Prospect Info: Blues 2024-2025 Prospect Thread

[MortiestOfMortys]

To be fair, the WJC is still a junior tournament. A much higher level of competition than major junior or the USHL, but junior nonetheless. I bring that up because one concern about older/bigger guys with junior success is that it won't translate in the pros when they are no longer the best physical specimen on the ice. I'm not saying that is the case with Stancl and my eyes don't see a guy who is only having success because he can use his man strength to bully younger/smaller guys. But the WJC is still full of guys with lots of room to grow physically. Being 6'3" and 200 pounds still gives you a much larger advantage in the WJC than in the pros.

FWIW, I was more impressed with Dvorsky than Stancl at the WJC. That's far from a knock on Stancl and the fact that he is in the conversation with our top tier prospects is incredible. Going from 4th round pick to a conversation about being near the top of our prospect pool in 18 months is amazing development. As a whole, I am overjoyed by the early returns of the last 2 Blues draft classes. But for Stancl and a lot of other guys, we are still talking about production/development in leagues/situations that are a very long way from the NHL.

The thing about the “big kid dominating just cause he’s big” concern is that they’re supposed to slow down as time goes on, not speed up. Stancl is struggling a bit now that he is the only dude on a team that traded everyone else of value (I believe he just had his first pointless week all year last week). But before the circumstances changed drastically, he was much better than he has been in previous years (injuries and personal tragedies aside).

I’m not as bullish on him as some are, but there’s cause for optimism. Dinging him for his size is the opposite reaction I have; I think it’s one of his best assets because it makes him versatile lineup-wise.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

The thing about the “big kid dominating just cause he’s big” concern is that they’re supposed to slow down as time goes on, not speed up. Stancl is struggling a bit now that he is the only dude on a team that traded everyone else of value (I believe he just had his first pointless week all year last week). But before the circumstances changed drastically, he was much better than he has been in previous years (injuries and personal tragedies aside).

I’m not as bullish on him as some are, but there’s cause for optimism. Dinging him for his size is the opposite reaction I have; I think it’s one of his best assets because it makes him versatile lineup-wise.

He also seems like someone whose game is better suited for NA style than over in Europe.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I appreciate P9s’ input on those prospects. It’s time consuming, but I’m sure it’s been fun for him.

This is what we come here for, so, all else aside, thank you!

 

[PocketNines]

You're welcome! Here is a vid of our prospect Quinton Burns making an awesome play shorthanded against Misa the other day.

I take them in mov and convert to mp4 which works for most but not all seemingly. If there's another file extension to convert to I can

 

[stl76]

Stancl's team is getting wrecked, since the WJC they are 2-7-2 since he returned. There was the 5 pt game in the win against Prince George and the win in Seattle I attended. He's back in Seattle next week. Tonight and tomorrow his team is in Victoria, who just beat them 11-1 in Kelowna. It was 11-0 at one point and it has been ugly to absorb. He is still getting 5 shots a game and he's ringing a crossbar almost nightly but he is playing an absolute f-ton of ugly minutes.

The Blues have hit big on some prospects who have late birthdays such as Robert Thomas, and Fischer is like that. I cannot imagine Aitcheson being drafted before him right now for example. Aitcheson is 12 days older than Fischer.

In this upcoming draft there's 6'5" D Peyton Kettles who is #26 on NA Central Scouting list and he is only two weeks from going in the 2026 draft. Swift Current, WHL, need to watch him more. I am not much a fan of Fiddler, here's an example of why:


View attachment 972234

Lindstein is steady eddie not flashy minute muncher but he's on total cruise control to the pros
Fischer is the exciting one, I mean this is the real wild card. Very young in his draft class,
Burns is a 4-6D man sheriff who just had a real nice game against Misa
Ralph is a project that seems on track now with a ways to go
Jiricek is a two-way defenseman who needs work and time and reps. You can see flashes but it's not all there yet. He is aggressive offensively sometimes & relying on his recovery speed to get back on defense. For example watch this clip.


View attachment 972236

I'm more than happy to feed this niche interest directly with people, and it could go either way. Right now it looks real doubtful.

You're welcome! Here is a vid of our prospect Quinton Burns making an awesome play shorthanded against Misa the other day.


View attachment 972348

I take them in mov and convert to mp4 which works for most but not all seemingly. If there's another file extension to convert to I can

Thank you for posting these clips, I hope you keep doing it.

 

[LetsGoBooze]

O'Brien vs Desnoyers? I suspect you prefer the latter

Desnoyers feels like the very Bluesy pick, 2way player, good at almost every thing, but elite at very little. I for once would prefer O'Brien and his more dynamic offensive skills, we need more game breakers in this core, im swinging for the upside. Its seeming more and more like we got quite a bit of depth middle 6 guys in our pool now, time to take some swings.

 

[Mike Liut]

Desnoyers feels like the very Bluesy pick, 2way player, good at almost every thing, but elite at very little. I for once would prefer O'Brien and his more dynamic offensive skills, we need more game breakers in this core, im swinging for the upside. Its seeming more and more like we got quite a bit of depth middle 6 guys in our pool now, time to take some swings.

