Prospect Info: Blues 2024-2025 Prospect Thread

[stl76]

Fantastic write up from @Brock over at McKeens on Lukas Fischer:

2024 NHL DRAFT: EARLY SEASON FAVOURITES - Ontario - Jakub Fibigr, Lukas Fischer, Ben Danford, Liam Greentree

Analyzing early season play can be difficult; perhaps even a bit of a ruse. Hot starts aren’t always sustainable and cold starts are not always indicative. However, players can still catch our attention in positive ways and that’s what this series intends to highlight.

www.mckeenshockey.com

Please keep us Blues fans updated on his progression next season!

 

[stl76]

Another great write up from @GermanSpitfire over at McKeen's on Ondrej Kos:

2024 NHL DRAFT: EARLY SEASON FAVOURITES - European Video Scout - Veeti Väisänen, Sebastian Soini, Dominik Badinka, Ondrej Kos

McKeen's European Video Scout, Steven Graves, provides detailed reports on four 2024 NHL Draft prospects.

www.mckeenshockey.com

This was written earlier in November of last year...would love to hear your thoughts on Kos' season overall and new info that comes up on his development this coming season!

 

[bleedblue1223]

I was impressed with all of their interviews that I had a chance to hear. So much so that I’m starting to think the draftees’ maturity and perhaps emotional intelligence are prerequisites in the scouting staff’s ingredient list.

Yep, these are IMO some of the things that makes a Bluesy pick. You can just see how excited Army is when he talks about Dvorsky's drive and desire to make the team in camp.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Fantastic write up from @Brock over at McKeens on Lukas Fischer:

2024 NHL DRAFT: EARLY SEASON FAVOURITES - Ontario - Jakub Fibigr, Lukas Fischer, Ben Danford, Liam Greentree

Analyzing early season play can be difficult; perhaps even a bit of a ruse. Hot starts aren’t always sustainable and cold starts are not always indicative. However, players can still catch our attention in positive ways and that’s what this series intends to highlight.

www.mckeenshockey.com

Please keep us Blues fans updated on his progression next season!

Fischer feels like he has some crazy upside if he plays with more consistency. He still doesn't turn 18 till September.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Fischer feels like he has some crazy upside if he plays with more consistency. He still doesn't turn 18 till September.

I never understood all year why Fischer and Luca Marrelli were rated so low. Both played just as well as some of the bigger fish in the CHL.

 

[Blueston]

I never understood all year why Fischer and Luca Marrelli were rated so low. Both played just as well as some of the bigger fish in the CHL.

I like both but very different. Luca doesn’t have elite skills. I think he makes it as 3rd pairing guy bc he strikes me as guy you want out there if you don’t have someone better. Like a less physical bortuzzo.

Fischer has big talent but was asked to do too much too young for crappy team so he didn’t look as good as guys put in better position to succeed. He was guy I really liked in 2nd. I’d rate him as our 3rd best d prospect (Ralph 4th).

 

[LogosBlue]

I like both but very different. Luca doesn’t have elite skills. I think he makes it as 3rd pairing guy bc he strikes me as guy you want out there if you don’t have someone better. Like a less physical bortuzzo.

Fischer has big talent but was asked to do too much too young for crappy team so he didn’t look as good as guys put in better position to succeed. He was guy I really liked in 2nd. I’d rate him as our 3rd best d prospect (Ralph 4th).

Am I wrong in thinking Ralph is an unpolished Solberg? Huge, fast and very physical.

 

[Blueston]

Am I wrong in thinking Ralph is an unpolished Solberg? Huge, fast and very physical.

He’s significantly bigger but not as mean as solberg. I think zadorov isn’t bad comp. I don’t like zad contract, but he is nice 4/5 guy.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I volunteered to do the Prospects Rankings this year but before we start, I’d like to gain a consensus on who is and who isn’t considered a prospect.

I believe the old hockeysfuture.com criteria was age 25 and under 65 games played (slightly different for goalies). @kimzey59, keep me honest here.

