The Official Prospects Thread

[glen a richter]

Keean Washkurak signed his ELC, I have a good feeling about this kid, all accounts are he works his ass off and his numbers have been solid so far.

[theohall]

I don't think the Blues have enough centers among their prospects...

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/blues

Scroll down to Non-Roster forwards. Only 11 of 14 have C listed as a position with only 3 being listed as a Winger only. They need to have 14 of 14 centers. C'mon Dougie!! We know you can do it!!

[theohall]

Evan Fitzpatrick signed PTO with the Panthers, so he's done being a Blues prospect.

[glen a richter]

Big meh burger. I think there’s plenty of goalie depth in the system and the present duo of Binner and Husso are young enough to make tending not a pressing need. By the time it is Ellis or Hofer or both will be ready and there’s still Cranley and Zherenko too.

I don’t think Florida is a good fit for a young goalie though, Spencer Knight is their goalie for the next decade or more, Fitzpatrick will never crack that team.

[theohall]

While we make fun of the Blues drafting Centers thing... Tampa Bay's current NHL roster - 8 of their 13 forwards have C listed as one of their positions.

So there is probably something to that... the idea that C can move to W, but they don't go the other way.

[glen a richter]

I get that the Blues draft positions haven't been conducive to nabbing that generational offensive talent in the first round and it's evident that they're going with quantity over obvious quality in the hopes that someone really transforms into a top line scorer. I'd argue, though, that the entire philosophy of the organization has been one that really, at least in the 21st century, doesn't focus on offense first. Hell, look at Tarasenko. He's great by the standards of the Blues, when healthy, but he's not that PPG player that so many other teams boast on their top lines.

If you look at the Lightning, they have Kucherov, Point, Stamkos, Hedman, these are all guys who can or have been PPG or better. Cooper runs a different type of ship than your Andy Murray's, Ken Hitchcock's, Mike Yeo's and Craig Berube's. Just taking a look at the way the game has shifted from the neutral zone trap era where 1-0 games were the norm to where we are now, it's almost as if the Blues winning the Cup in '19 was the exception to the rule and a complete fluke.

What I'm getting at is this. This team has drafted a lot of guys who could be considered reaches simply because they've been drafting in bad spots for years. That's not an indictment on them, they're generally a middling team good enough to make the playoffs, not good enough to go far when they get there and one season where everything that could possibly go right did.

The sheer number of forwards who they've drafted who project out to be middle-six at best, bottom six more likely, tells me that it'll take some fundamental change in the teams philosophy to get the absolute most out of a bad situation. This team has a really weak pipeline. We're talking Alexandrov, Neighbours, Bolduc, Robertsson, McGing, Laferriere, Poganski, nothing jumps out at you as someone who will launch into that top line game changing role.

Given the trajectory of the team over the last two seasons, I have to wonder if the best thing for the organization is to just ride out the rest of Berube's contract and then hopefully find a coach like Jon Cooper who can milk every bit of offense he can out of the players who've been drafted over the last few seasons. Really, thanks Chief for the Cup, but the league isn't trending the way the Blues are built and the Blues that won aren't even remotely the same as the Blues that are. This season should be the last crack at making some noise and then next offseason really honestly take a hard look at rebuilding with a bunch of the kids already in the system and a new coach who can get the most out of them.

[theohall]

There is also what Yzerman built in Tampa when he molded Syracuse into a team that actually develops talent to play the same style the NHL club plays, so transitions from the AHL to the NHL are seamless - at least for forwards. Developing defenseman hasn't been as great when one considers almost all of their d-men came from trades or FA signings. Only one defenseman on last year's cup team, during the playoffs, came from Tampa picks - Hedman - a #2 overall pick before Yzerman joined the club as GM. While Tampa did developmental work on Cernak, he was drafted by the Kings and acquired via trade at the 2017 trade deadline.

The Blues don't have that pipeline. Hopefully, that will change with Springfield actually playing this season, but it takes years to develop. IMO, in addition to the middling picks, this is a big reason the Blues aren't seeing any jumps from the AHL to the NHL. Even with middle picks, someone should hit at some point. Heck, Brayden Point was a 3rd round pick. Anthony Cirelli - 3rd round pick. Palat - 7th Rd pick. I could go on for awhile about a team developing forwards not drafted in the 1st 2 rounds when talking solely about Tampa.

