Pekarcik 2nd overall (Acadie-Bathurst Titan) in the CHL Import Draft. Honestly, I dont know what to think about this. Juraj is very aggressive player, especially on forecheck, likes to finish the checks. WHL would be fantastic for him but I dont know if QMJHL is the right fit.
Prospect Info: Blues 2023-2024 Prospect Thread
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A lot of scouts had Lindstein as the top def. prospect going into the year. The key of course for all players is to keep developing with every new challenge put in front of them. What did they see in Lindstein a year ago that had him going so high? What changed in this last year for some to think he should be in the 2nd round. Only time will tell with a lot of these def. prospects will become no matter if they were drafted in the 1st round or later. What do they say that the def. need to play 200 NHL games before you know what you have.
Maritime division tends to play more aggressive. Bathurst won a Memorial Cup not too long ago by out-gritting and out-working the WHL teams.
bleedblue1223
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And finding scouting reports and rankings from old drafts can be difficult, juts looking the stats for guys like Keith and Weber, it's not like they were high offensive guys that were viewed as homerun swings in the 2nd round. Keith had 15 points in 41 games as a freshman at Michigan State, the 4th highest scoring dman on the team, and Weber had 14 points in 70 games with 167 PIM, so not what jumps off the page as a homerun swing worth of offensive talent.
Was just picking 2 guys that developed into stud #1s that were selected late 1st/2nd round, both of these guys in the 2nd.
Was just picking 2 guys that developed into stud #1s that were selected late 1st/2nd round, both of these guys in the 2nd.
Here it is my complete write up of prospect camp. I did not take notes on all the invitees unless they particularly stood out to me, so if you don't see them here it is because they didn't make an impression either good or bad.
G - Vadim Zherenko (208th pick, 2020) - First thing I noticed about Zherenko is his athletic ability, he has tremendously good lateral movement and explodes off his post for cross crease plays that left the audience is awe. Where he needs to improve is in the technical aspect of his game, he tends to sit a little too deep in his net and over relies on his butterfly. Not a very active stick, likes to let the shot come. I will say that evaluating the goalies at these camps is difficult as they are more geared to the skaters.
G - Will Cranley (163rd pick, 2020) - Another tall and athletic goaltender with very fluid lateral movement but I would give the slight edge to Zherenko in this category. However, felt as if he did show more patience in net, not over using his butterfly. Has a very active glove and stick but his blocker positioning is an area of concern for me as he was beat there several times. One more thing he will need to improve on is his puck control and driving rebounds to more low danger areas.
D - Anton Malmstrom (undrafted) - Did not participate in camp, not sure if it was injury or travel related as no news was reported.
D - Colton Huard (invitee) - One of the few invites that drew some attention. He is a big boy and he uses it to his advantage. Skating is good for his size but he needs to work on his edgework to get a contract. Controlled the puck during scrimmages by using his large frame to box out and moving his feet to create separation. Has a decent shot from the back end with nice velocity, needs to work on accuracy. Would have an incredibly long road but there is something there.
D - Theo Lindstein (29th pick, 2023) - Theo plays a very calm game, never really see him get rattled or rushed. A powerful and fluid skate with a smooth stride allows him to get up and down the ice with ease. Defensively he anticipates the play so well with damn near perfect gap control and stick placement breaking up several plays during the scrimmages and quickly counter attacking. Offensively he just always felt a half second behind but you can see that there is something there just need to get his offensive awareness at the same level of his defensive awareness and we could be looking at an absolute steal. His shot isn't going to blow the doors the off but it is hard and accurate, he scored in the shootout twice from distance so the ability is there he just needs to get up to pace.
D - Jeremie Biakabutuka (invite) - I was debating even doing a write up on his but I have seen others saying they see something and personally I want some of what they smoking. To me he was the worst player at camp. I literally watched him fail to pass a puck through an actual pylon multiple times in a row and he could barely control a puck at his most average speed.
D - Hunter Skinner (112th pick, 2019) - Skinner was a hard one to pin down as he looked great at times and other time kind of meh. As one of the older guys there I was expecting him to dominate and quite frankly he kind of fell into the background. He can move around the ice fine for a stay at home guy but I would be hard pressed to call his skating a positive. Hard shot but felt like it would either never get more than 2 inches off the ice or it would be air mailed 3 feet over the net. At this point it is hard to see him as anything more than AHL depth.
D - Marc Andre Gaudet (152nd pick, 2022) - Gaudet is a big boy with a long stick who moves pretty well for his size, everything you want in a two-way guy. While his top end speed is pretty good he needs to work on his first few steps, acceleration is a slight issue. Really smooth passer of the puck, watched him sail 100ft saucer passes cross ice land perfectly flat. His shot is a non factor however, needs to improve both velocity and accuracy to threaten NHL goaltending, much more of a distributor. Defensively he does something very interesting, he tends to give a larger gap in 1 on 1 rush situations and then uses his large frame and long stick to pounce and disrupt the opposing players rush. Good along the boards, wins a lot of battles and boxes out in the front of the net. His stock has risen after this camp IMO.
D - Michael Buchinger (88th pick, 2022) - Quite possibly the best skater on the ice, one word I would use to describe it is effortless. His first few steps, top end speed, pivots to backwards skating, edgework and ability to turn on a dime are all in the elite category. He possess a good accurate shot but lacks in velocity. His passing while not quite as good as Gaudet was major plus as well. In scrimmages displayed great patience to let lanes open and threaded the needle. Defensively he wasn't terrible but you could see him cheating on the side of offense quite a bit. His priority is getting the puck and counter attacking not defending and it shows. Need to see a commitment to the defensive game this coming year.
D - Noah Beck (194th pick, 2020) - Another big boy on the back end and while looking up some info on him I have seen his weight listed as low as 172 and as high at 195. Seeing him at the camp I am in the 172 camp, kid is a bean pole, needs to add weight to his lengthy frame to not be outmuscled at the pro level. Has significant reach but his gap control was a little all over the place in scrimmages. His skating is average at best and his shot is an absolute muffin. Being in his D+3 year I really don't see him ever being anything more than AHL depth.
D - Quinton Burns (74th pick, 2023) - He was present at camp but appeared to be on crutches. Look forward to seeing him next year.
D - Paul Fischer (138th pick, 2023) - The one word I would use to describe Fischer is RAW. Probably the most hot/cold player of camp. Kept seeing flashes of talent followed up by a yikes moment. His skating is a plus as I would describe him as a power skater, strong stride fast starts stops. His best moments came defending during the scrimmages, using his skating and strong upper body to force players wide and pinch them off in the boards. Once he got the puck on his stick though, the yikes moments began, flubbing passes, flubbing shots, failure to identify lanes it was just hard to watch at times. Pure defensive defenseman, needs to at least get comfortable with puck on his stick to garner a pro career.