Most of these guys are obvious but here are the borderline ones who I consider to still be a prospect:

Bolduc, Dean, Johannesson (he’s 23) and Abramov (Blues sent him a QO to retain his rights even though he left for the KHL)

And those I consider ineligible because they are either…

Graduated: Neighbours, Perunovich, Hofer, Kessel, Tucker and Alexandrov

Too old: McGing, MacEachern, Sylvegard (he’s 25) and Schueneman

We didn’t retain their rights: Beck and Sim

Or…

They’re technically on our reserve list but only because we retain the rights of Russians forever: Viktor Alexandrov, Barulin, Pervyshin, Semin and Skachkov

The main ones that are debatable IMO are:

Matt Kessel - 41 GP, so under the old 65 game cutoff. Personally, I prefer the if it looks like a duck, it’s a duck method as he’s the de facto 3RD heading into camp but I could be convinced to include him.

Tyler Tucker - 52 GP so also under the 65 game cutoff but he spent all of last season with the Blues.

Nikita Alexandrov - 52 GP, same situation as Tucker - on the roster the entire season but usually scratched.

Marcus Sylvegard - he’s 25 but just came over so maybe that’s a valid exception? May be a moot point though as I’m not sure how many top-20 lists he’d make anyway.

Samuel Johannesson - he’s 23 so a year and a half younger than Sylvegard.

Mikhail Abramov - left for KHL Toroedo and likely gone forever but the Blues still QOed him so still technically a Blues prospect.

Noah Beck - we technically don’t lose his rights until 8/15/24 but considering he’s already transferred to Arizona St. for a 5th college season and the Blues didn’t even invite him to Prospects Camp, I think we can safely write him off.

Landon Sim - invited to Prospects Camp but wasn’t signed by 6/1/24 deadline and thus now has no official connection to the Blues.

Agree? Disagree? Any borderline guys I missed?

 

[Blueston]

I volunteered to do the Prospects Rankings this year but before we start, I’d like to gain a consensus on who is and who isn’t considered a prospect.

I believe the old hockeysfuture.com criteria was age 25 and under 65 games played (slightly different for goalies). @kimzey59, keep me honest here.

Most of these guys are obvious but here are the borderline ones who I consider to still be a prospect:

Bolduc, Dean, Johannesson (he’s 23) and Abramov (Blues sent him a QO to retain his rights even though he left for the KHL)

And those I consider ineligible because they are either…

Graduated: Neighbours, Perunovich, Hofer, Kessel, Tucker and Alexandrov

Too old: McGing, MacEachern, Sylvegard (he’s 25) and Schueneman

We didn’t retain their rights: Beck and Sim

Or…

They’re technically on our reserve list but only because we retain the rights of Russians forever: Viktor Alexandrov, Barulin, Pervyshin, Semin and Skachkov

The main ones that are debatable IMO are:

Matt Kessel - 41 GP, so under the old 65 game cutoff. Personally, I prefer the if it looks like a duck, it’s a duck method as he’s the de facto 3RD heading into camp but I could be convinced to include him.

Tyler Tucker - 52 GP so also under the 65 game cutoff but he spent all of last season with the Blues.

Nikita Alexandrov - 52 GP, same situation as Tucker - on the roster the entire season but usually scratched.

Marcus Sylvegard - he’s 25 but just came over so maybe that’s a valid exception? May be a moot point though as I’m not sure how many top-20 lists he’d make anyway.

Samuel Johannesson - he’s 23 so a year and a half younger than Sylvegard.

Mikhail Abramov - left for KHL Toroedo and likely gone forever but the Blues still QOed him so still technically a Blues prospect.

Noah Beck - we technically don’t lose his rights until 8/15/24 but considering he’s already transferred to Arizona St. for a 5th college season and the Blues didn’t even invite him to Prospects Camp, I think we can safely write him off.

Landon Sim - invited to Prospects Camp but wasn’t signed by 6/1/24 deadline and thus now has no official connection to the Blues.

Agree? Disagree? Any borderline guys I missed?

