Pre-Game Talk: 2024 Draft Thread

[Blueswin]

I am coming to the idea that this might not be the worst conclusion-

15. St. Louis Blues — Adam Jiricek, D​

6-2, 176
DOB: June 28, 2006
Shoots: Right
2023-24 Team: HC Plzeň

The Blues need help all over the place, but they primarily need to rebuild their blue line. Jiricek is the next defenseman on the board here, but he also happens to play a good game and has decent size. His season was cut short by an injury suffered at the World Junior Championship but he’s a solid prospect for the Blues to add.

 

[sfvega]

I am coming to the idea that this might not be the worst conclusion-

15. St. Louis Blues — Adam Jiricek, D​

6-2, 176
DOB: June 28, 2006
Shoots: Right
2023-24 Team: HC Plzeň

The Blues need help all over the place, but they primarily need to rebuild their blue line. Jiricek is the next defenseman on the board here, but he also happens to play a good game and has decent size. His season was cut short by an injury suffered at the World Junior Championship but he’s a solid prospect for the Blues to add.

He's definitely the safe route at that point in the draft. He's a right, good size, can skate, can defend, offense seems a bit capped, but we could do worse. He has a lot of what we need.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

He's definitely the safe route at that point in the draft. He's a right, good size, can skate, can defend, offense seems a bit capped, but we could do worse. He has a lot of what we need.

I think you have several good options at premium positions.
Sacha Boisvert- Good size, faceoff ace, 2nd line center going to a good college program
Alfons Freij-you will hear alot more about him come the u18s as Euros get overlooked in early rankings. Think Tom Willander.
Dominik Badinka- He is pretty much a Reinbacher clone. Same profile RHS 6'3" playing in a pro league in Sweden. Does everything above average, just no elite tool.
Yegor Surin - The ultimate competitor and the gem better than Chernyshov (check out the review on Recrutes scouting. )

Sure the same circle of players that come out in everyone's rankings doesn't look good. Connelly = Hoffman. Nygard = the ultimate Sutter. Jiracek = who knows? Hasn't played and didn't put up any points when he did.

May also be a good position to trade as some domino will fall on draft day.

 

[Drubilly]

I think you have several good options at premium positions.
Sacha Boisvert- Good size, faceoff ace, 2nd line center going to a good college program
Alfons Freij-you will hear alot more about him come the u18s as Euros get overlooked in early rankings. Think Tom Willander.
Dominik Badinka- He is pretty much a Reinbacher clone. Same profile RHS 6'3" playing in a pro league in Sweden. Does everything above average, just no elite tool.
Yegor Surin - The ultimate competitor and the gem better than Chernyshov (check out the review on Recrutes scouting. )

Sure the same circle of players that come out in everyone's rankings doesn't look good. Connelly = Hoffman. Nygard = the ultimate Sutter. Jiracek = who knows? Hasn't played and didn't put up any points when he did.

May also be a good position to trade as some domino will fall on draft day.

I’ve had my sights on Freij for some time. I thought he might be there with our first 2nd rounder but folks are starting to notice. Funny you mention Willander because I thought Freij might be a great “consolation prize” for missing out on Willander last year.

Also, apparently his last name is pronounced close to “fray” but I only hear Randy Marsh’s voice saying “Crème fraîche” instead. Lol

 

[DeuceNine]

We need defense, and lots of it. Can't become Edmonton.

 

[sfvega]

I think you have several good options at premium positions.
Sacha Boisvert- Good size, faceoff ace, 2nd line center going to a good college program
Alfons Freij-you will hear alot more about him come the u18s as Euros get overlooked in early rankings. Think Tom Willander.
Dominik Badinka- He is pretty much a Reinbacher clone. Same profile RHS 6'3" playing in a pro league in Sweden. Does everything above average, just no elite tool.
Yegor Surin - The ultimate competitor and the gem better than Chernyshov (check out the review on Recrutes scouting. )

Sure the same circle of players that come out in everyone's rankings doesn't look good. Connelly = Hoffman. Nygard = the ultimate Sutter. Jiracek = who knows? Hasn't played and didn't put up any points when he did.