D - Matt Mayich (170th pick, 2023) - At 18 years old until December he is one of the younger players at camp, so he has time, and boy does he need it. Extremely choppy skating stride, going to need to put in serious effort with a power skating coach to improve. Edgework is okayish but not going to call it a plus. Defensively is where he makes his money, particularly in board play, won several board battles against player with higher pedigrees. He possess a pretty good outlet pass, not the same level as a Gaudet or Buchinger but he identifies the lane and hit is with frequency. His biggest knock is a complete lack of offensive game and showed in scrimmages with him backing out of the zone against pressure because he took to long to move the puck. Long road, lottery ticket.
F - Zach Dean (30th pick, 2021) - Didn't get a extended viewing of Dean due to his gear not showing up to the last day. I tried to pay a lot of attention to him in the final day and the one thing I can say about him is he is high effort, detail oriented forward. His skating ability just shy of elite level with a very smooth stride and fantastic acceleration. His edgework however is elite, the guy can turn on time and have defenseman chasing him back and forth in the offensive zone. During scrimmages he outworked nearly everyone down low, his stickhandling allowing him to play keep a way for long stretches. His biggest weakness I saw was his shot, while accurate it lacked high end velocity. Just a smart, hard working player that I envision will be a fan favorite in St. Louis.
F - Otto Stenberg (25th pick, 2023) - I know Steen was supposed to be a coach at prospect camps but at times I am telling you I swear he put on the #70 jersey and went out for a couple of shifts during scrimmages. Dynamic skater with super fast acceleration, I am not kidding 2 strides and he is off and he is not scared of using his speed to drive to the outside of defenders and try and beat them to net. He is not just a player that will drive down the wing, he displayed a high level of offensive IQ, know when to pull up and find the passing lanes. His shot is lethal, hard and accurate especially a handful of times when he let a one timer rip. In scrimmage I did catch him try to force pucks through a few times though, ending in them being blocked down. Where the Steen comparison really comes through is along the boards. Remember when I said Dean outworked NEARLY EVERYONE, well that's where Stenberg comes in. He was a tyrant on the forecheck, not afraid to go to dirty areas and battle until the defense loses the will to live. Lastly, it did not matter if he was all the way behind the net when a puck went back the other way he was skating just as hard to get back on the defensive side of things.
F - Andre Heim (undrafted) - At 25 years old, playing against men for the last few years I expected so much more. Kind of felt like he was just going through the motions the entire time. Maybe he is just waiting for the main camp but as a fan viewing him for the first time I was disappointed in the effort level he showed.
F - Tanner Dickinson (119th pick, 2020) Holy hell is he fast, accelerates in just a few steps and strides across the ice with ease. That being said he was kind of a one trick pony, trying to use his speed to beat players one on one on nearly every possession during scrimmages. His shot is nothing special and he has a bad habit of dusting off pucks off a pass instead of just snapping it. Defensively he seemed to be cheating a lot try to steal pucks to create odd man rushes going the other way. I honestly don't see many offensive assets outside of his speed.
F - Simon Robertsson (71st pick, 2021) Another really fluid skater, moves effortlessly along the ice and has high end speed, acceleration could be a little better as it takes him a good runway to get up to full speed. His best asset in my opinion is his shot, he has a quick release off the pass and it is hard and accurate. Has a bad habit of putting his head down while stickhandling and when he does look up for extended times he loses the puck so needs to working on his coordination a bit. Has a high offensive IQ but at times shows hesitancy to go to tough areas, not sure he could drive his own line at pro level.
F - Juraj Pekarcik (76th pick, 2023) This kid has a motor, does everything at 100mph. Already has a NHL body and has high end acceleration getting to top speed very quickly. At the offensive zone he just attacks, attacks, attacks, starts and stops galore consistently battling for pucks and winning more than his fair share. Shows a high level of IQ both on the offensive and defensive side of the puck, using his tenacity to get to where he needs to be to complete or disrupt the play. His shot isn't the hardest or the most accurate but it is strong enough to compete at pro levels. The biggest knock against him is also his greatest strength, his motor. At times he is moving too fast either fumbling the puck or forcing a play because he hasn't allowed lanes to develop. It sounds crazy but he could benefit from slowing down a bit.
F - Jakun Stencl (106th pick, 2023) Stencl is a big boy who plays a responsible game from what I saw in scrimmages. I noticed that he preferred to stay high in the offensive zone instead of attacking the puck down low. A big reason for this might be his skating ability which to say the nicest possible way is a work in progress. Choppy stride, poor edgework and low top end speed saw him chasing the play alot. Once he was in the zone he did show an above average hockey IQ, finding or collapsing lanes faster than several of his teammates. Needs to improve his skating and might be able to carve out a career as 4th line defensive forward with limited offensive upside.
F - Dalibor Dvorsky (10th pick, 2023) Ok lets get the negative out of the way right off the top. His skating could use a little polish. It is far from bad but if he could add a half a step to his game he could be unstoppable. Right away from the first scrimmage the word that just kept coming to mind is control, he just controls the game. Skates the puck around with ease, cutting in and out of the play with his head up all the way until the right lane opens. Shot is hard and accurate and he can corral it, one-time off the pass, snap it or slap shot, the arsenal is endless and if it doesn't find the back of the net he follows the shot instead of peeling off. I think his passing is an underrated part of his game, due to his heads up play he is able to dance around to create a lane and then threads needles to his teammates. When he doesn't have the puck he is like a predator waiting in weeds to jump on the right opportunity to pounce. Uses his NHL body to win puck battles on board and
shield the puck from opposing players.
F - Aleksanteri Kaskimaki (73rd pick, 2022) Kaskimaki got better as camp went along. Some of my early notes on him were pretty rough but I felt like he got better every viewing. A very good skater, explosive acceleration and top end speed, looked a little uncomfortable on his edges at times. He can stick handle in phone booth shows some soft hands but showed a tendency to look down a lot when skating the puck up the ice. Likes to draw defenders by faking a shot and then either tries to blow past them or distributes the puck to a teammate. His shot is fairly accurate but lacks in velocity. During scrimmages he engages defensively but is constantly looking for a opportunity to jump the zone in favor of offense. Last thing i will say is that he lacks defensive awareness and his aggressiveness can cost him, as players sucker him into poor positioning. There is something there though, just needs to put it all together.
F - Dylan Peterson (86th pick, 2020) - There was a lot to like from Peterson but overall I am just not sure if he has the offensive prowess to carve out anything more than a bottom six role. He has a pro body and he uses it well along the boards and in front of the net using his strength to get good body positioning. He is plus skater with solid acceleration and speed, edgework could use a little more work though. Has a hard shot with questionable accuracy but struggles to find lanes in the offensive zone. His bread and butter a hard nosed board play and cycling. Paired with two high IQ players I could see him carve out a decent career as the meat and potatoes guy.
