The Official Prospects Thread

[theohall]

I'd rather see the buyout option for Lehtera, because it shouldn't significantly hurt the Blues cap if they commit to younger players.

Keep the picks and use them to trade up next season or something, instead of just giving them away to get rid of a player.

I get the salary dump, give away a pick thing when it's the trade deadline and you are creating space to bring in someone to improve the team. As an off-season move, just don't like it when other options are available.

[glen a richter]

We need to see how things shake out with the expansion draft first. How do we know Vegas won't take Lehtera? I mean they probably won't but who knows?

[theohall]

Kenny Agostino, UFA after this season, wins the Les Cunningham Award for AHL MVP.

[glen a richter]

While we wait for our next series to start, Chicago is in a playoff series of their own.

2 games in, Ville Husso 1-1 with a lousy GAA but a nice save percentage, Binnington with 1 shutout period.

On the offensive side of things, Samuel Blais and Adam Musil are looking good. I expect both to get a look for a roster spot next season. Musil would make a fine 3rd or 4th line center and Blais could provide some secondary scoring from the wing.

The defensemen, not so great. Walman is -2, Dunn is -3.

They did get shutout in the 1st game 4-0 and come back to win game game 2, so I'm not sure how much of the crap stats were just playoff jitters being worked out.

[glen a richter]

I hadn't noticed, Kyrou played a game at the end of the season for the Wolves. I thought he couldn't play in the AHL at his age? Anyone got info on that? He hasn't played in their current playoff series.

Glenn Gawdin and Tanner Kaspick signed ATO's, no ice time for either though.

[theohall]

I hadn't noticed, Kyrou played a game at the end of the season for the Wolves. I thought he couldn't play in the AHL at his age? Anyone got info on that? He hasn't played in their current playoff series.

Per AHL By-Laws, the age limit for eligibility to compete in the American Hockey League is 18 years or over, on or before September 15 of each season of competition. However, players don’t often join the AHL before they are 20 years old. Kyrou was born 5/8/98, so he is eligible. I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing more younger players (18/19 year olds) in the AHL, because of players being developed more quickly than in the past thanks to all of the youth programs implemented the past 18 years.

[WaukeeBlues]

I hadn't noticed, Kyrou played a game at the end of the season for the Wolves. I thought he couldn't play in the AHL at his age? Anyone got info on that? He hasn't played in their current playoff series.

Per AHL By-Laws, the age limit for eligibility to compete in the American Hockey League is 18 years or over, on or before September 15 of each season of competition. However, players don’t often join the AHL before they are 20 years old. Kyrou was born 5/8/98, so he is eligible. I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing more younger players (18/19 year olds) in the AHL, because of players being developed more quickly than in the past thanks to all of the youth programs implemented the past 18 years.

Was that a recent change? I could've swore they couldn't play in the AHL until they were 19 or 20 or something.

[theohall]

I hadn't noticed, Kyrou played a game at the end of the season for the Wolves. I thought he couldn't play in the AHL at his age? Anyone got info on that? He hasn't played in their current playoff series.

Per AHL By-Laws, the age limit for eligibility to compete in the American Hockey League is 18 years or over, on or before September 15 of each season of competition. However, players don’t often join the AHL before they are 20 years old. Kyrou was born 5/8/98, so he is eligible. I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing more younger players (18/19 year olds) in the AHL, because of players being developed more quickly than in the past thanks to all of the youth programs implemented the past 18 years.

Was that a recent change? I could've swore they couldn't play in the AHL until they were 19 or 20 or something.

Nope. There were 18 year old in the AHL as long ago as the '93-'94 season - Vaclav Prospal, Michal Grošek, and Larry Courville.

The confusion is likely in relation to NHL-CHL rule.

The NHL and CHL have an agreement in place that stipulates if a player drafted from one of the three leagues that make up the CHL doesn’t join his NHL club at the beginning of a season, that he must return to the major junior team he was selected from. The AHL is not an option for CHL players until they turn 20.

Kyrou falls under the following rule, though

When a player's CHL season ends, they are allowed to join an AHL club on an amateur tryout contract for the remainder of that AHL season. But when the next season begins, the player's options fall back to the NHL or CHL if he's under 20.

So Kyrou will be back at Sarnia next season, unless he makes the Blues roster.

How those other guys were playing at 18 in the AHL falls under the following:

Players drafted from the NCAA or Europe do not fall under the agreement, which is why Toronto was able to add William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen to the Marlies as 19-year-olds.

[WaukeeBlues]

I hadn't noticed, Kyrou played a game at the end of the season for the Wolves. I thought he couldn't play in the AHL at his age? Anyone got info on that? He hasn't played in their current playoff series.

Per AHL By-Laws, the age limit for eligibility to compete in the American Hockey League is 18 years or over, on or before September 15 of each season of competition. However, players don’t often join the AHL before they are 20 years old. Kyrou was born 5/8/98, so he is eligible. I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing more younger players (18/19 year olds) in the AHL, because of players being developed more quickly than in the past thanks to all of the youth programs implemented the past 18 years.

Was that a recent change? I could've swore they couldn't play in the AHL until they were 19 or 20 or something.

