2026 Team Board Mock Draft pick #15

[Bye Bye Blueston]

How would you compare Belchetz and Dagenais? For me skating is a big separator between these two players.

Dag is better skater, but belchetz thinks game at higher level and has better hands. Think Belchetz has higher ceiling and floor.

 

[Memento]

Novotny. Not even particularly close.

Absolutely hate Belchetz as a prospect, and I'd be more than just disappointed if he was our pick, even at #15. All he has is size. Nothing else stands out as even good.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Novotny. Not even particularly close.

Absolutely hate Belchetz as a prospect, and I'd be disappointed if he was our pick, even at #15. All he has is size. Nothing else stands out as even good.

Like his hands a lot too. he doesn’t skate great and isn’t particularly useful in transition. He should be particularly effective in cycle, as he wins battles and uses his reach to get into scoring position. I don’t think he has drive to be a monster, but the talent is there.

 

[Memento]

Like his hands a lot too. he doesn’t skate great and isn’t particularly useful in transition. He should be particularly effective in cycle, as he wins battles and uses his reach to get into scoring position. I don’t think he has drive to be a monster, but the talent is there.

Scoring position with garbage goals at best; that's literally all I see him doing at the NHL level, if that. He doesn't have a good shot (I'd say average), his skating is atrocious, and I don't think that's the kind of player that we should draft at #15 when Novotny, Lin, Suvanto, Piiparinen, Klepov, Dagenais, Hermansson, and Bleyl are all literally right there - and I feel that every single one of the players I mentioned are better options than Belchetz.

When size is the first major thing that comes to mind with a player in juniors, I'm skeptical that that player is going to make a #15 overall impact. Logan Brown had size and decent hands as well and was a much better prospect than Belchetz.

EDIT: Unless you were talking Novotny, in which case, I apologize for the long rant on Belchetz.

 

[SirPaste]

Lin for me, taking the home run swing on his skill and IQ.

Not really interested in Belchetz whatsoever

 

[SirPaste]

Can you think of a good comp for Belchetz?

Michael Dal Colle

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Scoring position with garbage goals at best; that's literally all I see him doing at the NHL level, if that. He doesn't have a good shot (I'd say average), his skating is atrocious, and I don't think that's the kind of player that we should draft at #15 when Novotny, Lin, Suvanto, Piiparinen, Klepov, Dagenais, Hermansson, and Bleyl are all literally right there - and I feel that every single one of the players I mentioned are better options than Belchetz.

When size is the first major thing that comes to mind with a player in juniors, I'm skeptical that that player is going to make a #15 overall impact. Logan Brown had size and decent hands as well and was a much better prospect than Belchetz.

EDIT: Unless you were talking Novotny, in which case, I apologize for the long rant on Belchetz.

It was Belchetz. He is still going to have that size advantage in nhl too. I watched him a lot. He didn’t show great at the chl prospect game, but that isn’t his environment. He seems like a jovial fellow, but he doesn’t have the swagger you might expect. He is like the type of guy you hire as assistant but not as head coach. He reminds me in a way of Kevin Hayes. Hayes was terrible while he was here, but he had a nice career. I don’t think he’s miko raantanan, but I do think he is good bet to be a consistent 25-30 goal guy who will thrive in playoffs.

 

[Memento]

It was Belchetz. He is still going to have that size advantage in nhl too. I watched h8m a lot. He didn’t show great at the chl prospect game, but that isn’t his environment. He seems like a jovial fellow, but he doesn’t have the swagger you might expect. He is like the type of guy you hire as assistant but not as head coach. He reminds me in a way of Kevin Hayes. Hayes was terrible while he was here, but he had a nice career. I don’t think he’s miko raantanan, but I do think he is good bet to be a consistent 25-30 goal guy who will thrive in playoffs.

So did Logan Brown. That's whom I'd compare Belchetz to (in terms of playing style, not position, and yes, I've watched a fair bit of him - and Novotny - as well).

He's not a potential play driving winger like Novotny, not a right-handed defenseman with massive potential like Lin, not a right-handed defenseman who could be a #4 at worst if you don't like Lin's bust potential (Piiparinen or Bleyl) not a center with untapped potential (Dagenais and Suvanto) not a better winger who has shown more on brighter stages (Klepov and Hermansson).