F - Zach Bolduc (17th pick, 2021) - Probably the most polarizing player at the camp. Most people really seem to already have their mind made up about him one way or another. To me after this camp I am still nowhere close to deciding how I feel. Good size, good skater, nice shot, everyone has already heard all this about Bolduc. There is no doubt that he has the tools and high IQ to be a stud in the NHL. The question is will he use them consistently, in comparison to others who play a "hard game" he does the opposite, playing a "soft game." He doesn't attack the play, he tends to sit back on the perimeter waiting for an opportunity to present itself. He reminds me of when I used to watch Tage Thompson at these prospect camps a few years back. Played safe, on the perimeter, didn't go for it. We might just have to end up being patient with Bolduc and hope he follows the Thompson trajectory.
F - Jimmy Snuggerud (23rd pick, 2022) - Snuggy did not play a lot this camp due to some nagging general soreness. It feels a bit unfair to judge him due to this but a few things I will say. His shot is as lethal as anybody's although he didn't get a lot of time to show it off. His skating is high end and his hockey IQ shows he can be more than just a trigger man. Again not a lot to go off of, we will see what he looks like come main camp.
F - Ivan Vorobyov (198th pick, 2021) - Not a player I was expecting to spend a lot of time watch but my eye just kept being drawn to him and not because of his small size. This smooth skater lacks high end speed but tremendous agility on his edges to pivot and stick handle. The producer of the most oohs and aahs of anyone at camp has tremendous elusiveness and finds the soft spots on the ice. His offensive IQ is very high, lingering in the offensive zone after his teams loses possession and often time closing off an outlet and stealing the puck. Has soft hands allowing him to saucer cross ice passes to his teammates for multiple goals in the scrimmages. His shot isn't great and likely won't beat goaltenders from distance, stuggling with both velocity and accuracy. He opts more often to setup teammates or take the puck to the net and deke the goalie. His biggest downside is that he shows little interest in the defensive side of the game often being the last man back, floating down the ice hoping for a turnover to spring him. If the coaching staff can get him to engage a bit more defensively we might have ourselves one hell of steal. I would love if he became our own little Pavel Datsyuk story.
That took a long time to write up. Any questions, let me know.
G - Vadim Zherenko (208th pick, 2020) - First thing I noticed about Zherenko is his athletic ability, he has tremendously good lateral movement and explodes off his post for cross crease plays that left the audience is awe. Where he needs to improve is in the technical aspect of his game, he tends to sit a little too deep in his net and over relies on his butterfly. Not a very active stick, likes to let the shot come. I will say that evaluating the goalies at these camps is difficult as they are more geared to the skaters.
G - Will Cranley (163rd pick, 2020) - Another tall and athletic goaltender with very fluid lateral movement but I would give the slight edge to Zherenko in this category. However, felt as if he did show more patience in net, not over using his butterfly. Has a very active glove and stick but his blocker positioning is an area of concern for me as he was beat there several times. One more thing he will need to improve on is his puck control and driving rebounds to more low danger areas.
D - Anton Malmstrom (undrafted) - Did not participate in camp, not sure if it was injury or travel related as no news was reported.
D - Colton Huard (invitee) - One of the few invites that drew some attention. He is a big boy and he uses it to his advantage. Skating is good for his size but he needs to work on his edgework to get a contract. Controlled the puck during scrimmages by using his large frame to box out and moving his feet to create separation. Has a decent shot from the back end with nice velocity, needs to work on accuracy. Would have an incredibly long road but there is something there.
D - Theo Lindstein (29th pick, 2023) - Theo plays a very calm game, never really see him get rattled or rushed. A powerful and fluid skate with a smooth stride allows him to get up and down the ice with ease. Defensively he anticipates the play so well with damn near perfect gap control and stick placement breaking up several plays during the scrimmages and quickly counter attacking. Offensively he just always felt a half second behind but you can see that there is something there just need to get his offensive awareness at the same level of his defensive awareness and we could be looking at an absolute steal. His shot isn't going to blow the doors the off but it is hard and accurate, he scored in the shootout twice from distance so the ability is there he just needs to get up to pace.
D - Jeremie Biakabutuka (invite) - I was debating even doing a write up on his but I have seen others saying they see something and personally I want some of what they smoking. To me he was the worst player at camp. I literally watched him fail to pass a puck through an actual pylon multiple times in a row and he could barely control a puck at his most average speed.
D - Hunter Skinner (112th pick, 2019) - Skinner was a hard one to pin down as he looked great at times and other time kind of meh. As one of the older guys there I was expecting him to dominate and quite frankly he kind of fell into the background. He can move around the ice fine for a stay at home guy but I would be hard pressed to call his skating a positive. Hard shot but felt like it would either never get more than 2 inches off the ice or it would be air mailed 3 feet over the net. At this point it is hard to see him as anything more than AHL depth.
D - Marc Andre Gaudet (152nd pick, 2022) - Gaudet is a big boy with a long stick who moves pretty well for his size, everything you want in a two-way guy. While his top end speed is pretty good he needs to work on his first few steps, acceleration is a slight issue. Really smooth passer of the puck, watched him sail 100ft saucer passes cross ice land perfectly flat. His shot is a non factor however, needs to improve both velocity and accuracy to threaten NHL goaltending, much more of a distributor. Defensively he does something very interesting, he tends to give a larger gap in 1 on 1 rush situations and then uses his large frame and long stick to pounce and disrupt the opposing players rush. Good along the boards, wins a lot of battles and boxes out in the front of the net. His stock has risen after this camp IMO.
D - Michael Buchinger (88th pick, 2022) - Quite possibly the best skater on the ice, one word I would use to describe it is effortless. His first few steps, top end speed, pivots to backwards skating, edgework and ability to turn on a dime are all in the elite category. He possess a good accurate shot but lacks in velocity. His passing while not quite as good as Gaudet was major plus as well. In scrimmages displayed great patience to let lanes open and threaded the needle. Defensively he wasn't terrible but you could see him cheating on the side of offense quite a bit. His priority is getting the puck and counter attacking not defending and it shows. Need to see a commitment to the defensive game this coming year.
D - Noah Beck (194th pick, 2020) - Another big boy on the back end and while looking up some info on him I have seen his weight listed as low as 172 and as high at 195. Seeing him at the camp I am in the 172 camp, kid is a bean pole, needs to add weight to his lengthy frame to not be outmuscled at the pro level. Has significant reach but his gap control was a little all over the place in scrimmages. His skating is average at best and his shot is an absolute muffin. Being in his D+3 year I really don't see him ever being anything more than AHL depth.
D - Quinton Burns (74th pick, 2023) - He was present at camp but appeared to be on crutches. Look forward to seeing him next year.
D - Paul Fischer (138th pick, 2023) - The one word I would use to describe Fischer is RAW. Probably the most hot/cold player of camp. Kept seeing flashes of talent followed up by a yikes moment. His skating is a plus as I would describe him as a power skater, strong stride fast starts stops. His best moments came defending during the scrimmages, using his skating and strong upper body to force players wide and pinch them off in the boards. Once he got the puck on his stick though, the yikes moments began, flubbing passes, flubbing shots, failure to identify lanes it was just hard to watch at times. Pure defensive defenseman, needs to at least get comfortable with puck on his stick to garner a pro career.