This works for me. Given the amount of work that goes into running this, I vote we should defer to your eligibility choices so long as they aren't crazy. Your's make sense so I endorse.

 

[Blueswin]

Adam Jiricek interview -https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues/players/adam-jiricek-always-felt-st-louis-would-be-his-destination

 

[kimzey59]

I volunteered to do the Prospects Rankings this year but before we start, I’d like to gain a consensus on who is and who isn’t considered a prospect.

I believe the old hockeysfuture.com criteria was age 25 and under 65 games played (slightly different for goalies). @kimzey59, keep me honest here.

Most of these guys are obvious but here are the borderline ones who I consider to still be a prospect:

Bolduc, Dean, Johannesson (he’s 23) and Abramov (Blues sent him a QO to retain his rights even though he left for the KHL)

And those I consider ineligible because they are either…

Graduated: Neighbours, Perunovich, Hofer, Kessel, Tucker and Alexandrov

Too old: McGing, MacEachern, Sylvegard (he’s 25) and Schueneman

We didn’t retain their rights: Beck and Sim

Or…

They’re technically on our reserve list but only because we retain the rights of Russians forever: Viktor Alexandrov, Barulin, Pervyshin, Semin and Skachkov

The main ones that are debatable IMO are:

Matt Kessel - 41 GP, so under the old 65 game cutoff. Personally, I prefer the if it looks like a duck, it’s a duck method as he’s the de facto 3RD heading into camp but I could be convinced to include him.

Tyler Tucker - 52 GP so also under the 65 game cutoff but he spent all of last season with the Blues.

Nikita Alexandrov - 52 GP, same situation as Tucker - on the roster the entire season but usually scratched.

Marcus Sylvegard - he’s 25 but just came over so maybe that’s a valid exception? May be a moot point though as I’m not sure how many top-20 lists he’d make anyway.

Samuel Johannesson - he’s 23 so a year and a half younger than Sylvegard.

Mikhail Abramov - left for KHL Toroedo and likely gone forever but the Blues still QOed him so still technically a Blues prospect.

Noah Beck - we technically don’t lose his rights until 8/15/24 but considering he’s already transferred to Arizona St. for a 5th college season and the Blues didn’t even invite him to Prospects Camp, I think we can safely write him off.

Landon Sim - invited to Prospects Camp but wasn’t signed by 6/1/24 deadline and thus now has no official connection to the Blues.

Agree? Disagree? Any borderline guys I missed?

Yee Olde Standards:

HF board definition.

A player will be considered a prospect until he meets the following criteria:

If a prospect is a skater (forward, defenseman) and has played in 65 NHL games or more before the completion of the season of his 24th birthday; or, if a goaltender has played in 45 NHL games before the completion of the season of his 24th birthday, that player will be considered graduated to the NHL. Conversely, if a player completes the season of his 24th birthday without passing those milestones, then that player will no longer be considered a prospect by Hockey’s Future, regardless of the player’s status with his NHL club.

An NCAA player who signs his first contract at or above the age of 22 has three years to meet the above criteria (65/45), while those NCAA players that turn pro under the age of 22 will be subjected to the criteria above.

European players who sign their first NHL contract at or above the age of 22 have three seasons from the time they sign that contract to meet the above criteria. Those European players below the age of 22 that have signed a NHL contract will be subjected to the criteria in section one.

Section one is the meat of the criteria as it will govern the majority of players that vie for a NHL roster spot. Sections two and three are simply an acknowledgement that some prospects arrive on the scene a bit later than their peers, thus needing some time past their 24th birthday to develop into an NHL-caliber player.

The graduated list on team pages will consist of players who are considered graduated to the NHL. A skater prospect may sit on the graduated list until he has played 130 games in the NHL. A goalie prospect may sit on the graduated list until he has played 90 games in the NHL.

NOTE: These are general guidelines and should be followed the majority of the time but certain players may still be listed as prospects if circumstances warrant. Also, for players that are close to either the 65-game (skaters) or 45-game (goaltenders) benchmark but have also clearly "arrived" as NHL players, HF reserves the right to remove these players from consideration as prospects and instead consider these players graduated.

