Prospect Info: Blues 2023-2024 Prospect Thread

[Vladys Gumption]

Undressed two how’s that?

He didn’t even undress two. The D and the goalie overplayed the situation badly. He made a nice quick decision to pass. But that wasn’t undressing anyone.

 

[Kylester]

Springfield notes


Now one point back of the sixth and final playoff position in the Atlantic, the T-Birds next take to Allentown for a crucial head-to-head matchup against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday night at PPL Center. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. in Pennsylvania. GAME IS ON NHL NETWORK

Dylan Coghlan finished the two-game set with three goals and five points, and his goal put him atop the AHL leaderboard for goals by defensemen with 16.

Also T-Birds beat Charlotte 6-4...but were outshot 46-24. Colton Ellis with 42 saves.

The T-Birds have developed a bad habit of being outshot by a wide margin recently. Ellis seems to handling it better than Zherenko right now, but Zherenko is just coming back from an injury. Either way, it's a lot to ask of your goalies. Hope they can even out those shot totals a bit.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

He didn’t even undress two. The D and the goalie overplayed the situation badly. He made a nice quick decision to pass. But that wasn’t undressing anyone.

We can agree to disagree. He made a quick move; they both bought and over committed guessing wrong; and resulted in two guys on the ice the opposite direction leading to a wide open net goal.

 

[sfvega]

moore does lots of things at high level, but setting linemate up in prime scoring position off the cycle doesn't seem like one of them.

He feeds better than Knies I'm sure, but Cooley is on another level and they had good chemistry too.

 

[Celtic Note]

Is anyone else getting concerened that we have so many guys that aren’t play drivers or need to be fed the puck?

Thomas and Kyrou are playmakers/drivers.

Dvo seems to need a guy who can drive the play paired with him, even though he can do it sometimes.

Snuggy, Neighbours and to an extent Bolduc need to to have someone feeding them the puck to be at their best.

Personally I would like to see two guys per line that can drive things so one guy isn’t carrying all the work load and can be easily defended.

To be clear, I like all these players and can see their individual value. However, I am wondering how they will all come together to compose a team that works well together.

 

[sfvega]

Is anyone else getting concerened that we have so many guys that aren’t play drivers or need to be fed the puck?

Thomas and Kyrou are playmakers/drivers.

Dvo seems to need a guy who can drive the play paired with him, even though he can do it sometimes.

Snuggy, Neighbours and to an extent Bolduc need to to have someone feeding them the puck to be at their best.

Personally I would like to see two guys per line that can drive things so one guy isn’t carrying all the work load and can be easily defended.

To be clear, I like all these players and can see their individual value. However, I am wondering how they will all come together to compose a team that works well together.

I think, as long as the Blues don't trade Kyrou for a bag of pucks like half the board wants, that if everyone develops well that you'd probably pair Kyrou and Dvo and then Snuggerud and Thomas. Our biggest shot with our best passer and then two puck wizards together. The only thing I worry about is Kyrou's speed and Dvo's questionable skating. Once their in the zone though, I think they'll be a great fit.

 

[MissouriMook]

Is anyone else getting concerened that we have so many guys that aren’t play drivers or need to be fed the puck?

Thomas and Kyrou are playmakers/drivers.

Dvo seems to need a guy who can drive the play paired with him, even though he can do it sometimes.

Snuggy, Neighbours and to an extent Bolduc need to to have someone feeding them the puck to be at their best.

Personally I would like to see two guys per line that can drive things so one guy isn’t carrying all the work load and can be easily defended.

To be clear, I like all these players and can see their individual value. However, I am wondering how they will all come together to compose a team that works well together.

I think the solution is something that has been discussed previously with the prioritization of getting a 2C to move Schenn out of that spot can accomplish what you’re looking for. You would have Thomas, someone like Karlsson (or someone else more Thomas-lite) and Dvorsky up the middle with Kyrou, Buch, Schenn, Neighbours, Snuggerud and Bolduc to fill out the Top 9. With Saad not listed in that equation, it also affords the opportunity to use a forward to fill the 1LD role.