D - Matt Mayich (170th pick, 2023) - At 18 years old until December he is one of the younger players at camp, so he has time, and boy does he need it. Extremely choppy skating stride, going to need to put in serious effort with a power skating coach to improve. Edgework is okayish but not going to call it a plus. Defensively is where he makes his money, particularly in board play, won several board battles against player with higher pedigrees. He possess a pretty good outlet pass, not the same level as a Gaudet or Buchinger but he identifies the lane and hit is with frequency. His biggest knock is a complete lack of offensive game and showed in scrimmages with him backing out of the zone against pressure because he took to long to move the puck. Long road, lottery ticket.
F - Zach Dean (30th pick, 2021) - Didn't get a extended viewing of Dean due to his gear not showing up to the last day. I tried to pay a lot of attention to him in the final day and the one thing I can say about him is he is high effort, detail oriented forward. His skating ability just shy of elite level with a very smooth stride and fantastic acceleration. His edgework however is elite, the guy can turn on time and have defenseman chasing him back and forth in the offensive zone. During scrimmages he outworked nearly everyone down low, his stickhandling allowing him to play keep a way for long stretches. His biggest weakness I saw was his shot, while accurate it lacked high end velocity. Just a smart, hard working player that I envision will be a fan favorite in St. Louis.
F - Otto Stenberg (25th pick, 2023) - I know Steen was supposed to be a coach at prospect camps but at times I am telling you I swear he put on the #70 jersey and went out for a couple of shifts during scrimmages. Dynamic skater with super fast acceleration, I am not kidding 2 strides and he is off and he is not scared of using his speed to drive to the outside of defenders and try and beat them to net. He is not just a player that will drive down the wing, he displayed a high level of offensive IQ, know when to pull up and find the passing lanes. His shot is lethal, hard and accurate especially a handful of times when he let a one timer rip. In scrimmage I did catch him try to force pucks through a few times though, ending in them being blocked down. Where the Steen comparison really comes through is along the boards. Remember when I said Dean outworked NEARLY EVERYONE, well that's where Stenberg comes in. He was a tyrant on the forecheck, not afraid to go to dirty areas and battle until the defense loses the will to live. Lastly, it did not matter if he was all the way behind the net when a puck went back the other way he was skating just as hard to get back on the defensive side of things.
F - Andre Heim (undrafted) - At 25 years old, playing against men for the last few years I expected so much more. Kind of felt like he was just going through the motions the entire time. Maybe he is just waiting for the main camp but as a fan viewing him for the first time I was disappointed in the effort level he showed.
F - Tanner Dickinson (119th pick, 2020) Holy hell is he fast, accelerates in just a few steps and strides across the ice with ease. That being said he was kind of a one trick pony, trying to use his speed to beat players one on one on nearly every possession during scrimmages. His shot is nothing special and he has a bad habit of dusting off pucks off a pass instead of just snapping it. Defensively he seemed to be cheating a lot try to steal pucks to create odd man rushes going the other way. I honestly don't see many offensive assets outside of his speed.
F - Simon Robertsson (71st pick, 2021) Another really fluid skater, moves effortlessly along the ice and has high end speed, acceleration could be a little better as it takes him a good runway to get up to full speed. His best asset in my opinion is his shot, he has a quick release off the pass and it is hard and accurate. Has a bad habit of putting his head down while stickhandling and when he does look up for extended times he loses the puck so needs to working on his coordination a bit. Has a high offensive IQ but at times shows hesitancy to go to tough areas, not sure he could drive his own line at pro level.
F - Juraj Pekarcik (76th pick, 2023) This kid has a motor, does everything at 100mph. Already has a NHL body and has high end acceleration getting to top speed very quickly. At the offensive zone he just attacks, attacks, attacks, starts and stops galore consistently battling for pucks and winning more than his fair share. Shows a high level of IQ both on the offensive and defensive side of the puck, using his tenacity to get to where he needs to be to complete or disrupt the play. His shot isn't the hardest or the most accurate but it is strong enough to compete at pro levels. The biggest knock against him is also his greatest strength, his motor. At times he is moving too fast either fumbling the puck or forcing a play because he hasn't allowed lanes to develop. It sounds crazy but he could benefit from slowing down a bit.
F - Jakun Stencl (106th pick, 2023) Stencl is a big boy who plays a responsible game from what I saw in scrimmages. I noticed that he preferred to stay high in the offensive zone instead of attacking the puck down low. A big reason for this might be his skating ability which to say the nicest possible way is a work in progress. Choppy stride, poor edgework and low top end speed saw him chasing the play alot. Once he was in the zone he did show an above average hockey IQ, finding or collapsing lanes faster than several of his teammates. Needs to improve his skating and might be able to carve out a career as 4th line defensive forward with limited offensive upside.
F - Dalibor Dvorsky (10th pick, 2023) Ok lets get the negative out of the way right off the top. His skating could use a little polish. It is far from bad but if he could add a half a step to his game he could be unstoppable. Right away from the first scrimmage the word that just kept coming to mind is control, he just controls the game. Skates the puck around with ease, cutting in and out of the play with his head up all the way until the right lane opens. Shot is hard and accurate and he can corral it, one-time off the pass, snap it or slap shot, the arsenal is endless and if it doesn't find the back of the net he follows the shot instead of peeling off. I think his passing is an underrated part of his game, due to his heads up play he is able to dance around to create a lane and then threads needles to his teammates. When he doesn't have the puck he is like a predator waiting in weeds to jump on the right opportunity to pounce. Uses his NHL body to win puck battles on board and
shield the puck from opposing players.
F - Aleksanteri Kaskimaki (73rd pick, 2022) Kaskimaki got better as camp went along. Some of my early notes on him were pretty rough but I felt like he got better every viewing. A very good skater, explosive acceleration and top end speed, looked a little uncomfortable on his edges at times. He can stick handle in phone booth shows some soft hands but showed a tendency to look down a lot when skating the puck up the ice. Likes to draw defenders by faking a shot and then either tries to blow past them or distributes the puck to a teammate. His shot is fairly accurate but lacks in velocity. During scrimmages he engages defensively but is constantly looking for a opportunity to jump the zone in favor of offense. Last thing i will say is that he lacks defensive awareness and his aggressiveness can cost him, as players sucker him into poor positioning. There is something there though, just needs to put it all together.
F - Dylan Peterson (86th pick, 2020) - There was a lot to like from Peterson but overall I am just not sure if he has the offensive prowess to carve out anything more than a bottom six role. He has a pro body and he uses it well along the boards and in front of the net using his strength to get good body positioning. He is plus skater with solid acceleration and speed, edgework could use a little more work though. Has a hard shot with questionable accuracy but struggles to find lanes in the offensive zone. His bread and butter a hard nosed board play and cycling. Paired with two high IQ players I could see him carve out a decent career as the meat and potatoes guy.
