Pre-Game Talk: 2024 Draft Thread

[Blueston]

Hmm, could we move up and draft Helenius.

Konsta Helenius - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Konsta Helenius, 2006-05-11 Ylöjärvi, FIN Finland. Most recently in the undefined with Jukurit. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

He’s heckuva player. I don’t know that we should be moving up for a forward, but he’d be great add.

 

[Ranksu]

He’s heckuva player. I don’t know that we should be moving up for a forward, but he’d be great add.

I wonder what it could cost to move up
#16 --> #12 spot?

 

[Blueston]

I wonder what it could cost to move up
#16 --> #12 spot?

Presumably it starts with our 2nd. So issue is we have given up top 2 picks and haven’t found a d, which I’d think is our top draft priority.

 

[Beauterham]

Hmm, could we move up and draft Helenius.

Konsta Helenius - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Konsta Helenius, 2006-05-11 Ylöjärvi, FIN Finland. Most recently in the undefined with Jukurit. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

I like Helenius, however, I wouldn't move up for him. If we did decide to move up for a player there are better options for us 'around where Helenius will get drafted'.

Instead of moving up I'd rather try to add another 1st in that top-15 range by moving a retained and/or extended Buchnevich if we can't work out an extension with him with us. I especially feel like the teams with picks 10/11 and 15 (NJ/BUF/DET) could be willing to move their pick for the right return. It all depends on what teams are on Buch' NTC-list though.

If we manage to get another 1st, I still don't think I'd target Helenius though, unless he's the clear BPA available.

 

[Ranksu]

Presumably it starts with our 2nd. So issue is we have given up top 2 picks and haven’t found a d, which I’d think is our top draft priority.

True. I havent looked up, but IS there potential d to draft? Not likely any Pietro'ish type of franchise player?

 

[Beauterham]

True. I havent looked up, but IS there potential d to draft? Not likely any Pietro'ish type of franchise player?

Levshunov, Dickinson, Silayev, Buium will probably all go top-10. Parekh might aswell. I can see Yakemchuk in the 11-16 region. Freij in the 15-20 region.

 

[tfriede2]

Yakemchuk, Nygard, and Sennecke are all available at 16. Who do you pick? (Very unlikely scenario, I know - just a hypothetical for fun)

 

[sfvega]

This is where I'm at ever changing....