 

[LGB]

Is anyone else getting concerened that we have so many guys that aren’t play drivers or need to be fed the puck?

Thomas and Kyrou are playmakers/drivers.

Dvo seems to need a guy who can drive the play paired with him, even though he can do it sometimes.

Snuggy, Neighbours and to an extent Bolduc need to to have someone feeding them the puck to be at their best.

Personally I would like to see two guys per line that can drive things so one guy isn’t carrying all the work load and can be easily defended.

To be clear, I like all these players and can see their individual value. However, I am wondering how they will all come together to compose a team that works well together.

True play drivers are really hard to find. I don't even think Kyrou is one. We'll just need to find combinations that can play a cohesive style, and you never know maybe someone emerges.

 

[BlueDream]

Is anyone else getting concerened that we have so many guys that aren’t play drivers or need to be fed the puck?

Thomas and Kyrou are playmakers/drivers.

Dvo seems to need a guy who can drive the play paired with him, even though he can do it sometimes.

Snuggy, Neighbours and to an extent Bolduc need to to have someone feeding them the puck to be at their best.

Personally I would like to see two guys per line that can drive things so one guy isn’t carrying all the work load and can be easily defended.

To be clear, I like all these players and can see their individual value. However, I am wondering how they will all come together to compose a team that works well together.

No, not at all.

There’s just so many factors that go into this that make it barely even worth discussing.

First, we have no idea what the team will even look like in 3 years when these prospects are finally on the team. We’ll surely have some new players via trade/free agency so what if we get “play drivers” that way?

Not to mention that these prospects still have a lot of developing to do and nobody knows how any of them will drive play in the NHL. There have been plenty of prospects that people on this board have been wrong about so take it with a grain of salt when they throw around buzzwords like that.

 

[Celtic Note]

I think the solution is something that has been discussed previously with the prioritization of getting a 2C to move Schenn out of that spot can accomplish what you’re looking for. You would have Thomas, someone like Karlsson (or someone else more Thomas-lite) and Dvorsky up the middle with Kyrou, Buch, Schenn, Neighbours, Snuggerud and Bolduc to fill out the Top 9. With Saad not listed in that equation, it also affords the opportunity to use a forward to fill the 1LD role.

I am looking further out because I don’t expect Schenn and Saad will be much of players when all the young guys are firing on all cylinders.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Is anyone else getting concerened that we have so many guys that aren’t play drivers or need to be fed the puck?

Thomas and Kyrou are playmakers/drivers.

Dvo seems to need a guy who can drive the play paired with him, even though he can do it sometimes.

Snuggy, Neighbours and to an extent Bolduc need to to have someone feeding them the puck to be at their best.

Personally I would like to see two guys per line that can drive things so one guy isn’t carrying all the work load and can be easily defended.

To be clear, I like all these players and can see their individual value. However, I am wondering how they will all come together to compose a team that works well together.

With the fact we are always complaining that all of our players pass up opportunities way too often instead of just taking the shot.... Not really. We need some triggermen on this team. we are severely lacking in that aspect.

 

[MissouriMook]

I am looking further out because I don’t expect Schenn and Saad will be much of players when all the young guys are firing on all cylinders.

True. And I was just coming back in to edit that you’ll almost certainly need to account for Stenberg in the Top 9 in a couple/few years. Certainly reinforces the ability to move a forward to bolster the D, it’s just a question of when. And who.

 

[Celtic Note]

True. And I was just coming back in to edit that you’ll almost certainly need to account for Stenberg in the Top 9 in a couple/few years. Certainly reinforces the ability to move a forward to bolster the D, it’s just a question of when. And who.

I think Stenberg is a guy why can drive the play. I feel like he is likely a 3rd pairing guy, but I could see higher. I really like his game. He seems very well rounded in my limited viewings.