F - Zach Bolduc (17th pick, 2021) - Probably the most polarizing player at the camp. Most people really seem to already have their mind made up about him one way or another. To me after this camp I am still nowhere close to deciding how I feel. Good size, good skater, nice shot, everyone has already heard all this about Bolduc. There is no doubt that he has the tools and high IQ to be a stud in the NHL. The question is will he use them consistently, in comparison to others who play a "hard game" he does the opposite, playing a "soft game." He doesn't attack the play, he tends to sit back on the perimeter waiting for an opportunity to present itself. He reminds me of when I used to watch Tage Thompson at these prospect camps a few years back. Played safe, on the perimeter, didn't go for it. We might just have to end up being patient with Bolduc and hope he follows the Thompson trajectory.
F - Jimmy Snuggerud (23rd pick, 2022) - Snuggy did not play a lot this camp due to some nagging general soreness. It feels a bit unfair to judge him due to this but a few things I will say. His shot is as lethal as anybody's although he didn't get a lot of time to show it off. His skating is high end and his hockey IQ shows he can be more than just a trigger man. Again not a lot to go off of, we will see what he looks like come main camp.
F - Ivan Vorobyov (198th pick, 2021) - Not a player I was expecting to spend a lot of time watch but my eye just kept being drawn to him and not because of his small size. This smooth skater lacks high end speed but tremendous agility on his edges to pivot and stick handle. The producer of the most oohs and aahs of anyone at camp has tremendous elusiveness and finds the soft spots on the ice. His offensive IQ is very high, lingering in the offensive zone after his teams loses possession and often time closing off an outlet and stealing the puck. Has soft hands allowing him to saucer cross ice passes to his teammates for multiple goals in the scrimmages. His shot isn't great and likely won't beat goaltenders from distance, stuggling with both velocity and accuracy. He opts more often to setup teammates or take the puck to the net and deke the goalie. His biggest downside is that he shows little interest in the defensive side of the game often being the last man back, floating down the ice hoping for a turnover to spring him. If the coaching staff can get him to engage a bit more defensively we might have ourselves one hell of steal. I would love if he became our own little Pavel Datsyuk story.
That took a long time to write up. Any questions, let me know.
LGB
Registered User
- Feb 4, 2019
- 2,207
- 2,273
Found a YT channel with some quality game breakdowns of Blues prospects. Already posted the Dvorsky one in his thread. There are some others as well.
Bluesnatic27
Registered User
- Aug 5, 2011
- 4,750
- 3,322
I'm finally able to put some thoughts together from my time during the prospect camp. I went everyday and only missed one team MacInnis practice and one scrimmage over the week. I won't have any analyses on the goalies because I never feel comfortable grading them. I only looked at a few invitees that I thought were worth talking about. I can give my thoughts on the others if that's of interest to anyone. But for now, it's strictly Blues prospects and select invitees besides goalies. I'll start with the defensemen today and try to write down my thoughts on the forwards tomorrow. Without further ado, here are the write-ups:
Defensemen:
Matt Mayich:
I need to start this analysis by emphasizing that this camp was never going to cater to players like Mayich (Fischer and Burns are included here). Mayich is a physical player that is meant to protect the more offensive counterparts. He's a classic stay-at-home enforcer. I mention this becasue the analysis of him was always going to be rough. He lacks mobility and hasn't learned to combat his size when moving. He doesn't handle the puck well. He has a powerful shot becasue of his strength. But it's not dangerous from the point or in motion because of his below average puck mechanics. Basically, he looked like a 6th rounder. However, he does elevate his game when the timer starts. I never noticed any terrible reads from him in either zone. He has surprising vision as he routinely would keep his head up and make some well placed one-touch passes. He was the final piece in a beautiful passing play on day one while on the ice with Fischer and Kaskimaki by placing himself directly in the slot. It was quiet and well executed. I don't think he has any chance at making the NHL right now. But I can understand what the Blues saw in him. Which is more than I was expecting when walking into camp.
Prognosis: AHL/ECHL tweener
Marc-Andre Gaudet:
We should be familiar with what Gaudet did last year in the QMJHL. Scoring near a PPG pace as a defenseman is always impressive, regardless of league. This led my expectations to be a bit higher than the other defensemen. Unfortunately, he was one of the more disappointing players in the camp. He didn't lack any one area as he seemed adept at everything. But he wasn't proficient in any area either. Even in the scrimmages I watched, he was definitely there but wasn't involved with much. The most notable aspect of his play I could notice was his calm nature in any zone. He made proper plays when near the puck and would push play in transition even when under pressure. But again, there was nothing I could see that would lead me to think he was NHL caliber. No real weapon to his game and no real aspect I can point to as something he can revolve his game around. I hope that this was because he wants to show what he can at the NHL camp.
Prognosis: Career AHLer
Michael Buchinger:
Buchinger was a stand out at camp and would understand if others who went thought he was the best on the ice. He was rover on the ice when in scrimmages and excelled at all puck movement drills. His handling of the puck was the highlight for me as he only made simple movements to keep the puck in tight when in motion. However, it was quick and deliberate. It gave him an edge over pressuring players as he could draw them in a make quick breaks to establish offensive pressure. And while his skating wasn't high-end from my view, he was not afraid to play the roving roll. He patrolled the blue-line better than any defensemen at camp and would jump in plays near the net as a "4th forward" for shooting chances. And with his deadly snap shot, he will score more times often than not. I couldn't see much of his two-way play but I'm not concerned given his vision and positioning. What is concerning is his size and weak lower body. He is routinely knocked off pucks with slight pressure. He relies on gap control and will need to make that a priority at higher levels if he can't develop the strength needed to fight off aggressive physical play. I like Buchinger's offensive talent minus his weak slap shot from the point. But he won't have much of a future the way he handles physical play without working on his body and/or developing a compensating aspect (gap control, explosive skating, etc.). I think he has NHL talent for the top-4 on a good team. But he isn't close to NHL ready and I doubt he will be in the nest 3 years.
