St. Louis Blues NHL Prospect Rankings: No. 10, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki

As the anticipation for the 2026-27 NHL season grows, TheHockeyNews.com will be taking a look at the top 10 prospects in the St. Louis Blues' system, kicking off our list with Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, who comes in at No. 10.

The players in this ranking do not have extensive NHL experience and are all 23 and under. Therefore, players like Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Logan Mailloux, among others, won't feature in this ranking for those reasons.

The order of these rankings reflects a mix of their ceilings and potential, as well as how they've performed over the past year with their respective clubs. 

Kaskimaki is a 22-year-old, left-handed Finnish center who occasionally plays on the wing as well. Drafted by the Blues in the third round (73rd overall) in the 2022 NHL draft, Kaskimaki is a reliable two-way forward with a strong shot that he demonstrated plenty in his sophomore season in the AHL.

Kaskimaki was one of the driving forces of the Springfield Thunderbirds' offense last year, posting 20 goals and 44 points in 64 games, ranking second in goals and points. 

Kaskimaki is at his best with the puck on his stick in transition. He utilizes shot angles and uses the defenders as screens to put the puck on net. His strong second AHL season earned him a call-up to the NHL, where he skated in five games.

The Blues were at a low point in their season, playing poor hockey and dealing with a plethora of injuries, resulting in Kaskimaki not standing out and failing to record any points in those games. But earning the call-up was the goal Kaskimaki needed to achieve at that point in his career. Now, it's to earn another and force the coaching staff to keep him up in the NHL. 

Kaskimaki's chances of earning a roster spot out of pre-season and training camp are very slim. The team's center depth is projected to be Robert Thomas, Mason McTavish, and Dalibor Dvorsky in the top nine, with Pius Suter and Dillon Dube battling for the fourth-line role. 

With injuries throughout an 84-game season, there could be opportunities for Kaskimaki to earn a call-up. 

The Espoo, FIN native likely won't ever amount to more than a bottom-six NHLer, but those are still valuable pieces to winning hockey teams. With a six-foot frame, positional versatility, and a trustworthy game, Kaskimaki could be a valuable piece of the Blues lineup very soon. 

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