Nope. There were 18 year old in the AHL as long ago as the '93-'94 season - Vaclav Prospal, Michal Grošek, and Larry Courville.

The confusion is likely in relation to NHL-CHL rule.

The NHL and CHL have an agreement in place that stipulates if a player drafted from one of the three leagues that make up the CHL doesn’t join his NHL club at the beginning of a season, that he must return to the major junior team he was selected from. The AHL is not an option for CHL players until they turn 20.

Kyrou falls under the following rule, though

When a player's CHL season ends, they are allowed to join an AHL club on an amateur tryout contract for the remainder of that AHL season. But when the next season begins, the player's options fall back to the NHL or CHL if he's under 20.

So Kyrou will be back at Sarnia next season, unless he makes the Blues roster.

How those other guys were playing at 18 in the AHL falls under the following:

Players drafted from the NCAA or Europe do not fall under the agreement, which is why Toronto was able to add William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen to the Marlies as 19-year-olds.

Yup. That's it. Thanks for the clarification.

[glen a richter]

Husso is being absolutely lit up in the Calder Cup finals. He definitely needs a couple/few more seasons in the farm first, then maybe he can come in and backup Allen for a year.

Blais looks good though, 7 points in 9 games. Trying to figure out why Musil isn't playing, he was leading the team in points after 5 games.

[theohall]

From what I've read, the Wolves are playing like crap in their own zone in this series. It sounds alot like what happened with Allen in December and January - skaters giving up lots of high danger chances and Husso isn't getting them. Not all on Husso. But, of course, he needs time. He's only 22. 2 years before he's a backup. The only reason Allen got time with St Louis at 22 was injuries, then Allen wasn't back until he was 24. Normal time frame for NHL goalies.

Apparently, the Wolves were "down" in terms of attitude in Game 4. I can see that happening after the group that was there got them to that point, then suddenly players come back from St Louis to "give the team a boost." Well, what does that say to the guys who got you there and are now benched?? Tough position for a coach to be in.

[glen a richter]

With Washington's exit, we now have pick 20 and 27. Ratcliffe is projecting to go around then.

[theohall]

With Washington's exit, we now have pick 20 and 27. Ratcliffe is projecting to go around then.

Just what the Blues need. More LH shooting.

Still say Nick Suzuki, the right-handed C, is a better option in the 20 to 27 range.

[gaijin]

Would it be better to package those two picks together and try to move up to a top-10 spot?

Of course, from what I've heard about this draft, it's not particularly deep, so maybe outside of the top 5, you're better off with two late-first-round picks instead of one mid-first pick.

[theohall]

I'd keep the two picks. More players, better chances for someone to develop, vice risking it on a maybe player.

If they were to package them, it better be for next season which is a deeper draft. If I were the Blues, I would do what I could to get Brady Tkachuk in 2018. IMO, he's better than Matthew from what I've seen in the U18 World Championships and a couple junior level games. He's a player who wouldn't need time at Chicago to learn. He already gets it. If you haven't seen him, try to watch the World Juniors in December.

[WaukeeBlues]

I'd keep the two picks. More players, better chances for someone to develop, vice risking it on a maybe player.

If they were to package them, it better be for next season which is a deeper draft. If I were the Blues, I would do what I could to get Brady Tkachuk in 2018. IMO, he's better than Matthew from what I've seen in the U18 World Championships and a couple junior level games. He's a player who wouldn't need time at Chicago to learn. He already gets it. If you haven't seen him, try to watch the World Juniors in December.

I agree, be grateful for the two first rounders and take the best player available. As much a crapshoot as the draft ends up being by the time you get to the 20th overall pick I see no tangible difference in two players in this years draft with an additional year of development vs. a higher pick (unlikely) or two similarly situated picks in 2018.

As you guys might notice, nobody is trading down out of the top 10 any more. This notion of "let's just trade up" is extremely hard now.

Let's not pull a Chicago Bears please. Take the players.

[theohall]

Let's not pull a Chicago Bears please. Take the players.

Don't you mean not pull a New Orleans Saints, Mike Ditka action.

[theohall]

Some reports have the Blues drafting LW Klim Kostin with the 27th pick. This guy reads like the perfect Armstrong pick. Inconsistent play, questions marks about attitude, serious red flags, might stay in Russia. Blues 1st round perfection. Since he was drafted by a WHL team, to which he didn't report, he basically stopped scoring completely for the 2016-17 season.

http://www.dobberprospects.com/klim-kostin/

[glen a richter]

With that profile, he should definitely drop into the 2nd round. Army, of course, will snatch him right up with the 1st pick and legitimize it by saying that there were concerns about Tarasenko coming over to America and look how that turned out.

I like Vesalainen and Ratcliffe, and improving depth and scoring potential on the wing would probably be a shrewd decision.

[WaukeeBlues]

Let's not pull a Chicago Bears please. Take the players.

Don't you mean not pull a New Orleans Saints, Mike Ditka action.

I admit ignorance to the Saints reference haha.

I meant more the "HEY! Let's put together a package of 5 picks and 2 players to move up two spots!!" </exaggeration>