Celebrini, Macklin	1​
Demidov, Ivan	2​
Levshunov, Artyom	3​
Dickinson, Sam	4​
Lindstrom, Caden	5​
Buium, Zeev	6​
Silayev, Anton	7​
iginla, Tij	8​
Parekh, Zayne	9​
Catton, Berkly	10​
Eiserman, Cole	11​
Helenius, Konsta	12​
Sennecke, Beckett	13​
Freij, Alfons	14​
Yakemchuk, Carter	15​
Emery, EJ	16​
Brandsegg-Nygard, Michael	17​
Hage, Michael	18​
Elick, Charlie	19​
Badinka, Dominik	20​
Hemming, Emil	21​
Pulkkinen, Jesse	22​
Surin, Yegor	23​
Pettersson, Lucas	24​
Luchanko, Jett	25​
Artamonov, Nikita	26​
Greentree, Liam	27​
Connelly, Trevor	28​
Beaudoin, Cole	29​
Jiricek, Adam	30​
Ericksson, Linus	31​
Chernyshov, Igor	32​
Misa, Luke	32​
Brunicke, Harrison	33​
Letourneau, Dean	34​
Marques, Miguel	35​
Shuravin, Matvei	36​
Fischer, Lukas	37​
Roberts, colton	38​
Gill, Spencer	39​
Stiga, Teddy	40​
Boisvert, Sasha	41​
Ritchie, Ryder	42​
Vanacker, Marek	43​
Basha, Andrew	44​
Parascak, Terik	45​
Zether, Simon	46​
O'Reilly, Sam	47​
Marrelli, Luca	49​
Smith, Tarin	50​
Skahan, Will	51​
Kleber, Adam	52​
Danford, Ben	53​
Sahlin Wallenius, Leo	54​
Fransen, Noel	55​
Traff, Herman	56​
Romani, Anthony	57​
Solberg, Stian	58​
Ralph, Colin	59​
Mews, Henry	60​
Battaglia, Jacob	61​
Ziemer, Brodie	62​
Fernstrom, Melvin	63​
Mustard, John	64​
Kol, Timur	65​
Berglund, Jack	66​
Wetsch, Carson	67​
Miettinen, Julius	68​
Korotky, Matvei	69​
Pikkarainen, Kasper	70​
Vuollet, Oskar	71​
Howe, Tanner	72​
Sterner, Karl	73​
josephson, Ollie	74​
Boilard, Raoul	75​
Pridham, Jack	76​
Caswell, Clarke	77​
Soini, Sebastian	78​
He, Kevin	79​
Villeneuve, Nathan	80​
Ustinkov, Daniil	81​
Taimazov, Arsen	82​
Saarelainen, Joona	83​
Masse, Maxim	84​
Burrows, Hagen	85​
Svensson, Joel	86​
Humphreys, Christian	87​
Fisher, Jake	88​
Sjoqvist, Gustav	89​
Bednarik, Kamil	90​
Ruohonen, Heikki	91​
Shokhrin, Roman	92​
Ashton, Luke	93​
Patterson, Riley	94​
Koivu, Aatos	95​
Kos, Ondrej	96​
Gridin, Matvei	97​
Sjodin, Svante	98​
Vaisenan, Veeti	99​
Muggli, Leon	100​

FANTASTIC list. I don't really see anything wrong, just using it as a template for my own thoughts.

-Iginla has to be in that conversation for 7th. For a guy that everyone loved in the teens, he just keeps rising. Buium too. Iginla's rise reminds me a bit of Mason McTavish where we might be surprised where he ends up landing.

-I have Helenius at 10. Just seems much safer than some ahead of him. Eiserman is such a weird one to project right now.

-I agree about the next wave of D-men, where you have Freij, Emery, Elick, Badinka. Pulkkinen that high is aggressive. Not sure how I feel about it. Could be accurate, especially since it's a big board and not a mock.

-FINALLY someone who ranks Connolly, Greentree, and Jiricek where I feel they're at. I would not be happy staying put and taking any of them tbh. Jiricek firs a need, but so much risk for a lottery pick.

-I talked about offensive D falling earlier in Hutson and Mews, but I forgot to mention Kiviharju which I thinks sums up his whole year. Largely not memorable. I wouldn't consider him until the Leafs pick or our 3rd. LSW also let me down the further into the season we went. I had him as a 28-35 range, but probably goes about 15 or more picks lower.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Presumably it starts with our 2nd. So issue is we have given up top 2 picks and haven’t found a d, which I’d think is our top draft priority.

This is probably the correct answer. But I don’t like it.

I really like Helenius. More than most. I’d take him as high as 4th. He’s not a highlight reel machine like some of the other guys and he’s only 5’11” but what he lacks in flash he more than makes up for in playmaking and distribution. Just a smart, smart player that plays a winning brand of hockey. I’d be surprised if his floor ended up being lower than a 2C. He’s safe but a good kind of safe IMO.

That said, I reluctantly agree we probably shouldn’t be trading up for a forward. But I do think Helenius is going to fall to around 10th so I’d be tempted to try to move up for him.

 

[Beauterham]

Yakemchuk, Nygard, and Sennecke are all available at 16. Who do you pick? (Very unlikely scenario, I know - just a hypothetical for fun)

just out of these three? Yakemchuk > Sennecke >>> Nygard.

I think both Yakemchuk and Sennecke could go around the same pick. However I'd put Yakemchuk ahead due to position (RD>RW).

