GDT: 2024 Blues Draft Day Thread

[Celtic Note]

It makes so little sense, but then I think of the Wings attaching a 2nd to get rid of Walman(a much better player who is younger and makes less money) and I just shake my head and resign myself to the fact that I will never understand why GMs do the things they do.

It’s these sorts of moves and overpaying for mediocre free agents that make me frustrated when I see people appeal to authority.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

It also seems like we really liked what we saw out of Czechia at the Hlinka tournament this year

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Colton Roberts is still out...

 

[Beauterham]

It all depends on what’s done with the cap space.

I really hope it isn't the owners who want us to spend less as we're not competitive right now and ordering to use some assets to lower the payroll.

 

[LetsGoBooze]

Can we extend buch yet? Is that maybe a possibility? Still wud be desperate if that’s all the move was for.

I think this is the answer to the Hayes trade, which is still very disappointing. I don't mind keeping Buch, dont think the re-tool is dependent on selling him, but giving away that 2nd is still dumb AF.

 

[542365]

I really hope it isn't the owners who want us to spend less as we're not competitive right now and ordering to use some assets to lower the payroll.

I really don’t think it is. Stillman is as big of a Blues fan as any of us. He wants to get back to being a perennial playoff team. That’s how he’ll make the most money too. I think this is Army making a move to free up cap space for a bigger move. We’ll see how it turns out. Right now it seems incredibly bad though.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I don't see how trading Hayes makes us any more able to resign Buch than keeping Hayes. We are not hurting for capspace where we need to offload players making less than 4 mil to pay other players.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

I'd still take Fyodor Avramov here.

 

[Mike Liut]

Trading a 2nd to save 3.5 million? Please make it make sense?

 

[sfvega]

So far for the Weekend

Tex Trade B+ good buy low/high reward type trade

Hayes Trade D- what the actual f***

Jiricek B+ at that pick it was between him and Solberg, Jiricek has the higher ceiling and at some point we need to try to swing for the fences. He does seam very agressive, if he can add some muscle it will help his play a lot.

Ralph B- don't know much, But he's a big boy with good skating. Seems to possibly have some offensive skills, Gotta research more

Fischer B+ Another big defenseman. Need to research more

Kos ??? idk I never looked this far down the draft list this season


I will say tho, we are constantly screaming we are too small on the defensive side, and watching Blues fans being mad we are drafting big defensemen is a little entertaining. (Not directed at this board)

Army started off so strong with the Texier trade. Trading a pick that is very unlikely to ever make the NHL for a current NHLer with a cheap extension is good. Having that NHLer being 24 with a nonstop motor and a bit of skill upside as well is just icing on the cake. A+

Hayes trade is an F. Just no other way around it. Having to pay a premium pick in a better draft for a guy you paid to acquire last year as part of a much bigger, much better deal that broke down is laughable. Stop making decisions that you have to pay to undo. Or just DON'T PAY TO UNDO IT. Just eat the contract. I wanted us to deal the 2nd because we're in a spot where we need years of development more than we need future picks. I think it would have been pretty easy to get a top 8 pick in the 2nd round this year with 48 and our 2nd next year. To deal it for nothing and reach at 48 is terrible. Just no way around it. F

Jiricek: He's always been my worst comes to worst pick. He's always been a guy projected to be the fail safe if we're in a spot where all the better defensemen are gone. Great skater, good IQ, so he fits. But seems to be a jack of all trades, master of none. I think he's a relatively safe 2nd pair guy so it's definitely a good add. But it could have been better. Again, we just won too much. Shoulda kept Berube around for a few more months. B.

Ralph: Again, we need years of development. He's pretty raw. Taking a guy who had a lost season and then an HSer with premium picks when we want to be hitting our stride in 2026 is weird. He's very toolsy. He's very big. But him over Pulk is just bad I think. D

Fischer: Very steady player. Still has upside on both sides of the puck. Can skate, handle, defend well enough that there's potential for him to be a top 4 down the line if things break right. I like him more than Ralph for sure, which is concerning scouting-wise. B+

Jecho is a great pick. I just wish we had more of these flashes of brilliance this weekend instead of whatever the f*** that Hayes trade was...

 

[Mike Liut]

These past 2 years, the Blues have really changed their philosophy into bigger, high compete level, high motor and aggressiveness in their team drafting IMO.

 

[Thallis]

Man moving a second to get rid of Hayes stings when we could have theoretically used that to move up for Buium

 

[542365]

Jets just took a guy who was born in China. That’s pretty cool.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Anymore good RHD prospects left?

 

[tfriede2]

Is Galvas still available? Not sure who we can draft at this point who I’ve heard of.

Mrsic - no info on him

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Tomas Mrsic is our 4th rounder. Don't hate it.

 

[Mike Liut]

Man moving a second to get rid of Hayes stings when we could have theoretically used that to move up for Buium

And then waived Hayes

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

All the Euros

Edit: born in Canada apparently

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Man moving a second to get rid of Hayes stings when we could have theoretically used that to move up for Buium

It took a 3rd to move up just one spot. Moving up 4 spots would have cost a lot more, and that's even if Philly was even willing to drop out of the top 14. After the 15th pick there was a drop off in quality. If Philly was unwilling to drop out of the top 14 there was really not anything realistic we could offer. It takes two to make a deal, we can't just press the force trade button.

 

[542365]

What’s the knock on Mrsic? Point per game guy in the WHL, isn’t tiny, isn’t overage…why is he around in the 4th?

 

[STL fan in MN]

Mrsic here.

 

[tfriede2]

Mrsic here.

Thoughts on him?

 

[mk80]

62 points in 63 games this season for Mrsic. I like it

 

[kimzey59]

What’s the knock on Mrsic? Point per game guy in the WHL, isn’t tiny, isn’t overage…why is he around in the 4th?

No defensive game.

 

[Blanick]

No defensive game.

Any player drafted in later rounds is going to come with flaws.