Belchetz is just a left winger with size, and that's it. No killer instinct, horrid skating, an average shot. Kevin Hayes, at least, was a center. Logan Brown, at least, was a center. Belchetz isn't even that.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I think Belchetz projects higher. He can can play complementary role with top players even if he doesn’t pop. You want him in top 6.

I see Belchetz as a guy with middle-6 LW potential, but think 3LW is more likely than 2LW. But if we do end up picking him, I hope you’re right.

And for the record, I have him at 16 on my own list so not like I hate him. Just have a few others still available in this fantasy, not real life poll we’re doing here.

 

[Mike Liut]

Michael Dal Colle

Belchetz is much bigger. Style of play? f*** if I know

 

[Mike Liut]

Belchetz or Hemming at 15 would give me a semi. At 11, I think Gus will is our pick. My perfect draft would be #11 Gus - #15 - Belchetz/Hemming - #29 - Dag/Hextall

 

[542365]

I went Novotny but it was a coin flip for me between Novotny and Klepov. I’d be happy with either. Klepov more of a home run swing, Novotny a relatively safer bet to be NHL contributor. Maybe with three firsts it’d be smarter to go for the home run but I like a lot of Novotny’s offensive game honestly. I think there is more production there. He just prioritizes smart positional play over a more skilled approach but I don’t think it’s because he’s not capable of those plays(which is my concern with Suvanto) but rather that’s what he’s being asked to do and he’s bought into the system. I REALLY like Novotny.

 

[ExJbeck]

Ryan Lin had a very good numbers at the combine. Placed top 25 in 8 out of the 15 tested categories, 7 of those were top 15.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

So did Logan Brown. That's whom I'd compare Belchetz to (in terms of playing style, not position, and yes, I've watched a fair bit of him - and Novotny - as well).

He's not a potential play driving winger like Novotny, not a right-handed defenseman with massive potential like Lin, not a right-handed defenseman who could be a #4 at worst if you don't like Lin's bust potential (Piiparinen or Bleyl) not a center with untapped potential (Dagenais and Suvanto) not a better winger who has shown more on brighter stages (Klepov and Hermansson).

Belchetz is just a left winger with size, and that's it. No killer instinct, horrid skating, an average shot. Kevin Hayes, at least, was a center. Logan Brown, at least, was a center. Belchetz isn't even that.

Think you are way under rating Belchetz. Logan brown lacked the giveashit gene.

 

[joe galiba]

a bigger, worse skating Neighbors
no thanks
we need skill and speed

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

a bigger, worse skating Neighbors
no thanks
we need skill and speed

We kinda need size too. too much meh in lineup.

 

[Mike Liut]

We kinda need size too. too much meh in lineup.

Skill gets you in the playoffs, size and toughness wins the cup.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Skill gets you in the playoffs, size and toughness wins the cup.

Need skill in playoffs too. But skill has to be able to produce with less time and space to operate.

 

[Stealth JD]

Klepov for me, but not surprised by the outcome of the vote, though LW is the last position in the pipeline we need to be adding to. Not getting a top defenseman at 11 or 15 is disappointing to me.

 

[Celtic Note]

We don’t need much more in terms of filler / depth. With three picks, I think upside needs our attention over position. If that means more swing for the fences, so be it.

 

[SirPaste]

We don’t need much more in terms of filler / depth. With three picks, I think upside needs our attention over position. If that means more swing for the fences, so be it.

Bingo, that’s why Belchetz is a disappointing result here for me. We don’t need another third line LW

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

This draft so far would be worst case scenario for the Blues IMO.

 

[Hasbro]

Belch will be the latest to say "What the Hell?!" after ordering a pizza in his new town.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

I was already there, but this particular draft outcome has me really hoping we use this pick to either move up or bring someone in.

I think it’s probably unlikely the real one falls so perfectly to where things end up like they have here.

 

[Mike Liut]

Belch will be the latest to say "What the Hell?!" after ordering a pizza in his new town.

You forget the second part of his sentence…. “Where have you been all my life”