 

[bleedblue1223]

I'd probably go Sennecke in that group of 3. He's a winger, but his potential is driving and carrying a line on his own IMO.

 

[Blueston]

This is probably the correct answer. But I don’t like it.

I really like Helenius. More than most. I’d take him as high as 4th. He’s not a highlight reel machine like some of the other guys and he’s only 5’11” but what he lacks in flash he more than makes up for in playmaking and distribution. Just a smart, smart player that plays a winning brand of hockey. I’d be surprised if his floor ended up being lower than a 2C. He’s safe but a good kind of safe IMO.

That said, I reluctantly agree we probably shouldn’t be trading up for a forward. But I do think Helenius is going to fall to around 10th so I’d be tempted to try to move up for him.

i like the player too. i'd be good paying the 2nd to move up, however, but only if we had another path to late 1st/early 2nd to target a d (or are able to pick up top d prospect elsewhere). d can take rather long time to develop and i don't like leaving this draft without another top d prospect (to go with lindstein) as that remains our biggest organizational need.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I'm also fine trading up for a forward high on our list. Say our #8 player is available at 12, pay the 2nd, get the player.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Yakemchuk, Nygard, and Sennecke are all available at 16. Who do you pick? (Very unlikely scenario, I know - just a hypothetical for fun)

Yakemchuk but Sennecke is close. MBN isn’t too far behind either.

Yak is such a wildcard. His potential is very high. There’s absolutely a possibility he ends up the best of the bunch. And he’s mean too. But he’s so raw and hit or miss.

It’s a little concerning he’s still one of the more raw prospects in this class while also being among the oldest. But his skills are obvious, his shot is very good and he’s a 6’3” righty. There’s so much to like…but he also brings more risk than the others in his range.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Yakemchuk but Sennecke is close. MBN isn’t too far behind either.

Yak is such a wildcard. His potential is very high. There’s absolutely a possibility he ends up the best of the bunch. And he’s mean too. But he’s so raw and hit or miss.

It’s a little concerning he’s still one of the more raw prospects in this class while also being among the oldest. But his skills are obvious, his shot is very good and he’s a 6’3” righty. There’s so much to like…but he also brings more risk than the others in his range.

I think he would have high trade value as well. Thats why I would be willing to pick him. His value to acquire another asset.

I must add that I would love having Sennecke in the Blues fold. Excellent talent. Hard playoff type player.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

FANTASTIC list. I don't really see anything wrong, just using it as a template for my own thoughts.

-Iginla has to be in that conversation for 7th. For a guy that everyone loved in the teens, he just keeps rising. Buium too. Iginla's rise reminds me a bit of Mason McTavish where we might be surprised where he ends up landing.

-I have Helenius at 10. Just seems much safer than some ahead of him. Eiserman is such a weird one to project right now.

-I agree about the next wave of D-men, where you have Freij, Emery, Elick, Badinka. Pulkkinen that high is aggressive. Not sure how I feel about it. Could be accurate, especially since it's a big board and not a mock.

-FINALLY someone who ranks Connolly, Greentree, and Jiricek where I feel they're at. I would not be happy staying put and taking any of them tbh. Jiricek firs a need, but so much risk for a lottery pick.

-I talked about offensive D falling earlier in Hutson and Mews, but I forgot to mention Kiviharju which I thinks sums up his whole year. Largely not memorable. I wouldn't consider him until the Leafs pick or our 3rd. LSW also let me down the further into the season we went. I had him as a 28-35 range, but probably goes about 15 or more picks lower.

Thank you. Two reasons I’d like to stay away from two of the people mentioned on here.
Kiviharju has been scouted to have the yips as he doesn’t like to get hit. He will rush getting rid of the puck to avoid it. That started to be noticed in the Finn league before he got hurt. At 5’9”, he doesn’t get a lot of grace or margin for error for a major flaw.
Jiricek skates with his head down when he has the puck which also is something I would want to see progressing before I drop a 16th pick on him. He hasn’t played to do that.
Hutson I don’t have on my list as I can’t get past the Perunovich college hockey that doesn’t translate here. I can’t pick that in the first 3 rounds.