 

[TheOrganist]

This “play driver” buzzword that has been used to knock Neighbors this yr is idiotic. This team needs a defenseman who controls the play for 25 minutes a game. That’s significantly more relevant. The Blues don’t get hemmed in their own zone for shifts on end because they lack “play drivers”…it’s cause of their inadequate defenseman.

 

[Celtic Note]

True play drivers are really hard to find. I don't even think Kyrou is one. We'll just need to find combinations that can play a cohesive style, and you never know maybe someone emerges.

I think we had a fair number of them on the cup team. I would like to see us get back to that. We need players that can help us hold possession. It seems to be a big weakness of the team outside of the first line.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I think we had a fair number of them on the cup team. I would like to see us get back to that. We need players that can help us hold possession. It seems to be a big weakness of the team outside of the first line.

we need more good players. we need more skilled guys that can transport the puck. we need more relentless guys that can win puck battles, and we need guys who can exit zone with possession.. we need more guys who can score from distance, and more guys who get dirty goals. we just need more good players.

 

[Celtic Note]

With the fact we are always complaining that all of our players pass up opportunities way too often instead of just taking the shot.... Not really. We need some triggermen on this team. we are severely lacking in that aspect.

I think our 1st line all shoots. Schenn and Neighbours take their fair share of shots as does Saad. That’s not to say we don’t have players that generally or situationally are timid shooters. And I agree that we would benefit from a guy or two more that are ready to let it rip.

In the passed up opportunities front, I wonder how much of that is either or some combination of lack of possession, coaching and/or general lack of confidence.

we need more good players. we need more skilled guys that can transport the puck. we need more relentless guys that can win puck battles, and se need guys who can exit zone with possession.. we need more guys who can score from distance, and more guys who get dirty goals. we just need more good players.

Hard to disagree with any of that.

 

[Celtic Note]

This “play driver” buzzword that has been used to knock Neighbors this yr is idiotic. This team needs a defenseman who controls the play for 25 minutes a game. That’s significantly more relevant. The Blues don’t get hemmed in their own zone for shifts on end because they lack “play drivers”…it’s cause of their inadequate defenseman.

Of course we need a top 10ish defenseman. We have plenty of significant needs. But we also need to help our D but having the puck in the offensive zone, even with a defenseman who can secure possession in the defensive zone and transition it, he can’t do all the work to maintain possession in the offensive zone too. But I feel like that is, or at least should be, stating the obvious.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I'm not really that concerned about "play drivers". I see where the sentiment comes from, but to me that's something that Army will figure out at the NHL level. First step is developing those prospects, next step is developing a NHL roster around them. Some of them will be here, some of them won't, and hopefully Army has enough trade chips to fill in the gaps.

I do tend to agree that I'd like to see another puck-carrier/playmaker type on the team

 

[ezcreepin]

I literally cannot think of one "play driver" the Blues have had during their 2010 runs other than probably O'Reilly. It always felt like each line had equal parts play driving among each of the players which is why the team worked and subsequently why it didn't work. When players were on, you would see a ton of production among the players on each line. When it didn't, no one seemed to be really producing a whole lot. Tarasenko didn't really feel like a play driver, but he scored at so many positions on the ice that it sort of felt like it since he could instantly get you back in the game. But the Blues have never had a player like Crosby, MacKinnon, McDavid, Datsyuk, etc in terms of what I think of play driving.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Being a play driver is a pretty vague term, but what I believe the intention is, is a player that can either create opportunities for others, or be able to create their own opportunities for themselves. For the shooters we have in the system, will they be able to score 30+ even if they don't have a quality playmaker on their line or will they need someone like Thomas to create those opportunities for them. Someone like Tarasenko in his prime didn't need a high-end playmaker, can Snuggerud, Bolduc, or Dvorsky be like that? We'll see. For the creators, we don't need someone with playmaking ability like Thomas, but can they work the corners, cycle, and protect the puck like ROR or Schwartz, and then make a play off of it?

I think it's too early to know for sure on some of them, and I also don't think it's an overly difficult thing to acquire if we have a need for it in a few years.

 

[BleedBlue14]

Pure speculation. But it brings about the question to me if Snuggerud got hurt to some degree in the WJC.

