Prospect Info: Blues 2023-2024 Prospect Thread

[Celtic Note]

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.

Our top line is fine as they are a positive possession set. Buch, Thomas and Kyrou all have positive possession number (although, admittedly, I believe they have a next level they could accomplish). All three are positive possession players.

The Saad, Schenn and Neighbours line is negative both as a group and as individuals. Neighbours is the only one in the group that is improving his possession stats. So that’s a good sign. He still has work to do, but it’s an encouraging sign. On the other hand, both Saad and Schenn have been declining in possession for multiple years now, which meets the eye test.

I haven’t delved into our third lines stats, but it’s probably safe to assume it isn’t good either. Any time Kapenen is on the 2nd line, that lines stts drop, so I would assume he is negative on an individual basis.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Not sure this article was posted a couple weeks ago.



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

Nice article from DeFranks. Post Dispatch mis behind a paywall now so I rarely read the PD articles anymore. I didn’t really care much when they were being written by…I can’t even remember his name right now. The football guy. But DeFranks actually does a pretty good job.

I think we may have something in Fischer. I’m usually not so high on a recent 5th round pick but he was quite impressive for a Freshman this season. I think he’ll be a player. 3rd or possibly even a 2nd pairing guy, which is absolute gold, found money in the 5th round.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Snuggerud has been BRUTAL. His effort is awful lately. His shot is good enough to do that, too little too late for his team. He checked out on his team around the time he came back from the WJC.

Expect a lot of AHL time next season.

If you don't trust my singular opinion head over here and read the game thread.

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Hard to seriously consider a player would tune out when his team is playing postseason elimination games. A lot easier to believe he was trying to play through injury and didn’t look like himself.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Nice article from DeFranks. Post Dispatch mis behind a paywall now so I rarely read the PD articles anymore. I didn’t really care much when they were being written by…I can’t even remember his name right now. The football guy. But DeFranks actually does a pretty good job.

I think we may have something in Fischer. I’m usually not so high on a recent 5th round pick but he was quite impressive for a Freshman this season. I think he’ll be a player. 3rd or possibly even a 2nd pairing guy, which is absolute gold, found money in the 5th round.

Yeah, we might have another Kessel. Next year, he should be stepping into an even bigger role with Bavaro and Siedem leaving, so he will be an interesting one to follow.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

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.

He had the Flu during the WJC that's why he missed a game and was on the 4th line

 

[Frenzy31]

He had the Flu during the WJC that's why he missed a game and was on the 4th line

Maybe, but he might have also been injured. They are not really going to disclose that.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Hard to seriously consider a player would tune out when his team is playing postseason elimination games. A lot easier to believe he was trying to play through injury and didn’t look like himself.

Do we have any proof whatsoever though that Snuggy is injured? Or just pure speculation? While it’d be nice to have a good reason to explain his dip in play, I haven’t seen anything to suggest he’s injured and I haven’t noticed anything in his play that would seem to indicate he’s favoring something or anything.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Yeah, we might have another Kessel. Next year, he should be stepping into an even bigger role with Bavaro and Siedem leaving, so he will be an interesting one to follow.

That’s what I’m thinking too. But I’ll note Fischer is well ahead of where Kessel was at the same age. At the same age Fischer just had a good Freshman season, Kessel went back for another season in the USHL and put up 19 pts in 62 pts.

Kessel was a bit more of a late bloomer. The Blues drafted him after his D+2 season. Kessel has better size but I think Fischer has a bit better transitional ability…or at least he does compared to 18-19 year old Kessel.

 

[BleedBlue14]

He had the Flu during the WJC that's why he missed a game and was on the 4th line

I get that, that’s why I stated it was pure speculation. I just find it hard to believe that for a player like him that was pretty noted as a puck hound and a hard player, something isn’t lingering, especially given what we know now.

It’s hard for me to take something like that at face value for a couple of reasons. Hockey is a sport where if someone breaks their foot it’s a lower body injury. It’s just a vague outline for injuries. Pair that with the push for the Olympics coming back and it’s hard not to overlook the want for international tournaments to be seen in a good light.

Completely tinfoil hat for sure. But I just find it hard to believe he lost his game or tapered out or checked out.

 

[bleedblue1223]

That’s what I’m thinking too. But I’ll note Fischer is well ahead of where Kessel was at the same age. At the same age Fischer just had a good Freshman season, Kessel went back for another season in the USHL and put up 19 pts in 62 pts.

Kessel was a bit more of a late bloomer. The Blues drafted him after his D+2 season. Kessel has better size but I think Fischer has a bit better transitional ability…or at least he does compared to 18-19 year old Kessel.

Good point. I was just going at it as a later round find, but you are absolutely correct that Fischer is ahead of Kessel at the same age.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

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.

We really miss peak schwartz. He is exactly what we need (among other things).

 

[joe galiba]

We really miss peak schwartz. He is exactly what we need (among other things).

