The St. Louis Blues turned toward stocking up their prospect pipeline this past season. Tony Ferrari analyzes their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their nine draft picks.
The St. Louis Blues turned toward stocking up their prospect pipeline this past season. Tony Ferrari analyzes their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their nine draft picks.
As the NHL off-season ticks on, Tony Ferrari continues to analyze each team’s prospect pool, with the St. Louis Blues next up.
In this series, Tony Ferrari digs into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, their latest draft class, where their positional depth chart stands, and who could be next in line for a shot at the NHL. Note that a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises unless mentioned otherwise.
Introduction
It is time to embrace the rebuild in St. Louis. GM Doug Armstrong has been a master of keeping the Blues competitive, but he has also understood when it’s time to cut bait with aging veterans and bring in the new wave of talent. The latest iteration of the teardown saw players like former captain Ryan O’Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko and Ivan Barbashev sent out of the door. The Blues brought back prospects and picks to bolster the pipeline.
Jimmy Snuggerud was the Blues' prize prospect heading into the NHL draft. His ability to fill just about any role on a line while playing a complementary role has been envious in every spot he’s played. Snuggerud has developed his shot to a point where he now has a number of weapons as a shooter. His catch-and-release is still a strength, but he added a wicked curl-and-drag shot as well and a slick backhand that he effectively uses from in tight and at a distance. He understands how to read opposing defenders and stays patient with the puck, passing through the seams as they develop.
Zachary Bolduc, a 2021 first-round pick, is a gifted player with all the physical tools you could ask for. But he can get a bit lost in the shuffle at times and sometimes struggles to link plays together by stacking his tools. When Bolduc’s game is all in sync, he is an offensive threat every time he’s on the ice, putting defenders on their heels with his speed and physicality. He has a great shot and began using his linemates much more effectively.
Acquired from Vegas for Barbashev, Zach Dean is a center who plays with speed at all times. He hasn’t quite figured out how to switch gears and create separation with speed changes quite yet, but that seems like the obvious next step. His speed and shot have been the foundation of his game. Dean is a very nice grab for the Blues, as they could use some high-end speed in their system and on their team. With his first AHL season ahead of him, we should get an idea of whether Dean can shift his mindset from a million miles a minute to properly using his speed and changes of pace to break the game open.
Jake Neighbours played most of his games in the NHL last year but split time with the AHL. Neighbours uses his power game to draw defenders in and then his strength to protect the puck and pass to the open man. He has a very good shot and should use it more than he does, but that could be a habit that develops as he becomes more comfortable in the NHL.
The Blues probably hoped that Simon Robertsson would have hit his stride a bit more over the last couple of seasons, but he hasn’t quite done that. His shot remains a very big weapon, but he lacks the on-puck creation or the consistency to warrant high-end playing time thus far at the SHL level. Robertsson could be poised to pop this upcoming season, but we could just as easily be left wondering yet again.
St. Louis has waited for Scott Perunovich to take his spot in the lineup over the last couple of seasons, but he has yet to do so. He is a skilled puck-mover and has shown to be an excellent transition defender. Perunovich is a tactical defenseman who looks to make the most effective play every time he has the puck. The 5-foot-10 blueliner must get stronger and more refined defensive positioning, but his skill should allow him to earn a spot in training camp.
The great mystery of St. Louis’ defensive pipeline is Michael Buchinger, a defender with all the offensive tools and a tendency to make some questionable choices with the puck to create offense. Buchinger loves to fill pockets of space down off the point to create shooting chances, and his willingness to give the puck up is really starting to shine through this past season. If he can rein his game in and refine a few small things, the Blues might have a solid player in Buchinger.
Tyler Tucker is one of the intriguing players in the system for St. Louis. He can throw big hits, and his shot from the blueline is powerful and dangerous. When Tucker gets the opportunity to step up and finish a check, he takes it. Tucker certainly has the goods to be a middle- or bottom-pair defender who loves contributing in all three zones.
The future in goal could be Joel Hofer. The Blues have done an excellent job of developing goalies recently, and Hofer could find his way to the NHL backup gig sometime this year. He's tested the NHL in eight games over the last two seasons, which should allow him to make the necessary adjustments heading into this campaign. The 6-foot-5 netminder has shown great potential, especially since turning pro. Hofer could be the Blues' future sooner than we all think, as the goaltending situation continues to worsen for the Blues since their cup run.
2023 NHL Draft Class
Round 1, 10th overall - Dalibor Dvorsky, C, AIK (Allsvenskan)
Round 1, 25th overall - Otto Stenberg, C/W, Frolunda (SHL)
Round 1, 29th overall - Theo Lindstein, LD, Brynas (SHL)
Round 3, 74th overall - Quinton Burns, LD, Kingston (OHL)
Round 3, 76th overall - Juraj Pekarcik, LW, Nitra (Slovakia)
Round 4, 106th overall - Jakub Stancl, C/W, Vaxjo J20 (Sweden Jr.)
Round 5, 138th overall - Paul Fischer, LD, U.S. NTDP (USHL)
Round 6, 170th overall - Matthew Mayich, LD, Ottawa (OHL)
Round 7, 202nd overall - Nikita Susuyev, RW, MHK Spartak Moscow (MHL)
The St. Louis Blues may look back at the 2023 NHL draft as the turning point for the future of the club as they made three first-round selections and five picks in the top 76.