May also be a good position to trade as some domino will fall on draft day.

Yeah, I'm not trying to say that there's nobody there at #15, but it's kinda like the Bolduc spot a few years ago where we're praying someone falls and no one does and there's a bit of a drop-off. I like Badinka, but I love him as a pick in the 20s. Boisvert is a VERY Bluesy pick. I'm honestly not very familiar with Freij, haven't kept an eye on him at all. Will definitely have to try and educate myself.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Yeah, I'm not trying to say that there's nobody there at #15, but it's kinda like the Bolduc spot a few years ago where we're praying someone falls and no one does and there's a bit of a drop-off. I like Badinka, but I love him as a pick in the 20s. Boisvert is a VERY Bluesy pick. I'm honestly not very familiar with Freij, haven't kept an eye on him at all. Will definitely have to try and educate myself.

Surin I’m really warming up to. Captain material. Skilled. Playoff player. You draft to win. He wants to win.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Yeah, I'm not trying to say that there's nobody there at #15, but it's kinda like the Bolduc spot a few years ago where we're praying someone falls and no one does and there's a bit of a drop-off. I like Badinka, but I love him as a pick in the 20s. Boisvert is a VERY Bluesy pick. I'm honestly not very familiar with Freij, haven't kept an eye on him at all. Will definitely have to try and educate myself.

Locked on prospects just did a prospect profile on Freij. McKeens has a good write up with video as well. HPR did a podcast segment that is very informative breaking down several Swedish D

 

[ezcreepin]

I think you have several good options at premium positions.
Sacha Boisvert- Good size, faceoff ace, 2nd line center going to a good college program
Alfons Freij-you will hear alot more about him come the u18s as Euros get overlooked in early rankings. Think Tom Willander.
Dominik Badinka- He is pretty much a Reinbacher clone. Same profile RHS 6'3" playing in a pro league in Sweden. Does everything above average, just no elite tool.
Yegor Surin - The ultimate competitor and the gem better than Chernyshov (check out the review on Recrutes scouting. )

Sure the same circle of players that come out in everyone's rankings doesn't look good. Connelly = Hoffman. Nygard = the ultimate Sutter. Jiracek = who knows? Hasn't played and didn't put up any points when he did.

May also be a good position to trade as some domino will fall on draft day.

Assuming all of this is correct (I never get a chance to watch prospects), it would be nice for the Blues to get at least 2 very good defense prospects. We all want and probably need a bonafide #1 D, but if we can collect a bunch of really good players, then we should be perfectly fine and it melds with our strategy of a thousand cuts. I know offense is always a concern on the backend, but I just want players who can defend well.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I don’t think we should have any trouble drafting two players to compete in our top four in the first two rounds. This is a very solid crop of defenseman, especially on the right side.

 

[execwrite1]

This mock -

16) Michael Brandsegg-Nygård RW | Mora IK 6'1" 194


48) Simon Zether C | Rögle BK 6'3" 187


56) Julius Miettinen F | Everett 6'3" 207

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

This mock -

16) Michael Brandsegg-Nygård RW | Mora IK 6'1" 194


48) Simon Zether C | Rögle BK 6'3" 187


56) Julius Miettinen F | Everett 6'3" 207

Do you really think the first three pics the blues are gonna take will be three forwards?

 

[Drubilly]

This mock -

16) Michael Brandsegg-Nygård RW | Mora IK 6'1" 194


48) Simon Zether C | Rögle BK 6'3" 187


56) Julius Miettinen F | Everett 6'3" 207

Yeah, I can’t like this.

 

[sfvega]

Locked on prospects just did a prospect profile on Freij. McKeens has a good write up with video as well. HPR did a podcast segment that is very informative breaking down several Swedish D

Nice, I'll check that out now that I'm off work. Definitely want to see what he says about LSW too.

I don’t think we should have any trouble drafting two players to compete in our top four in the first two rounds. This is a very solid crop of defenseman, especially on the right side.