That’s why I think Martone would be a great pick. He’s a bigger Matthew Tkachuk

 

[PocketNines]

Another player to watch is Will McIsaac. Very possible Memorial Cup player. This is a 6'3" 200lb RHD playing with Spokane. Spokane was good with Catton and is now a powerhouse with Cristall. He is playing with those guys a lot and as a result he is racking up assists and getting some opportunity to display his potential. His last game he had the GWG and was first star, the game before that he was second star with 4 assists. In the beginning of this season his involvement seemed a lot lower in the play and now #18 is out there involved a lot. A good time lately to see what the Blues saw in him when they got him in the 5th last summer

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

O'Brien vs Desnoyers? I suspect you prefer the latter

You are quite the detective! I’ve always said if I were to pick one player to start a team with, then it would be Steve Yzerman. Perhaps the most complete player I have had the pleasure of watching. Dashed our hopes with one dominate performance. Desnoyers is the most complete player and competitor I have seen in a long time. Not most talented or dynamic…. You win with players like him and he makes other players better around him.

Goes without saying that I have O’Brien very high as well. Over Martone as I see a Doug Weight clone.

I’m not as high on Martone as Malcom Spence has outplayed him against each other. I’m not convinced he will be anything more than a middle six. He will struggle to move up the pro chain in my opinion. One big season one big contract and one big goodbye in my opinion.

 

[PocketNines]

Desnoyers is the most complete player and competitor I have seen in a long time.

that's the headline for me, I want someone who has competitive force

 

[kimzey59]

That’s why I think Martone would be a great pick. He’s a bigger Matthew Tkachuk

Don't get me wrong, I really like Martone(I have him at #3); but he's a LOT closer to Brady Tkachuk than he is to Matthew Tkachuk IMO.

Granted, I think either Tkachuk would be an absolute godsend given how pathetic we've been playing.

 

[BlueMed]

The power in Tarasenko’s release was what made his shot so special; deceptive in how much power he could generate with little movement, or obvious weight transfer. Prior to the shoulder injuries, there have been very few players with remotely comparable power. Had he come up 5-10 years later, and been exposed to the shift of widening release angles, and focus on release speed, he’s probably still a 30+ goal scorer.

Dvorsky doesn’t quite have the same power, though still very notable power, IMO, but his accuracy is far superior to Vladdy’s, and most of
his peers. Combine that with already NHL elite release mechanics - there’s a lot of reason to be excited even if he’s not the fleetest of foot.

I haven’t seen Snuggerud’s shot in person - but from what I have seen, it’s far more a force of nature that’s directed at a general quadrant that he rarely misses the mark on, and just flat out makes goalies look dumb.

Im excited to see which one of them ends up being the big game and moment guy like Vladdy was. At least, I hope one of them can be that.

Relating back to the broader discussion here, this is the only spot -that I’m aware of anyway- that Blues prospects are discussed in detail by people making the time to watch prospects. In my experience, that makes them (us) more than just Blues super fans, it makes them hockey fans. That broader lens generally creates a more discerning eye. That doesn’t mean free from bias, but, we’re on a Blues prospects thread. If we dont dump enthusiasm and optimism into what we see, this place just becomes the shallow, cynical cesspool that the other sites, media, and beat writers have become. The cup has affected aspects of this fandom that I expected but didn’t fully appreciate.

The only place on the internet that championed any semblance of hope or belief in April/May of 2018 was here.

…people employed by the team don’t count.

Let’s challenge and be discerning, but remember that this collection of assholes, nutjobs, and know-it-alls was largely correct in their assessment of our cup core. Much tighter pants around here when we discussed Petro, Schwartz, Vladdy, Parayko and Thomas than Rattie, Schmaltz, and Perunovich.

Not directing this at any one poster or interaction specifically - just wanting to share that long winded reminder as we enter into a miserable array of noise and commentary as this unfinished product is judged for missing the playoffs.

I don't mean to nitpick, but I don't think anyone's shot accuracy is far superior to Vladdy's...but I do agree that Dvorsky is already showing high-end shot velocity and release.

 

[PocketNines]

More than that, he’s doing it as the lone drafted forward on his team. The only other player selected is Dragicevic. He’s not pulling a Kyrou where he’s head and shoulders above his linemates in production, but a 1.58 PPG average in his Draft+1 is top notch.

I have the same misgivings as you where his progression at higher levels is questionable. But damn, is he not playing well right now.

The guy is an automatic 1+1 these days. He looks the same every game

 

[PocketNines]

Stancl scores

 

[PocketNines]

He had a mediocre period despite the goal. He never takes penalties, took a penalty at the end which they just scored on at the top of the second period.

This blocked shot led to a goal against

 

[PocketNines]

The person Stancl reminds me of at this stage of his development who's most immediate to the current Blues is Radek Faksa. Faksa is slow relative to NHL players, but he is strong defensively and has the details of the game on lockdown. Faksa actually texts with Stancl per an interview.