[WaukeeBlues]

The Athletic just put out its "Top 50 Prospects" rankings and article. Blues have nobody in the Top 50.

Only when it's expanded to 64 players by listing 14 honorable mentions (unranked) does Scott Perunovich make an appearance.

The Blues Prospects list has to be somewhere in the bottom half of the league, I don't think there's any question.

... I'd argue, though, that the entire philosophy of the organization has been one that really, at least in the 21st century, doesn't focus on offense first. ...

I think that's a totally fair point. For at least 21 some odd years the Blues identity has been heavy, grinding, hard to play against. When we've had offensive flair it's been Tarasenko or a more power-forward type. I'm not sure we even have that anymore. Sad.

If you look at the Lightning, they have Kucherov, Point, Stamkos, Hedman, these are all guys who can or have been PPG or better. Cooper runs a different type of ship than your Andy Murray's, Ken Hitchcock's, Mike Yeo's and Craig Berube's. Just taking a look at the way the game has shifted from the neutral zone trap era where 1-0 games were the norm to where we are now, it's almost as if the Blues winning the Cup in '19 was the exception to the rule and a complete fluke.

It's not a secret with Yzerman and the way he drafts. He's already on record that he tells his scouts, he wants the kids who have (1) compete level and (2) hockey sense. That's basically all he cares about. I think the theory is that coaches can teach the rest. It's hard to argue with his results.

Blues won the Cup in 2019 on the thinnest of margins. Every series went at least 6. We had one of the lowest positive goal differentials for any cup champion, on and on. I don't know that it was a "fluke" but Blues had to be stubborn and persistent (and we were) and have some luck along the way (which we did).

Given the trajectory of the team over the last two seasons, I have to wonder if the best thing for the organization is to just ride out the rest of Berube's contract and then hopefully find a coach like Jon Cooper who can milk every bit of offense he can out of the players who've been drafted over the last few seasons. Really, thanks Chief for the Cup, but the league isn't trending the way the Blues are built and the Blues that won aren't even remotely the same as the Blues that are. This season should be the last crack at making some noise and then next offseason really honestly take a hard look at rebuilding with a bunch of the kids already in the system and a new coach who can get the most out of them.

I think Chief is the least of our issues. The turnover on this team has been incredible the last 2 years, any coach would have a tough time I think. I said it in another thread I think: I think the cup window is closed. It was over when Pietrangelo left and especially once Tarasenko's health once again went down. Blues were playing spectacular hockey in spring 2020, really thought they had a chance to repeat... and then COVID. This team has never been the same since.

Army maybe going for it another year or two? I don't know. I see little reason for optimism. The Faulk trade and especially extension has thus far proven to be one of Army's worst moves as GM. Krug didn't look good, Parayko who knows? Where's the production going to come from?... team hasn't looked terribly engaged for any extensive period of time since COVID... *shrug*

We're in the messy middle of the league, the worst place to be. Not bad enough to be in the lottery pick hunt. Not good enough to win a cup. Our prospect pipeline reflects that.

[theohall]

Well, one guy who has that compete level - Scott Perunovich. Not selected in his initial draft year. Won Frozen Four in 2018 as a Freshman. Won Frozen Four in 2019 - Blues drafted him in between those two titles. Was awarded the Hobey Baker award in 2020. He'd returned for another season to try for a 3-peat, but the Frozen Four was cancelled due to Covid. He excelled after being denied an initial opportunity which he probably deserved. What hurt was playing on the absolutely worst team in the USHL in 2016-17. Kind of crazy he went from that to winning a Frozen Four the following season.

[glen a richter]

I saw somewhere that the Blues system is ranked #26. I can't disagree with that one bit but I do feel really bad for the teams that are worse.

[WaukeeBlues]

I saw somewhere that the Blues system is ranked #26. I can't disagree with that one bit but I do feel really bad for the teams that are worse.

Developing and growing your prospect pipeline is a conscious choice.

We gave up a boatload for Brayden Schenn (integrable part of a cup win: worth it), Ryan O'Reilly (worth it), and Justin Faulk (not worth it, might prove to be the worst trade+ extension Army has ever made).