I agree. I think ideally we end up somehow with three picks in the top ~45. Either by trading down with our first or trading up with Toronto's 2nd.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Yeah, I'm not trying to say that there's nobody there at #15, but it's kinda like the Bolduc spot a few years ago where we're praying someone falls and no one does and there's a bit of a drop-off. I like Badinka, but I love him as a pick in the 20s. Boisvert is a VERY Bluesy pick. I'm honestly not very familiar with Freij, haven't kept an eye on him at all. Will definitely have to try and educate myself.

this draft has 8 guys i really like, another 7-8 who are legit 1st round guys, and then a whole bunch of guys i'd feel much better picking early 2nd. problem isn't that we are picking 15, it's that we aren't picking top 8, but that was always highly unlikely. it's thin draft for impact guys, but we should get good prospect at 15. just that they will be prospect on par with our latter 2 picks in last year's 1st and not on par with dvo. can still be a star even, just less likely.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

this draft has 8 guys i really like, another 7-8 who are legit 1st round guys, and then a whole bunch of guys i'd feel much better picking early 2nd. problem isn't that we are picking 15, it's that we aren't picking top 8, but that was always highly unlikely. it's thin draft for impact guys, but we should get good prospect at 15. just that they will be prospect on par with our latter 2 picks in last year's 1st and not on par with dvo. can still be a star even, just less likely.

After watching Sudbury and Oshawa last night, I wouldn’t mind the Blues taking Luca Marelli or Ben Danford in the draft. Danford is nuts blocking shots. Great bottom pair playoff type guy for a 3rd 4th round pick. Kind of small but a gamer. Marrelli is definitely top 4 material. Great passer and solid on D. He should be there for our second round pick.

 

[LGB]

I think with our first pick we need to be taking the BPA which will likely be a forward. I like the idea of our scouts really honing in on the defenseman available in the second though and planning on using both those picks on D.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Wheeler has his top 64 draft prospects out, and while looking at 1 analyst will give you some wild rankings, so not something to look at for a consensus view, it can kind of give you a somewhat more realistic view of how a draft could go, where you'll have some players falling compared to where others have them, or some surprise players that are way higher than most would have them.

His tier 2 is prospects 2-12, tier 3 is 13-20, and tier 4 is 21-42. I generally agree with how those tiers look by the numbers, you can definitely argue a few numbers or where specific players land, but that's kidn of my impression of the draft. This draft has 1 clear #1 pick, a next group worthy of a top 10 selection, that group has about 7-11 players. A next group of what I'd say are solid 1st rounders, and then a bunch of while still quality prospects, feel more 2nd than 1st. It's also important to remember that Lindstein was viewed as one of those 2nd round picks last year, so you can still find quality players there.

The hope for me is basically that we are either able to move up since we have additional 2nd and 3rds, or we get a couple guys in the 2nd that we had in our top 40ish that we really liked. And with where we are likely to draft, I'm glad our scouting group really doesn't focus on position, and they focus on BPA because it's very likely that defense will not be BPA when we pick.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I think with our first pick we need to be taking the BPA which will likely be a forward. I like the idea of our scouts really honing in on the defenseman available in the second though and planning on using both those picks on D.

I would say BPA at a premium position C or D with NHL size. That’s just my opinion.

 

[Majorityof1]

The hope for me is basically that we are either able to move up since we have additional 2nd and 3rds, or we get a couple guys in the 2nd that we had in our top 40ish that we really liked. And with where we are likely to draft, I'm glad our scouting group really doesn't focus on position, and they focus on BPA because it's very likely that defense will not be BPA when we pick.

If there is a consensus 2nd tier, it will be harder to move into that tier. For the same reason we'd want to move into that tier, other teams would not want to move out. It's always possible, a team may not like the last guy in the tier, while they do like someone who should slip. But more and more it seems, teams just take that guy they like rather than risking someone else grabbing him, especially since we'd have to trade up 5 or more spots. Thats 4-5 picks they are risking their guy getting grabbed. There have been few high pick trades recently.

