice time against men before he has to decide on crossing the pond. It’s a smart, low-risk move for both player and club, and it keeps him on the Blues’ radar without forcing an immediate jump to the AHL.
What It Means for the Blues
Lööf’s departure is another reminder that not every mid-round European prospect translates to NHL success, especially on a crowded blue line. Kos’s extension, on the other hand, is pure development strategy — exactly the kind of patient approach you want for a raw but promising 20-year-old.
The real upside here is that Ilves gets stronger in the short term with a proven veteran (Lööf) and a high-upside prospect (Kos) who already knows the system. For St. Louis, it’s business as usual as one prospect moves on, another keeps grinding overseas.t