My list is more of from my perspective of whom the Blues should draft rather than just a list. I look for speed, size and ability. Still working thru some of the Europeans as to who the better skaters are I’m missing. I just see the playoffs as speed size grit and skill.

 

[Memento]

Judging by @PerryTurnbullfan 's list, I'd love to trade Buchnevich to Detroit for their #15 overall pick (the key being extension) with possibly an added pick in a later draft. Then I'd take Freij and Hage with consecutive picks. I'd also draft Mews (he's falling, but he's far too talented to pass up at our second-round pick), Mustard with the Leafs' second round pick, and draft Koivu and Lavoie with our pick and the Rangers' pick, respectively.

Freij honestly appeals to me more than Yakemchuk, Jiricek, Emery, or Elick. I see a defensive wall, but insanely skilled with the puck. Imagine a left side of Freij, Lindstein, and Buchinger. Hot damn.

I'm just a huge fan of Hage. I think he could be a Brayden Point type, a speedy center with scoring ability.

I'm admitting that I'm still a huge fan of Mews. He may not be the biggest or best defender, but we have to remember that he's recently transitioned to defense. In the second round? Easily.

John Mustard is someone I've loved throughout the process, and I honestly think he should be higher on your list than #64. Big, still seventeen, skilled, sandpaper, what's not to love?

Aatos Koivu is an insanely good distributor, and yet is one of the most defensively responsible centers in this class. I'm fixing the center depth, just in case Dvorsky doesn't work out, and since we can't completely count on Dean and Alexandrov (praying Dean makes it as a middle-six option, but I'm not counting on him completely). I honestly think a top-six center is our biggest weakness next to an elite defenseman, possibly more so, given the talent of the left-handed defensemen we've drafted (Lindstein and Buchinger, sure, but there's also Loof, Gaudet, Burns, Fischer, and Koromyslov - if he ever comes over).

Tomas Lavoie (didn't see him on your list, Perry, but honestly, since Connelly is on my "Do Not Draft" (and I pray that the Blues see it my way, I'll put him at the #100 mark and take Connelly off) should be a slam-dunk as a third round pick. Huge right-handed defenseman with offensive upside - and we desperately need right-handed defensemen in our system.

 

[Mike Liut]

Judging by @PerryTurnbullfan 's list, I'd love to trade Buchnevich to Detroit for their #15 overall pick (the key being extension) with possibly an added pick in a later draft. Then I'd take Freij and Hage with consecutive picks. I'd also draft Mews (he's falling, but he's far too talented to pass up at our second-round pick), Mustard with the Leafs' second round pick, and draft Koivu and Lavoie with our pick and the Rangers' pick, respectively.

Freij honestly appeals to me more than Yakemchuk, Jiricek, Emery, or Elick. I see a defensive wall, but insanely skilled with the puck. Imagine a left side of Freij, Lindstein, and Buchinger. Hot damn.

I'm just a huge fan of Hage. I think he could be a Brayden Point type, a speedy center with scoring ability.

I'm admitting that I'm still a huge fan of Mews. He may not be the biggest or best defender, but we have to remember that he's recently transitioned to defense. In the second round? Easily.

John Mustard is someone I've loved throughout the process, and I honestly think he should be higher on your list than #64. Big, still seventeen, skilled, sandpaper, what's not to love?

Aatos Koivu is an insanely good distributor, and yet is one of the most defensively responsible centers in this class. I'm fixing the center depth, just in case Dvorsky doesn't work out, and since we can't completely count on Dean and Alexandrov (praying Dean makes it as a middle-six option, but I'm not counting on him completely). I honestly think a top-six center is our biggest weakness next to an elite defenseman, possibly more so, given the talent of the left-handed defensemen we've drafted (Lindstein and Buchinger, sure, but there's also Loof, Gaudet, Burns, Fischer, and Koromyslov - if he ever comes over).