Technically speaking, Hofer would still be considered a prospect.
I'd agree to exemptions for Hofer, Tucker and Alexandrov. They're close enough to the 65/45 threshold.
I'd exclude Abramov, Beck and Sim(doubt they make the top 20 anyway).
Sylvegard and Johannesson should be included(as should Malmstrom).
McGing has aged out, Laferriere is entering final year of eligibility.

Kessel I would leave on, simply because I'd like to see where people think he ranks in regards to our other D prospects.

 

[PocketNines]

yes the old criteria was 25yo/65g (was it 25gp for goalies I think?). but IMO this should definitely be a list that is prequalified person by person and I agree with Bolduc Dean Johhaanneesseeoonn and Abramov as your ones you selected.

Kessel is a full time NHL player, he is not a prospect.

I wouldn't want to have to compare fringe NHLers / career AHLers like Tucker and Alexandrov to the prospect pool I would not include them.

L. Fischer is very exciting.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

When I did the polls last year, I was dogmatic about applying the rules according to age and games played as mentioned above. Even if a guy has played a bunch of games, but not enough to meet the letter of the definition you mentioned, he was still a prospect on the poll. I included EVERY player the Blues controlled who was still a prospect. There were a few players who were drafted, and were still young enough, but had their rights expire and were never offered a contract, or who had retired from hockey but were technically still Blues' property.

The poll system here won't allow enough room to add every player. I made a spreadsheet and added all the players according to their draft ROUND, and then by most recent draft YEAR as we went along. (all the 1st rounders, then the most recent 2nd rounders...etc) as we went along and players left the list by being ranked. It was kind of fun. I went back through all the drafts (until players would all be too old) and through all the trade transactions to make sure I hadn't missed anyone. There were a few names that came up I had never remembered hearing.

But I know my list was exhaustive. And if I'd been in charge 2 years ago, Hugh McGing would have gotten ranked in his last year as a prospect!

I'm only telling you this in sympathy over the task itself. If you don't think the process I describe sounds interesting or fun, you're probably going to hate organizing the polls.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Another great write up from @GermanSpitfire over at McKeen's on Ondrej Kos:

2024 NHL DRAFT: EARLY SEASON FAVOURITES - European Video Scout - Veeti Väisänen, Sebastian Soini, Dominik Badinka, Ondrej Kos

McKeen's European Video Scout, Steven Graves, provides detailed reports on four 2024 NHL Draft prospects.

www.mckeenshockey.com

This was written earlier in November of last year...would love to hear your thoughts on Kos' season overall and new info that comes up on his development this coming season!

Yeah, he is mainly the same player he was when I wrote that article. A speedy kid that loves to get in on the action no matter what. He had some skill, but hasn’t yet been able to convert it into consistent offence, yet. I think best bet for him is that he becomes a good complementary winger at the next level that can PK and occasionally chip in some offence. He was recently drafted in the import draft to Kitchener and I think his game really suits a smaller ice surface. I like his prospects on becoming a solid NHLer one day.

 

[STL fan in MN]

When I did the polls last year, I was dogmatic about applying the rules according to age and games played as mentioned above. Even if a guy has played a bunch of games, but not enough to meet the letter of the definition you mentioned, he was still a prospect on the poll. I included EVERY player the Blues controlled who was still a prospect. There were a few players who were drafted, and were still young enough, but had their rights expire and were never offered a contract, or who had retired from hockey but were technically still Blues' property.

The poll system here won't allow enough room to add every player. I made a spreadsheet and added all the players according to their draft ROUND, and then by most recent draft YEAR as we went along. (all the 1st rounders, then the most recent 2nd rounders...etc) as we went along and players left the list by being ranked. It was kind of fun. I went back through all the drafts (until players would all be too old) and through all the trade transactions to make sure I hadn't missed anyone. There were a few names that came up I had never remembered hearing.

But I know my list was exhaustive. And if I'd been in charge 2 years ago, Hugh McGing would have gotten ranked in his last year as a prospect!

