ST. LOUIS -- With seven St. Louis Blues prospects participating in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, general manager Doug Armstrong is heading off to Sweden to see for himself just how much they're progressing.
And with five of them coming from this recent class at the 2023 NHL Draft, what better way than to see for himself just what the Blues have in store for the future.
"I think having five 18-year-old's is a lot," Armstrong said Wednesday. "Usually it's a 19-year-old tournament, so having five guys from last year's draft is big. We'll likely have those five back next year if they're not in the NHL and maybe sprinkle in some more. The restocking the cupboards is up and running and we're pleased by that."
Forwards Dalibor Dvorsky (10th overall, first round, 2023) and Juraj Pekarcik (third round, 2023) improved to 2-0 in tourney play for Slovakia; forward Aleksanteri Kaskimaki (third round, 2022) and Finland will need a miracle to advance, and Jakub Stancl (fourth round, 2023) and Czechia got back to .500 at 1-1 after a victory on Wednesday.
* Slovakia 3, Switzerland 0 -- Neither Dvorsky not Pekarcik factored in the scoring, but each played good minutes in Slovakia's second win in as many days.
Dvorsky played 16:49 and was even on the day, and Pekarcik, after having an assist in a 6-1 win against Czechia Tuesday, was a plus-1 in 12:52.
On Dvorsky, Armstrong said, "I think playing against his peer group (at Sudbury of the Ontario Hockey League has been important. He's certainly slanted towards offense right now. We've got to round those edges out, but he's a very good player and scores a lot on the power play and plays on a pretty potent junior team that scores a lot. It's been a good transition getting him over to North America against his peers.
"He's just a very good player as an 18-year-old in that league. He can either go back there next year or we can put him in the American [Hockey] League or he might make the NHL, who knows. He's just a good player. He's learning now in a good environment."
As for Pekarcik, Armstrong said, "He thought he could benefit from (playing in the United States Hockey League in Dubuque, Iowa.) a lot, playing against his peer group. Playing against men is difficult and finding a league in Finland or Sweden, we thought this was a good opportunity for him."
* Germany 4, Finland 3 -- Kaskimaki and the Finns are up against it now after being upset by Germany.
Kaskimaki also didn't factor in the scoring but had one shot in 18:12 and Armstrong has really liked what he's seen and heard of the center.
"He played very well again today," Armstrong said. "He plays in front of the net.
"I talked to (former Blues center) Jori Lehtera; he plays with him over there. Just said hi to him, but he's a player that played six or seven minutes (last year), now he's playing 14 or 15, playing in the elite league and playing against men."
* Czechia 8, Norway 1 -- Stancl had an assist, one shot and was a plus-2 in 11:27 as the Czech's evened their record after a loss Tuesday.
"Stancl missed some time this year for personal reasons," Armstrong said. "Being 18, we know he can be back there again next year."
USA had the day off on Wednesday, but Jimmy Snuggerud (first round, 2022) scored the United States' first goal in a 4-1 win against Norway.
"I thought this year was going to be a difficult year for them," Armstrong said of the University of Minnesota, where Snuggerud is in his sophomore year. "Obviously you lose [Logan] Cooley and you lose [Matthew] Knies, two of the premier players in college hockey last year and both in the NHL and doing well now, I thought I saw his game yesterday, (he's) a very dominant shooting player, creates offense for himself, not afraid to shoot, which was nice to see."
Also, forward Otto Stenberg (first round, 25th overall, 2023) and defenseman Theo Lindstein (first round, 29th overall, 2023) also had a day off with Sweden today.
"Sometimes good things happen to you at the expense of other people," Armstrong said of Lindstein, who was a late addition to Sweden's roster and who the GM said to compare to someone like Carl Gunnarsson. "He didn't make that team. Someone got hurt, so he came in as a seventh defenseman and then 23 seconds in, a guy took a five-minute (penalty) and a game (misconduct) and he got to play, got a couple helpers (in Sweden's opener), so he set himself up well.
"It's good to see the progress of these guys."
And for those that are asking when and how soon will any of these guys be wearing Blues jerseys, Armstrong made it clear whether they'll be here any time soon.
"That's Connor Bedard," Armstrong said. "We don't have Connor Bedards. You have to look at actuary tables when prospects come in. We have one (No.) 10 and one in the teens and all (others) in the 20s.
"We could put them in the league, but it's not going to be beneficial for them."