Prognosis: Top pairing AHLer or top-4 NHL PP specialist
Theo Lindstein:
I expect this report isn't going to be viewed as much as the others as there has been a lot of talk surrounding the Swede. And frankly, I don't have much to add to his strengths. His skating was fluid and poised. It might have lacked a strong first few strides, but he managed top speed well and would make excellent cuts with little effort. His puck movement was up there with Buchinger's (though I do like Buch's more because of its deliberate movements instead of Lindstein's soft, slower movement) and he had no trouble keeping the puck in tight at his higher speeds. He could pick the puck up easily along the wall to establish transition play. His positioning and reads were also among the best in camp. I only had two complaints from what I witnessed. Weirdly, it wasn't his muffin shot or passive play. It was how timid he looked in camp and how easily his play fell apart under attacking pressure. Lindstein's gap control was the best in camp as he could avoid pressure with little effort. However, when pressure was applied to his game, he lost his puck handling ability and couldn't keep his head up to find outlets or plays. It was like a light switch. No pressure and his game was brilliant. Any pressure and he was a liability. This isn't concerning as I firmly believe that is an experience/maturity issue that disappears in time. But it's a concern nonetheless. And while I mention that, the timid game complaint is also more maturity than training focused. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be more aggressive on loose pucks and coverage as soon as he plays more higher level games. All-in-all, I see a player similar to Nick Leddy. Defense oriented with fluid transition that can chip in upwards to 30 points a season.
Prognosis: Top-4 NHL transition focused defenseman
Noah Beck:
Beck gets my vote for best overall defenseman in camp this year. The guy was a man possessed on the ice during scrimmages. He patrolled the ice like Pietrangelo in all zones, never being afraid to play along the half-wall or using his reach in the defensive zone to break up plays, sometime in the same sequence. Saying all of this, he was amongst the oldest players in camp and was drafted way back in 2020. So it shouldn't be a surprise that he looked good amongst his peers. I also don't think he will be able to play the way he did at the professional level. He doesn't seem to have the offensive intelligence, puck skills, or skating to play a more offensive game at high levels. His handling was only adept during drills and his shot only has velocity to it because of the length he makes use of. Release and control aren't anything to brag about when he launched the puck off his stick. His skating is too upright for his size and he doesn't seem comfortable at high speeds. Saying that, I do like what I saw in the defensive zone. He used his reach and body to prevent many dangerous plays. Attacking players were having the toughest time getting the puck around him. Good frame, long reach, and superb positioning will only lead to good things at the higher levels. Even if his offensive game won't translate, I liked what I saw out of Beck. I liked what I saw so much that I'm genuinely surprised he isn't being talked about more. He could be an NHL player after a year or two in the AHL once signed.
Prognosis: Career AHLer to Bottom-pairing NHL defenseman focused on defensive play
Hunter Skinner:
One word describes Skinner: "efficient". Everything he did was with purpose and little effort. His skating is smooth and lacks any extra movement. He would utilize his teammates so well that the puck would only stay on Skinner's stick for a very short amount of time. He made movements in all zones to get to or find the open, soft areas of the ice. It was a clinic of professional play mixed with smart decision making. But, like Beck, this should be expected from someone who is 22-years-old and has been playing pro-hockey for the last two years. That experience showed polish and maturity that the other prospects will not have at the stage. The question for Skinner would be if his game is NHL ready or even capable. My verdict, he showed much more than I was expecting, but he was so efficient that it became hard to determine where he needs to improve. It doesn't help that I can't really figure out what Skinner's game at higher levels will be. But needless to say, when a player plays the camp to such a professional standard compared to his peers, you can't really determine where any deficiencies lie until he is compared to peers of a higher caliber. From what I saw and could determine, I left giving him much more of chance to be an NHL contributor than when he was initially traded to the Blues. That contribution won't be a great one, probably a non-physical, bottom-pairing player with good break-out ability. But that is significantly more than what I thought of him a week ago.
Prognosis: Career AHLer to Bottom-pairing NHL defenseman focused on transition play
Paul Fischer:
The last Blues owned property that was at the camp (Malmstrom and Burns were not there). One poster here described him as someone who can move and provide physical play but not much else. After watching him, I agree with that assessment. His strengths were his skating, as he seemed like the only defensemen that seemed comfortable at high speeds like Linstein and Buchinger. But unlike those two, he could not handle the puck while doing so. In fact, he couldn't do much with the puck at all. His shot was hard due to strength but lacked any refinement. His handling was sub-par at any speed. His corralling of pucks was too hard and would cause the puck to go beyond his reach. Frankly, there wasn't any area on the offensive side of the puck that would lead me to think he can contribute at higher levels. It's his first camp, so I won't say he has no offensive potential. But right now, all he has is a strong body and effective (not fluid) skating mechanics. He's strong on his skates and will move to the proper areas quickly. The skating isn't refined as he could add some explosiveness to his acceleration along with better edgework. I'd say he's a Scandella like defenseman at higher levels if he can soften his hands at the higher levels. I don't expect much more then that unless he can work on his tools or he has some sneaky good offensive intelligence.
Prognosis: Career AHLer
Thomas Messineo:
The only non-Blues player that I'll talk about here as all of the others just didn't grab my attention. But Messineo was noticeable because of how damn aggressive he was all over the ice. He isn't a big, imposing player. But if there is a loose puck, Messineo will go through heaven and hell to get it. He was playing with a non-stop motor and it did lead to some dangerous chances in the offensive zone during the scrimmages. But, and I hate to say it given that he played with such high energy, his game was more than the sum of his parts in a less than complementary way. He physical tools were all around average, some slightly below and some slightly above. But he lacked any dangerous aspect to his game besides being aggressive. His shot wasn't dangerous enough at any distance and his skating lacked any one strength to rely on in any one zone. When the play allowed it, he would find success. But he couldn't control the game to any meaningful level to allow those situations develop consistently. He is entering his Sophomore season, so he isn't done developing his game just yet. But he's also 21-years-old, meaning he's fighting his age in a sense. I doubt he's worth a contract. But he did impressive me enough to write about him. Meaning I didn't shut the book on him just yet as opposed to all of the other defensemen at camp.
Prognosis: Europe bound or career ECHLer.
That's it for the defensemen. I will have the forwards (at least some write-ups) tomorrow. If you want any specific details about the defensemen above, or those I did not mention, please ask. I have some notes that I would be happy to share with you all.
Defensemen:
Matt Mayich:
I need to start this analysis by emphasizing that this camp was never going to cater to players like Mayich (Fischer and Burns are included here). Mayich is a physical player that is meant to protect the more offensive counterparts. He's a classic stay-at-home enforcer. I mention this becasue the analysis of him was always going to be rough. He lacks mobility and hasn't learned to combat his size when moving. He doesn't handle the puck well. He has a powerful shot becasue of his strength. But it's not dangerous from the point or in motion because of his below average puck mechanics. Basically, he looked like a 6th rounder. However, he does elevate his game when the timer starts. I never noticed any terrible reads from him in either zone. He has surprising vision as he routinely would keep his head up and make some well placed one-touch passes. He was the final piece in a beautiful passing play on day one while on the ice with Fischer and Kaskimaki by placing himself directly in the slot. It was quiet and well executed. I don't think he has any chance at making the NHL right now. But I can understand what the Blues saw in him. Which is more than I was expecting when walking into camp.