I'm only telling you this in sympathy over the task itself. If you don't think the process I describe sounds interesting or fun, you're probably going to hate organizing the polls.

Yeah, it can be exhaustive haha. But that’s why I went to capfriendly before it goes dark and made sure I captured everyone and (mostly jokingly) listed the 36-40 year old Russians still on our reserve list.

Kimzey makes a good point on Kessel and Sylvegard. I’m good including them.

 

[PocketNines]

They told Kessel to buy a house in St. Louis, and when they do that it means you are done going to the AHL

 

[execwrite1]

Forward lines in five years (from a pool of 27 prospects/players)

Neighbours Thomas Kyrou
Bolduc Dvorsky Snuggerud
Stancl Stenberg Mrsic
Pekarcik Dean Toropchenko

 

[kimzey59]

Forward lines in five years (from a pool of 27 prospects/players)

Neighbours Thomas Kyrou
Bolduc Dvorsky Snuggerud
Stancl Stenberg Mrsic
Pekarcik Dean Toropchenko

Stenberg is a winger.
Where did Buch and Schenn disappear to(both will still be here in 5 years)?

Neighbours Thomas Snuggerud
Buch Dvorsky Kyrou
Stenberg Dean Pekarcik
Stancl Schenn Toropchenko

 

[execwrite1]

Stenberg is a winger.
Where did Buch and Schenn disappear to(both will still be here in 5 years)?

Neighbours Thomas Snuggerud
Buch Dvorsky Kyrou
Stenberg Dean Pekarcik
Stancl Schenn Toropchenko

Love Schenn, but ... he'll be 38 years old, contract runs four more years.

He won't be here.

Yes to Buch

 

[PocketNines]

Forward lines in five years (from a pool of 27 prospects/players)

Neighbours Thomas Kyrou
Bolduc Dvorsky Snuggerud
Stancl Stenberg Mrsic
Pekarcik Dean Toropchenko

I guess I never understand the point of this. There's this thing you always do where you take all of the guys in the current prospect pool and say they will complete almost the entire roster (here 8 of 12 forwards are in the current prospect pool). But you are the same person, you will want to project the 2025 and 2026 drafted guys on top of these guys, and then the 2027 and 2028 guys on top of those guys. When you declare the above to be the '29-30 forward roster then you are asking us to believe you will suddenly ignore all the subsequent draftees who you routinely have on your depth chart above NHL players. I just have seen it year after year for so long, I don't get the exercise ...

 

[tfriede2]

Forward lines in five years (from a pool of 27 prospects/players)

Neighbours Thomas Kyrou
Bolduc Dvorsky Snuggerud
Stancl Stenberg Mrsic
Pekarcik Dean Toropchenko

If they top out at reasonable expectations/potential, I think Stancl and Pekarcik would be swapped. I’d be ecstatic if all of threes prospects become NHL regulars, but out of Stancl, Mrsic, and Pekarcik, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if none made it.

 

[Majorityof1]

Forward lines in five years (from a pool of 27 prospects/players)

Neighbours Thomas Kyrou
Bolduc Dvorsky Snuggerud
Stancl Stenberg Mrsic
Pekarcik Dean Toropchenko

That forward line would be the worst in the NH, given where they will actually be in 5 years as opposed to where we hope they will be. You are projecting a lot of those guys to their theoretically maximum, and they won't all hit that. Most won't hit that.

 

[Blueston]

That forward line would be the worst in the NH, given where they will actually be in 5 years as opposed to where we hope they will be. You are projecting a lot of those guys to their theoretically maximum, and they won't all hit that. Most won't hit that.

Seriously? You could say that about any team's prospects. They may not hit. They could all suck. Which would make so many of y'all happy anyway, because we would finally get those precious top picks.

 

[Majorityof1]

Seriously? You could say that about any team's prospects. They may not hit. They could all suck. Which would make so many of y'all happy anyway, because we would finally get those precious top picks.

I would say that about anybody's prospects. It's not about our prospects but about the futility of projecting out that far.