I don’t recall the game before the one he missed so I can’t really point to anything or do anything more than purely speculate. But if I had to guess, the way they utilized him on the 4th line and with heavy PP usage something was nagging at him. I know Armstrong I think had said he had gotten sick, but the lingering lack of “effort” and the lackluster second half of the season point to me to something nagging at him and him not being 100%. He was always reported as a pretty heavy forecheck type of player and a puck hound. Just odd to see that change so quick.

Of course the circumstances at Minnesota are much different this year without having Cooley, Knies, Faber and Johnson. But it’s still odd to see the lack of effort criticism thrown around on him.

Hopefully after the season he thinks it’s a good time to turn pro and either gets adequate rest, or gets reinvigorated with a cup of coffee in St. Louis or Springfield.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Not sure this article was posted a couple weeks ago.

Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson said Fischer has played in the top four for most of the season. During a recent viewing of the Irish in Ann Arbor, Fischer was on the second power-play unit on his strongside flank and also killed penalties.

https://archive.ph/FFLVB#selection-5073.0-5094.0

 

[Celtic Note]

Being a play driver is a pretty vague term, but what I believe the intention is, is a player that can either create opportunities for others, or be able to create their own opportunities for themselves. For the shooters we have in the system, will they be able to score 30+ even if they don't have a quality playmaker on their line or will they need someone like Thomas to create those opportunities for them. Someone like Tarasenko in his prime didn't need a high-end playmaker, can Snuggerud, Bolduc, or Dvorsky be like that? We'll see. For the creators, we don't need someone with playmaking ability like Thomas, but can they work the corners, cycle, and protect the puck like ROR or Schwartz, and then make a play off of it?

I think it's too early to know for sure on some of them, and I also don't think it's an overly difficult thing to acquire if we have a need for it in a few years.

This does a nice job of explaining what I am talking about. But I would probably add to the list it’s someone who can maintain puck possession in addition to creating opportunities either for themselves or others. There are varying degrees of these combinations. We don’t need an Adam Oates on every line (an extreme example). The guys you identified on that Cup run are players I was thinking fit the mold.

I agree that we don’t need multiple Thomas type players. But I do think each line in the top 9 needs a guy that can drive, make plays, and/or hold possession to be successful in the playoffs.

I may have taken for granted that people understood the phrases I used. Maybe that why I keep hearing buzzword this and buzzword that. Maybe people didn’t understand or they were frustrated with the vagueness? Or maybe I struck a nerve? Dunno.

I do realize it’s too early to know what we have in our prospects. It’s a fair point. We won’t know for a while. All we can do is interpret what we see and have seen. Since this is a place for discussion, I figured I would bring up an observation to see if others noticed it as well.

 

[bleedblue1223]

This does a nice job of explaining what I am talking about. But I would probably add to the list it’s someone who can maintain puck possession in addition to creating opportunities either for themselves or others. There are varying degrees of these combinations. We don’t need an Adam Oates on every line (an extreme example). The guys you identified on that Cup run are players I was thinking fit the mold.

I agree that we don’t need multiple Thomas type players. But I do think each line in the top 9 needs a guy that can drive, make plays, and/or hold possession to be successful in the playoffs.

I may have taken for granted that people understood the phrases I used. Maybe that why I keep hearing buzzword this and buzzword that. Maybe people didn’t understand or they were frustrated with the vagueness? Or maybe I struck a nerve? Dunno.

I do realize it’s too early to know what we have in our prospects. It’s a fair point. We won’t know for a while. All we can do is interpret what we see and have seen. Since this is a place for discussion, I figured I would bring up an observation to see if others noticed it as well.

Right. That's what I was trying to get at with the description of ROR and Schwartz, guys that work the corners, cycle, protect the puck, etc. We need those guys that can keep a possession going, extend offensive zone time, and be able to generate offense from it. Right now, we don't get anywhere near the offensive zone time that a quality team should be getting, so that has to be an organizational focus moving forward.