Zach, cough, cough, Benson

 

[Celtic Note]

We really miss peak schwartz. He is exactly what we need (among other things).

I feel like he was under appreciated around here. He might have been a smidge below a star, but he was so good at many facets of the game.

 

[kimzey59]

We really miss peak schwartz. He is exactly what we need (among other things).

Give Stenberg some time.
He brings a lot of those same traits(and he's tearing up the Allsvenskan btw).

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Do we have any proof whatsoever though that Snuggy is injured? Or just pure speculation? While it’d be nice to have a good reason to explain his dip in play, I haven’t seen anything to suggest he’s injured and I haven’t noticed anything in his play that would seem to indicate he’s favoring something or anything.

No, I’m speculating. But I have a hard time reasoning through a scenario where he isn’t trying his best in the postseason, when he’s also looking to transition to a pro career soon. Injuries are common, and there is a lot of pressure to play through them this time of year.

 

[LGB]

I think Jimmy needs to work on his conditioning. Can look pretty sluggish late in shifts.

 

[Bonin21]

No, I’m speculating. But I have a hard time reasoning through a scenario where he isn’t trying his best in the postseason, when he’s also looking to transition to a pro career soon. Injuries are common, and there is a lot of pressure to play through them this time of year.

Zero reason to believe he's hurt. The lack of effort is visible by his reactions on the ice. The problem didn't just start in the playoff games.

He has just checked out on his team, but for fans of the Blues that doesn't really matter.

I think Jimmy needs to work on his conditioning. Can look pretty sluggish late in shifts.

The problem is he takes shifts that are way too long. So conditioning might not be the problem there.

 

[stl76]

Not sure this article was posted a couple weeks ago.



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

Thanks for posting. Very excited about Fischer as a prospect. Important to remember the kid is a fantastic athlete. I’ve posted this before, but he scored very highly in VO2 testing at the combine (top 10 in multiple categories IIRC).

I wasn’t sure about his offensive upside, but seeing his numbers this year and hearing he’s getting PP2 time as a true freshman on a good team is very encouraging. Good chance he ends up a NHLer IMO, hopefully he can develop into a top 4 guy.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Thanks for posting. Very excited about Fischer as a prospect. Important to remember the kid is a fantastic athlete. I’ve posted this before, but he scored very highly in VO2 testing at the combine (top 10 in multiple categories IIRC).

I wasn’t sure about his offensive upside, but seeing his numbers this year and hearing he’s getting PP2 time as a true freshman on a good team is very encouraging. Good chance he ends up a NHLer IMO, hopefully he can develop into a top 4 guy.

Yep. I do like that we are prioritizing defensemen with very good skating ability. If we can find that next Parayko type that can combine size and skating ability, I think our future will be in good shape, that's obviously easier said than done though.

 

[Celtic Note]

Give Stenberg some time.
He brings a lot of those same traits(and he's tearing up the Allsvenskan btw).

I am hopeful he can bring some of those traits too. He seems like a really good all around player.

 

[PocketNines]

I think Jimmy needs to work on his conditioning. Can look pretty sluggish late in shifts.

The Midday Sluggler

 

[PocketNines]

As I understand it, we are supposed to be down on Snuggerud because he didn't give Minnesota full effort so that means we should expect him to do the same in the NHL, and there's kind of an edge to the disappointment that too few of us have yet to hit a big reality check with the prospect. Ok. Noted. He's overrated.

He'll be in the NHL soon. A few weeks. Get a couple games in and some practices. He'll leave school, train in the offseason and come into camp next year hoping to earn a spot. It will likely be his to lose. Maybe he will lose it, but we are in a Blues time when not much is interesting, I am content to wait til he gets to the NHL to get really interested in deciding what kind of NHL impact he's going to have.

 

[lakai17]

Colton Ellis having decent numbers so far with the Thunderbirds, getting no respect here.

 

[Majorityof1]

Colton Ellis having decent numbers so far with the Thunderbirds, getting no respect here.

What resoect are you looking for? We talked about him when called up, and when we moved Subban. I have a ton of posts pumping Ellis up over the years. But he's our backup AHL goalie.

Good on him for finally playing to his skill level in the pros but there is a lot of other things to talk about than the 4th goalie on our depth chart.

 

[Kylester]

What resoect are you looking for? We talked about him when called up, and when we moved Subban. I have a ton of posts pumping Ellis up over the years. But he's our backup AHL goalie.

Good on him for finally playing to his skill level in the pros but there is a lot of other things to talk about than the 4th goalie on our depth chart.

I have also posted Ellis' numbers after T-Birds games, so he is getting recognized on here.

Yes, he's our 4th goalie...but the fact that our 4th goalie actually appears to be playing a bit better than our 3rd goalie right now IS something to talk about.

In fairness, though, both Zherenko and Ellis have been getting shelled with between 40 and 50 shots every game recently, so there's that.