Between the three of them there were:
ROR: 2 first round picks (Tage Thompson and 2019 1st) and a 2nd
Schenn: 2 first round picks (2017 & 2018)
Faulk: 1 first round pick (Bokk)

We only had 2 coming back the other way from Stastny and Shattenkirk. *shrug* That's how it goes.

[glen a richter]

Probably not a prospect anymore but I don’t know how I missed this one. Austin Poganski is no longer a Blue. I had no idea he signed with the Jets. I was hoping he might fight for a 4th line role.

[theohall]

I believe Reinke will be gone also. Currently not under contract with anyone.

[WaukeeBlues]

I believe Reinke will be gone also. Currently not under contract with anyone.

He's gone, yea. Wilkes-Barre JUST signed him to an AHL contract, not even a Pittsburgh Penguins NHL contract involved. Blues moved on sounds like.

https://www.wbspenguins.com/2021/09/02/ ... ch-reinke/

[glen a richter]

I couldn’t care less about losing Reinke.

Right now the prospects I’m focused on are Laferriere, Tucker, Alexandrov and to a lesser extent McGing: I think all 4 could be in play soon as far as fighting for an NHL slot.

[theohall]

Tucker is the one I'm most interested in seeing play. He's grittier than Mikkola and should be the "tough guy" defenseman who eventually replaces Bortuzzo's role - just on the other side of the ice. The big surprise from Tucker was the offense that showed up his final 2 years of juniors. It was totally unexpected. If that translates to the AHL/NHL, he will be a better option than Mikkola or a future replacement for say Scandella.

[goon attack]

Tucker is the one I'm most interested in seeing play. He's grittier than Mikkola and should be the "tough guy" defenseman who eventually replaces Bortuzzo's role - just on the other side of the ice. The big surprise from Tucker was the offense that showed up his final 2 years of juniors. It was totally unexpected. If that translates to the AHL/NHL, he will be a better option than Mikkola or a future replacement for say Scandella.

The sooner we replace Scandella the better. my grandmother would be more valuable out there, and she died 15 years ago

[theohall]

Traverse City tournament is on YouTube.

Vs Maple Leafs from yesterday.


Vs Red Wings right now. Blues are up 3-1 after 2.


Last Blues game is Monday at Noon ET vs Dallas. Camera looks better this season compared to what it was a couple of years ago, but it's still only a single camera view.

[theohall]

Blues got clobbered by Dallas in the last game, but the top prospects still looked good. Blues coaches were messing with the lines to see what players were capable of in different situations with different linemates. I lost track of the number of different lines and situations they put Toropchenko in. Perunovich is ridiculously good. When he was on the ice, it stood out for both teams. Blues only had one effective line - McGing, Alexandrov, Neighbors - which they would put on the ice for offensive zone faceoffs with Tucker and Perunovich behind them. That group did score 3 goals. The issue was the rest of the Blues prospects, which are later round draft picks and some tryout players to fill out the Traverse City roster, were outmatched by the Stars. Basically, the Blues sorely need more defensive depth. The Blues only had 3 d-men on this team who were actual draft picks. 5 of the Blues 12 forwards (would've been 13, but Bolduc is injured) were also tryout players. So of the 18 Blues skaters, 8 were tryout players. Dallas didn't have the same issue. The Stars 4th line center in this game was a 3rd round draft pick.

So combine Stars depth with the Blues testing drafted prospects for different situations, it's no surprise Dallas won 7-3. Also, Dallas hadn't won a game, so they had more motivation to win from the jump and that showed in the 1st period when the Stars outshot the Blues 12-2. The Blues responded in the 2nd, when both teams scored 3 goals, but couldn't keep it going.

If Perunovich does in camp what he was doing in this tournament, it's going to be hard, even with his size, to not keep him around. The issue is going to be size and we know where Berube falls in that regard. No one else stood out as real threats to make the main roster. With Toropchenko in the States this season, he and Dakota Joshua are the two call-up guys to fill holes in the bottom of the roster when the inevitable injuries happen. McGing was effective in spite of his size, but he's playing vs prospects. Alexandrov was reasonable as a net-front guy. The key to all of that - if Perunovich weren't on this roster, they wouldn't have scored half as many goals in the tournament.

[goon attack]

Perunovich's confidence with the puck is obvious.