Prognosis: AHL/ECHL tweener
Marc-Andre Gaudet:
We should be familiar with what Gaudet did last year in the QMJHL. Scoring near a PPG pace as a defenseman is always impressive, regardless of league. This led my expectations to be a bit higher than the other defensemen. Unfortunately, he was one of the more disappointing players in the camp. He didn't lack any one area as he seemed adept at everything. But he wasn't proficient in any area either. Even in the scrimmages I watched, he was definitely there but wasn't involved with much. The most notable aspect of his play I could notice was his calm nature in any zone. He made proper plays when near the puck and would push play in transition even when under pressure. But again, there was nothing I could see that would lead me to think he was NHL caliber. No real weapon to his game and no real aspect I can point to as something he can revolve his game around. I hope that this was because he wants to show what he can at the NHL camp.
Prognosis: Career AHLer
Michael Buchinger:
Buchinger was a stand out at camp and would understand if others who went thought he was the best on the ice. He was rover on the ice when in scrimmages and excelled at all puck movement drills. His handling of the puck was the highlight for me as he only made simple movements to keep the puck in tight when in motion. However, it was quick and deliberate. It gave him an edge over pressuring players as he could draw them in a make quick breaks to establish offensive pressure. And while his skating wasn't high-end from my view, he was not afraid to play the roving roll. He patrolled the blue-line better than any defensemen at camp and would jump in plays near the net as a "4th forward" for shooting chances. And with his deadly snap shot, he will score more times often than not. I couldn't see much of his two-way play but I'm not concerned given his vision and positioning. What is concerning is his size and weak lower body. He is routinely knocked off pucks with slight pressure. He relies on gap control and will need to make that a priority at higher levels if he can't develop the strength needed to fight off aggressive physical play. I like Buchinger's offensive talent minus his weak slap shot from the point. But he won't have much of a future the way he handles physical play without working on his body and/or developing a compensating aspect (gap control, explosive skating, etc.). I think he has NHL talent for the top-4 on a good team. But he isn't close to NHL ready and I doubt he will be in the nest 3 years.
Prognosis: Top pairing AHLer or top-4 NHL PP specialist
Theo Lindstein:
I expect this report isn't going to be viewed as much as the others as there has been a lot of talk surrounding the Swede. And frankly, I don't have much to add to his strengths. His skating was fluid and poised. It might have lacked a strong first few strides, but he managed top speed well and would make excellent cuts with little effort. His puck movement was up there with Buchinger's (though I do like Buch's more because of its deliberate movements instead of Lindstein's soft, slower movement) and he had no trouble keeping the puck in tight at his higher speeds. He could pick the puck up easily along the wall to establish transition play. His positioning and reads were also among the best in camp. I only had two complaints from what I witnessed. Weirdly, it wasn't his muffin shot or passive play. It was how timid he looked in camp and how easily his play fell apart under attacking pressure. Lindstein's gap control was the best in camp as he could avoid pressure with little effort. However, when pressure was applied to his game, he lost his puck handling ability and couldn't keep his head up to find outlets or plays. It was like a light switch. No pressure and his game was brilliant. Any pressure and he was a liability. This isn't concerning as I firmly believe that is an experience/maturity issue that disappears in time. But it's a concern nonetheless. And while I mention that, the timid game complaint is also more maturity than training focused. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be more aggressive on loose pucks and coverage as soon as he plays more higher level games. All-in-all, I see a player similar to Nick Leddy. Defense oriented with fluid transition that can chip in upwards to 30 points a season.
Prognosis: Top-4 NHL transition focused defenseman
Noah Beck:
Beck gets my vote for best overall defenseman in camp this year. The guy was a man possessed on the ice during scrimmages. He patrolled the ice like Pietrangelo in all zones, never being afraid to play along the half-wall or using his reach in the defensive zone to break up plays, sometime in the same sequence. Saying all of this, he was amongst the oldest players in camp and was drafted way back in 2020. So it shouldn't be a surprise that he looked good amongst his peers. I also don't think he will be able to play the way he did at the professional level. He doesn't seem to have the offensive intelligence, puck skills, or skating to play a more offensive game at high levels. His handling was only adept during drills and his shot only has velocity to it because of the length he makes use of. Release and control aren't anything to brag about when he launched the puck off his stick. His skating is too upright for his size and he doesn't seem comfortable at high speeds. Saying that, I do like what I saw in the defensive zone. He used his reach and body to prevent many dangerous plays. Attacking players were having the toughest time getting the puck around him. Good frame, long reach, and superb positioning will only lead to good things at the higher levels. Even if his offensive game won't translate, I liked what I saw out of Beck. I liked what I saw so much that I'm genuinely surprised he isn't being talked about more. He could be an NHL player after a year or two in the AHL once signed.
Prognosis: Career AHLer to Bottom-pairing NHL defenseman focused on defensive play
Hunter Skinner:
One word describes Skinner: "efficient". Everything he did was with purpose and little effort. His skating is smooth and lacks any extra movement. He would utilize his teammates so well that the puck would only stay on Skinner's stick for a very short amount of time. He made movements in all zones to get to or find the open, soft areas of the ice. It was a clinic of professional play mixed with smart decision making. But, like Beck, this should be expected from someone who is 22-years-old and has been playing pro-hockey for the last two years. That experience showed polish and maturity that the other prospects will not have at the stage. The question for Skinner would be if his game is NHL ready or even capable. My verdict, he showed much more than I was expecting, but he was so efficient that it became hard to determine where he needs to improve. It doesn't help that I can't really figure out what Skinner's game at higher levels will be. But needless to say, when a player plays the camp to such a professional standard compared to his peers, you can't really determine where any deficiencies lie until he is compared to peers of a higher caliber. From what I saw and could determine, I left giving him much more of chance to be an NHL contributor than when he was initially traded to the Blues. That contribution won't be a great one, probably a non-physical, bottom-pairing player with good break-out ability. But that is significantly more than what I thought of him a week ago.
Prognosis: Career AHLer to Bottom-pairing NHL defenseman focused on transition play
Paul Fischer:
The last Blues owned property that was at the camp (Malmstrom and Burns were not there). One poster here described him as someone who can move and provide physical play but not much else. After watching him, I agree with that assessment. His strengths were his skating, as he seemed like the only defensemen that seemed comfortable at high speeds like Linstein and Buchinger. But unlike those two, he could not handle the puck while doing so. In fact, he couldn't do much with the puck at all. His shot was hard due to strength but lacked any refinement. His handling was sub-par at any speed. His corralling of pucks was too hard and would cause the puck to go beyond his reach. Frankly, there wasn't any area on the offensive side of the puck that would lead me to think he can contribute at higher levels. It's his first camp, so I won't say he has no offensive potential. But right now, all he has is a strong body and effective (not fluid) skating mechanics. He's strong on his skates and will move to the proper areas quickly. The skating isn't refined as he could add some explosiveness to his acceleration along with better edgework. I'd say he's a Scandella like defenseman at higher levels if he can soften his hands at the higher levels. I don't expect much more then that unless he can work on his tools or he has some sneaky good offensive intelligence.