My hope is that our scouting can ID a guy outside the consensus and grab him. Our best hope is we can find another Parayko or even it's looking like a Lindstein. I think the chances of that are as good as trading into the top 10.

 

[bleedblue1223]

If there is a consensus 2nd tier, it will be harder to move into that tier. For the same reason we'd want to move into that tier, other teams would not want to move out. It's always possible, a team may not like the last guy in the tier, while they do like someone who should slip. But more and more it seems, teams just take that guy they like rather than risking someone else grabbing him, especially since we'd have to trade up 5 or more spots. Thats 4-5 picks they are risking their guy getting grabbed. There have been few high pick trades recently.

My hope is that our scouting can ID a guy outside the consensus and grab him. Our best hope is we can find another Parayko or even it's looking like a Lindstein. I think the chances of that are as good as trading into the top 10.

Trading up will be difficult, a plausible scenario is trading with a team that views tier 2 as having 8 players, and we view it as having 12 players.

I'm not expecting us to trade up.

 

[TheOrganist]

Looking forward to seeing Levshunov in person at Centene this weekend.

 

[Beauterham]

Locked on prospects just did a prospect profile on Freij. McKeens has a good write up with video as well. HPR did a podcast segment that is very informative breaking down several Swedish D

Just wondering, would you be comfortable drafting Freij at #16? And if possible, would you rather draft Freij than guys like Yakemchuck / Jiricek (if available)?

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Just wondering, would you be comfortable drafting Freij at #16? And if possible, would you rather draft Freij than guys like Yakemchuck / Jiricek (if available)?

I don't think I could pass up Yakemchuck, if he should fall. I think you have exceptional trade offers should he fall that far in the draft. I'm ALL ears. Before an AFTER the draft as a trade chip. I know Recrutes said there is no way from the scouts he talks with that he falls out of the top 10. Yak is 6'3" RHS and will find out quick that he will have to play the same game he played against McKenna. None of these guys outside of Parekh are going to be putting up 60-70 points every season in the NHL.

I like Freij and Badinka both better than Jiricek. There is too much of an unknown losing basically a whole season to injury. He really put up zero points when he did. Is he better than Emery or Elick then? Can you really put him over Pulkkainen? Look how far the super 5'10" Finn has fallen due to injury. He was a sure top 10 at the beginning of the year. (I don't see it.) 2nd round now?

From what I have watched of Freij, I see a more offensive Willander. He can really skate in all directions. He closes on players quick. He has been overshadowed a bit playing on the same team as LSW. Right now, I would say yes picking Freij/Badinka in that spot. I'm kind of deadlocked right now. Badinka (Reinbacher II) is a RD, BUT I think you can get a better RD in the 2nd round than a LD right now. So I would have to have some strategy for best players available in round 2 as well. I hope that makes sense.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Wheeler has his top 64 draft prospects out, and while looking at 1 analyst will give you some wild rankings, so not something to look at for a consensus view, it can kind of give you a somewhat more realistic view of how a draft could go, where you'll have some players falling compared to where others have them, or some surprise players that are way higher than most would have them.

His tier 2 is prospects 2-12, tier 3 is 13-20, and tier 4 is 21-42. I generally agree with how those tiers look by the numbers, you can definitely argue a few numbers or where specific players land, but that's kidn of my impression of the draft. This draft has 1 clear #1 pick, a next group worthy of a top 10 selection, that group has about 7-11 players. A next group of what I'd say are solid 1st rounders, and then a bunch of while still quality prospects, feel more 2nd than 1st. It's also important to remember that Lindstein was viewed as one of those 2nd round picks last year, so you can still find quality players there.

The hope for me is basically that we are either able to move up since we have additional 2nd and 3rds, or we get a couple guys in the 2nd that we had in our top 40ish that we really liked. And with where we are likely to draft, I'm glad our scouting group really doesn't focus on position, and they focus on BPA because it's very likely that defense will not be BPA when we pick.

I really don’t know what to think of Wheelers ranking. What is his hang up on the USNTP team? They were good last year. Just a huge bias of their players that watching them is just meh…. Many scouts are more impressed with two players for next years draft than anyone for this one.