Tomas Lavoie (didn't see him on your list, Perry, but honestly, since Connelly is on my "Do Not Draft" (and I pray that the Blues see it my way, I'll put him at the #100 mark and take Connelly off) should be a slam-dunk as a third round pick. Huge right-handed defenseman with offensive upside - and we desperately need right-handed defensemen in our system.

Hage is my choice also at 16

 

[Blueswin]

Hage at #16 is my choice too.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Judging by @PerryTurnbullfan 's list, I'd love to trade Buchnevich to Detroit for their #15 overall pick (the key being extension) with possibly an added pick in a later draft. Then I'd take Freij and Hage with consecutive picks. I'd also draft Mews (he's falling, but he's far too talented to pass up at our second-round pick), Mustard with the Leafs' second round pick, and draft Koivu and Lavoie with our pick and the Rangers' pick, respectively.

Freij honestly appeals to me more than Yakemchuk, Jiricek, Emery, or Elick. I see a defensive wall, but insanely skilled with the puck. Imagine a left side of Freij, Lindstein, and Buchinger. Hot damn.

I'm just a huge fan of Hage. I think he could be a Brayden Point type, a speedy center with scoring ability.

I'm admitting that I'm still a huge fan of Mews. He may not be the biggest or best defender, but we have to remember that he's recently transitioned to defense. In the second round? Easily.

John Mustard is someone I've loved throughout the process, and I honestly think he should be higher on your list than #64. Big, still seventeen, skilled, sandpaper, what's not to love?

Aatos Koivu is an insanely good distributor, and yet is one of the most defensively responsible centers in this class. I'm fixing the center depth, just in case Dvorsky doesn't work out, and since we can't completely count on Dean and Alexandrov (praying Dean makes it as a middle-six option, but I'm not counting on him completely). I honestly think a top-six center is our biggest weakness next to an elite defenseman, possibly more so, given the talent of the left-handed defensemen we've drafted (Lindstein and Buchinger, sure, but there's also Loof, Gaudet, Burns, Fischer, and Koromyslov - if he ever comes over).

Tomas Lavoie (didn't see him on your list, Perry, but honestly, since Connelly is on my "Do Not Draft" (and I pray that the Blues see it my way, I'll put him at the #100 mark and take Connelly off) should be a slam-dunk as a third round pick. Huge right-handed defenseman with offensive upside - and we desperately need right-handed defensemen in our system.

Freij plays the right side. I do like Lavoie, but I think he will struggle with the pace. He would be a later pick for me.

 

[Memento]

Freij plays the right side. I do like Lavoie, but I think he will struggle with the pace. He would be a later pick for me.

Thought Freij was a lefty? If he plays the right side, even better. Might even switch out Mews for Solberg in that scenario.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Hage at #16 is my choice too.

I would prefer Pettersson or Erickson over Hage, because they come with a much stronger 2 way game. However, if he is teachable, then Hage is going to an excellent college program.

 

[sfvega]

Yakemchuk, Nygard, and Sennecke are all available at 16. Who do you pick? (Very unlikely scenario, I know - just a hypothetical for fun)

Yak, but Sennecke is close.

just out of these three? Yakemchuk > Sennecke >>> Nygard.

I think both Yakemchuk and Sennecke could go around the same pick. However I'd put Yakemchuk ahead due to position (RD>RW).

That's how I see it too. Nygard does a lot of small things really well, but a few things are an issue with me. One, I feel like we take too many Blues-y type players. We love overachievers, guys who work hard, have pro size, are coachable, etc. But are we risking going with too many of one type of player? Especially at wing. Bolduc's best asset is his shot. Neighbour's best asset is his shot. Snuggy's best asset is his shot. Nygard's best asset is his physicality and shortly thereafter is his shot. We have a lot of guys who drive possession, but don't drive the play. I feel like Nygard is adding to the pile. Two, his skating. I still think we need to balance out our skating. Three, his ceiling. I do feel like there's a good chance he maxes out as a guy who only fills in on the 2nd line and is more of a 3rd liner.