It all kicked off with Dalibor Dvorksy at 10th overall. The Slovak center has been playing in Sweden for the last few years and has found success at the pro level. His draft year was spent primarily in the Allsvenskan, where he struggled to put up points but showed that his defensive game had taken a big step playing against men. Dvorsky has been a proven scorer to this point in his career, obliterating the competition at his age level. Next year, he will likely be in the SHL full-time, and it should allow him to take another step developmentally.
Otto Stenberg is a high-octane forward who plays with a feistiness that gets under the opponents' skin and the skill level to score on them. He understands how to play the game at both ends of the ice, pressuring opponents on the backcheck and in the defensive zone using his speed and stick. Offensively, he wants to get below the faceoff dots and fire the puck at the net. His playmaking has become a major asset as he is constantly looking to funnel the puck to the middle of the ice. Stenberg should be able to play up and down the lineup at the next level, with the speed and scoring talent to play in the top six as well as the vigor and 200-foot game to play in the bottom six.
The Blues stayed in Sweden for a third time in Round 1 by selecting Theo Lindstein, a defender who does a little bit of everything, from the Brynas program. Lindstein certainly isn’t an overly dynamic offensive player, but he shows excellent habits on the breakout and on zone entries, using his skating and puck skill to elude pressure before taking the ice given to him or finding a passing option. His defensive game is built upon his understanding of how to cut off lanes and establish himself in the right spot at the right time.
Quinton Burns is a tough-to-play-against, defensive play-killer who is more than willing to run his opponent over. Whether his team is up five goals or down five goals, he is going to play the same steady defensive game and be an efficient force in transition. Burns is a good enough puck-mover in the offensive zone that there shouldn’t be any worries about whether he can make the plays that need to be made; he just lacks the dynamism. He needs to rein in some of his aggression and figure out exactly how often he can chase hits, but there could be a stout defensive blueliner in Burns.
A standout at the World Men's Under-18s, Juraj Pekarcik put his name on the map and saw his stock rise exponentially late in the season. He is a hard-working winger who understands how to maneuver around the ice and assess his options at every turn. He isn’t the most dynamic player, but he has above-average physical tools and a good mind for pro hockey. His season was played primarily at the men’s level in Slovakia, which should be great for his development long term.
Jakub Stancl is a 6-foot-3 power winger who loves to lower the shoulder and put defenders in compromising positions. The Czech forward is a nuisance on the forecheck, beating up defenders along the end boards and taking the puck from below the goal line to the front of the net. He isn't going to dangle or dance defenders with any regularity, but he plays a brand of hockey that has become more unique as the game leans toward. He can keep up with those skilled players as a skater, allowing him to be more than just a lunkhead.
Defensive specialist Paul Fischer had a solid year with the NTDP, and he’s headed to the University of Notre Dame next year. Fischer is an intelligent defender who cuts off play and uses his reads to make up for his average physical tools. He’s willing to get physical, but he isn’t a bone-crushing hitter. Fischer is an understated player who generally doesn’t get the recognition but can play an important role lower in the lineup.
The Ottawa 67's gave Matthew Mayich a significant role before trading for Pavel Mintyukov, which is a big reason for the faith the Blues showed in him by taking him at the draft. He is a physically imposing defender who lacks upper-tier puck skills. He shows poise and plays a calm game, but he may not have the projectable puck skills to make him a pro.
Nikita Susuyev is a skilled offensive player who doesn’t always give a full effort and often chooses not to take his defensive assignments seriously. He can get floating or lost in his own end, but he can be a highly entertaining player in the offensive end. He is always trying something interesting, and while it doesn’t always work out, his willingness to try and create is worth taking a swing on.
Strengths
Scoring wingers may be the easiest position to fill hypothetically, but the Blues shouldn’t have to look outside of the organization for a while as the likes of Snuggerud, Bolduc, Neighbours and Stenberg headline a deep and dangerous group. Simon Robertsson hasn’t developed exactly as expected, but he still has some upside and room to grow at just 20 years old. Stancl can be a bully and provide a difference in skill sets.
Weaknesses
Simply put, the Blues don’t have right-shot defenders in the system. It’s less of a weakness and more of an absence of any talent aside from 23-year-old former UMass blueliner Matt Kessel. The Blues have loaded up the left side of their defensive pipeline but have done nothing recently to make strides on the right.
Next Man Up: Jimmy Snuggerud, RW
With Neighbours likely in the lineup at the start of the year and already playing in more than 50 games despite not really establishing a solid spot in the lineup, the next man up should be Snuggerud. The off-puck attacker has been an elite complementary player over the last few years, whether it was at the NTDP or riding shotgun with Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies to form one of the best lines in college hockey last year. Snuggerud is a wicked finisher, using his quick release from a distance or nifty hands in tight. He has become a very good play-connector and touch passer as well, looking to get his teammates involved by funneling pucks out of his control as soon as he realizes his own opportunity won’t develop.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: Zachary Bolduc, Jake Neighbours, Juraj Pekarcik, Jakub Stancl
C: Dalibor Dvorsky, Zach Dean, Dylan Peterson, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Keean Washkurak
RW: Jimmy Snuggerud, Otto Stenberg, Simon Robertsson, Mathias Laferriere, Ivan Vorobyov
LD: Scott Perunovich, Michael Buchinger, Tyler Tucker, Theo Lindstein, Quinton Burns
RD: Matt Kessel
G: Joel Hofer, Colten Ellis
For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook, Prospects Unlimited, and Future Watch editions of the Hockey News print edition.