Prognosis: Career AHLer
Thomas Messineo:
The only non-Blues player that I'll talk about here as all of the others just didn't grab my attention. But Messineo was noticeable because of how damn aggressive he was all over the ice. He isn't a big, imposing player. But if there is a loose puck, Messineo will go through heaven and hell to get it. He was playing with a non-stop motor and it did lead to some dangerous chances in the offensive zone during the scrimmages. But, and I hate to say it given that he played with such high energy, his game was more than the sum of his parts in a less than complementary way. He physical tools were all around average, some slightly below and some slightly above. But he lacked any dangerous aspect to his game besides being aggressive. His shot wasn't dangerous enough at any distance and his skating lacked any one strength to rely on in any one zone. When the play allowed it, he would find success. But he couldn't control the game to any meaningful level to allow those situations develop consistently. He is entering his Sophomore season, so he isn't done developing his game just yet. But he's also 21-years-old, meaning he's fighting his age in a sense. I doubt he's worth a contract. But he did impressive me enough to write about him. Meaning I didn't shut the book on him just yet as opposed to all of the other defensemen at camp.
Prognosis: Europe bound or career ECHLer.
That's it for the defensemen. I will have the forwards (at least some write-ups) tomorrow. If you want any specific details about the defensemen above, or those I did not mention, please ask. I have some notes that I would be happy to share with you all.
BadgersandBlues
Registered User
- Jun 6, 2011
- 1,853
- 1,352
Thanks to everyone who writes up these reviews! It's fun to read about the future from a no-longer-STL resident Blues fan 
LGB
Registered User
- Feb 4, 2019
- 2,207
- 2,273
Seems like Buchinger is a legit prospect. That's huge considering how barren our pool is on defense. If the biggest flaw a 19 year old prospect has is lacking strength that sounds very promising.
- Feb 12, 2008
- 19,758
- 9,293
love hearing great things about Dean and Stenberg. We know Snuggs and Dvorsky will be studs, but having Dean and Stenberg right with them will be huge. Damn are we loaded with high end forward prospects. And I’m still really high on Bolduc. He just might take a little longer. And dont forget Thomas and Kyrou are just pups too.
Brockon
Cautiously optimistic realist when caffeinated.
Absolutely love getting these type of posts, so I can follow the team from afar in these non televised settings. Trimmed your post down after quoting, to avoid a massive long reply.
Vadim Zherenko - was his tendency to play deep in his net more of a goalie coach suggested thing during drills, or was that purely a scrimmage observation where in theory he's showing more of his own tendency?
Marc-André Gaudet - interesting observation about the larger gap tendency. Can you recall effective NHLers that show this same approach, or is it just setting himself up to get turnstyled by the cream of the crop in the NHL giving them too much space to undress him?
Juraj Pekarcik - did he make any plays at slower speeds at all, at least hinting that he's aware he doesn't have to do everything at top speed where he can't always execute?
Dylan Peterson - when you say meat and potatoes kind of guy, are you thinking Zach Hyman or a Michael Bunting type ceiling with a safe bottom 6 floor? Or more of a Pat Maroon type, that really doesn't belong in the top 6 on anything except a rebuilding team?
Has Snuggerud committed to return to the NCAA for another season officially? If so, doesn't that mean that he won't be in training camp come fall due to the NCAA eligibility rules (limited to 48 hours of team covered activities per year, or must pay out of pocket to attend pro activities)?
I have to agree that Beck and Skinner seemed like the most polished product defensively. with Lindstein, I think he plays that way due to what he was grilled to do to get ice time in the SHL. Seems like they play like the puck is a grenade and get it out of the zone quickly. Safe reads. (Watch Loof when he plays.). However in the neutral zone and offense, they play different. They open it up more.
Bobby Orrtuzzo
Ya know
Thanks for all the write ups everybody! Maybe the future isn’t so bleak, it’ll be exciting seeing these guys develop!
Linkens Mastery
Conductor of the TankTown Express
Until we realize the are all young kids who like to play video games. Then we finally realize how doomed we are.
STL fan in MN
Registered User
- Aug 16, 2007
- 7,645
- 5,152
Peterson hasn’t sniffed the top-6 for BU yet. I’ll eat my hat if he somehow ends up am NHL top-6 forward. I think we’ll be lucky if he becomes a 4th liner.
Yes, Snuggs has committed to returning to Minny so yes, you’re correct that he won’t be at training camp.
If he becomes a good 4th liner, then that’s a bonus too. I’d rather pay them $750k a year than $2 million.
Bobby Orrtuzzo
Ya know
Linkens Mastery
Conductor of the TankTown Express
Exactly, go out and drink, get in trouble with the law. But instead they are over here setting up a 15 man World of Warcraft raid progression guild. Completely unacceptable.
bleedblue1223
Registered User
- Jan 21, 2011
- 52,822
- 16,240
JR had a nice little piece about Demitra, Dvorsky, Pekarcik, and Tkachuk. It's cool that Demitra's legacy is strong over there, and that they were able to be drafted by the Blues. Dvorsky was told about how Tkachuk saw some similarities in his game to Pav's.
He was one of my favorites growing up, so cool to see things come full circle.
He was one of my favorites growing up, so cool to see things come full circle.
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Hugh McGing re-signed. I feel like I'm his biggest supporter on this forum. Will he be given the dignity of a prospect rank this year? (Also, when are we starting the polling? No I am not volunteering to run it.)
Zherenko: There were some drills that required him to play deep in the net for sure but I noticed him playing pretty deep in scrimmages too. He did challenge during the shootouts so maybe he was just playing cautious due to the open ice of 4v4 and 3v3.
Gaudet: I can't recall any NHLers that use the same approach off the top of my head but it wouldn't surprise me. It seemed more like he was kind of setting a trap for the puck carrier, luring them into thinking they had more time and space and then collapse on them with his feet and reach.
Pekarcik: I don't want to make it sound like he is a chicken with his head cut off, he actually shows decent patience when he doesn't have the puck but once he see's his opportunity and goes. Then when he has the puck on his stick it is full bore and at times doesn't allow the lanes to open up.
Peterson: He would have to come a long way to meet those first two comps. Right now I see him as a 4th line checking role.
Snuggerud: Hey I didn't know that so I am not sure if that applies to camp or not. I know he is committed to another year but I would imagine that they would at minimum want him there for a couple days.
Brockon
Cautiously optimistic realist when caffeinated.
Minor correction, because I looked into it a bit more.
In order to maintain NCAA eligibility - a player may only once attend team events with expenses covered for 48 hours. Any future pro related activities or further time must be covered out of pocket.
So prospect camps after the draft tend to account for the team covered activity. I would not expect to see Snuggs at training camp for that reason, because to maintain his NCAA eligibility would require he cover travel, accommodation and meal expenses out of pocket is my understanding.
Especially with Jimmy committing to return to play another college season.
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