Sennecke I see the upside for, which makes it closer to call between him and a defenseman. Nygard I'm not sure is the most talented player who will be on the board. He may be the Blues-iest player, but I do think he's a bit repetitive.

Judging by @PerryTurnbullfan 's list, I'd love to trade Buchnevich to Detroit for their #15 overall pick (the key being extension) with possibly an added pick in a later draft. Then I'd take Freij and Hage with consecutive picks. I'd also draft Mews (he's falling, but he's far too talented to pass up at our second-round pick), Mustard with the Leafs' second round pick, and draft Koivu and Lavoie with our pick and the Rangers' pick, respectively.

Freij honestly appeals to me more than Yakemchuk, Jiricek, Emery, or Elick. I see a defensive wall, but insanely skilled with the puck. Imagine a left side of Freij, Lindstein, and Buchinger. Hot damn.

I'm just a huge fan of Hage. I think he could be a Brayden Point type, a speedy center with scoring ability.

I'm admitting that I'm still a huge fan of Mews. He may not be the biggest or best defender, but we have to remember that he's recently transitioned to defense. In the second round? Easily.

John Mustard is someone I've loved throughout the process, and I honestly think he should be higher on your list than #64. Big, still seventeen, skilled, sandpaper, what's not to love?

Aatos Koivu is an insanely good distributor, and yet is one of the most defensively responsible centers in this class. I'm fixing the center depth, just in case Dvorsky doesn't work out, and since we can't completely count on Dean and Alexandrov (praying Dean makes it as a middle-six option, but I'm not counting on him completely). I honestly think a top-six center is our biggest weakness next to an elite defenseman, possibly more so, given the talent of the left-handed defensemen we've drafted (Lindstein and Buchinger, sure, but there's also Loof, Gaudet, Burns, Fischer, and Koromyslov - if he ever comes over).

Tomas Lavoie (didn't see him on your list, Perry, but honestly, since Connelly is on my "Do Not Draft" (and I pray that the Blues see it my way, I'll put him at the #100 mark and take Connelly off) should be a slam-dunk as a third round pick. Huge right-handed defenseman with offensive upside - and we desperately need right-handed defensemen in our system.

I do like Mustard a lot as well. I have him higher, and I'd much rather get a better skating power forward than spend a premium on Nygard.

 

[kimzey59]

Imagine a left side of Freij, Lindstein, and Buchinger. Hot damn.

Honestly; that doesn't appeal to me at all. It looks disturbingly similar to Leddy/Krug/Perunovich.
As a group; they're under-sized, I'm not sure any of them are elite and they all play the same essential style of game(to varying degrees of effectiveness). There's no diversity of skills and I think they'd get caved in by an even moderately aggressive PF.

Size and physicality are still essential skills in a defenseman. We should know that given what we've had to watch the last couple years.

IF we end up drafting Freij, I'd immediately start looking to move Buchinger for a guy with some size/snarl. Even if they're just a 3rd pairing guy, you need somebody on the left side who can absorb some punishment.

 

[Blueston]

Honestly; that doesn't appeal to me at all. It looks disturbingly similar to Leddy/Krug/Perunovich.
As a group; they're under-sized, I'm not sure any of them are elite and they all play the same essential style of game(to varying degrees of effectiveness). There's no diversity of skills and I think they'd get caved in by an even moderately aggressive PF.

Size and physicality are still essential skills in a defenseman. We should know that given what we've had to watch the last couple years.

IF we end up drafting Freij, I'd immediately start looking to move Buchinger for a guy with some size/snarl. Even if they're just a 3rd pairing guy, you need somebody on the left side who can absorb some punishment.

Burns, loof, and mayich are all what you are describing. One of them is more likely to he 3ld than buchinger.