They are at the Kelowna getting just wrecked stage of the game, six unanswered goals after Stancl scored ...

 

[PocketNines]

7-2 now, Stancl picks up an assist. Drove the net and took the goalie's attention a bit from the shooter. They end up losing 7-3, but 1+1 and +1

 

[taylord22]

I don't mean to nitpick, but I don't think anyone's shot accuracy is far superior to Vladdy's...but I do agree that Dvorsky is already showing high-end shot velocity and release.

Far superior was probably too strong - and probably deserved more context. Players coming in today are so good at the pull and release which once perfected is a more accurate shot than anything you're realistically going to get off in-game. And, it has the added benefit of being very similar mechanically to how guys like to shoot 1Ts today, which ramps accuracy.

Vladdy had -relative to other snipers- poor control on his 1T, and his snap shot is nowhere near as accurate as the pull and release shooters today, in tight. Shooting % have gone up despite less goals being scored in the paint, goalies becoming more and more athletic and practiced in terms of positioning, and d-men covering more ice than ever (skating + length)

Maybe Dvorsky isn't quite as accurate as him with his wrist shot from deep, but the bag of shots as a whole is more accurate. Also, while missed shots are kind of a PITA to dig up, I've poked around this in the past, and Vladdy missed the net a lot (again, relative to other notable snipers). I'll dig up what I pulled but I believe (as an example) Vladdy's rate of missed shots is hovering at or around 35%; whereas Matthews, Draisaitl, Kucherov, Laine were closer to 27%.

I'm not suggesting any of our guys are going to be remotely as productive as any of the monsters I mentioned above; however, accuracy was not a defining characteristic of Vladdy. Power was. Power in his skating, his stick, and his release. It's what made him special, along with his knack for big moments.

 

[LGB]

Dvorsky and Snuggerud both rank highly in league adjusted production, but there’s another Blues prospect even higher.

Edit: League and age adjusted

 

[PocketNines]

I'd be pretty suspicious of anything with Mrsic over Ryan Leonard

Lardis looks like quite a pick for CHI unfortunately

 

[LGB]

I'd be pretty suspicious of anything with Mrsic over Ryan Leonard

It’s not a player ranking. Just league and age adjusted production. I personally don’t see Mrsic as an NHL player from what I’ve watched. The production is legitimately outstanding though and makes him a guy to monitor.

 

[PocketNines]

It’s not a player ranking. Just league and age adjusted production. I personally don’t see Mrsic as an NHL player from what I’ve watched. The production is legitimately outstanding though and makes him a guy to monitor.

oh for sure, I hope other people start watching him a lot!

It's funny for all the heat I get for being enthusiastic about some prospects the people who do that somehow miss that I'm cautionary about a guy like Mrsic. almost like I differentiate!

 

[PocketNines]

Here are a couple Jecho plays from watching him the other day, one bad one good

BAD

GOOD

 

[Brian39]

Stancl's team is getting wrecked, since the WJC they are 2-7-2 since he returned. There was the 5 pt game in the win against Prince George and the win in Seattle I attended. He's back in Seattle next week. Tonight and tomorrow his team is in Victoria, who just beat them 11-1 in Kelowna. It was 11-0 at one point and it has been ugly to absorb. He is still getting 5 shots a game and he's ringing a crossbar almost nightly but he is playing an absolute f-ton of ugly minutes.

The Blues have hit big on some prospects who have late birthdays such as Robert Thomas, and Fischer is like that. I cannot imagine Aitcheson being drafted before him right now for example. Aitcheson is 12 days older than Fischer.

In this upcoming draft there's 6'5" D Peyton Kettles who is #26 on NA Central Scouting list and he is only two weeks from going in the 2026 draft. Swift Current, WHL, need to watch him more. I am not much a fan of Fiddler, here's an example of why:


View attachment 972234

Lindstein is steady eddie not flashy minute muncher but he's on total cruise control to the pros
Fischer is the exciting one, I mean this is the real wild card. Very young in his draft class,
Burns is a 4-6D man sheriff who just had a real nice game against Misa
Ralph is a project that seems on track now with a ways to go
Jiricek is a two-way defenseman who needs work and time and reps. You can see flashes but it's not all there yet. He is aggressive offensively sometimes & relying on his recovery speed to get back on defense. For example watch this clip.


View attachment 972236

I'm more than happy to feed this niche interest directly with people, and it could go either way. Right now it looks real doubtful.

It seems like our scouting philosophy noticeably favors guys who are in the 'younger' side of their draft class. The 'older' half of the draft class are guys who turn 18 from September 16th through March 15th of their draft eligible season. The 'younger' half are guys who turn 18 from March 16 through September 15 of their draft eligible season.

Four of our last five 1st round picks didn't turn 18 until after their draft-eligible season ended.

Pekarcik and Fischer are early September birthdays (turning 18 just 3 and 6 days before the deadline to be draft eligible)

Dvorsky, Snuggy, Jiricek are June birthdays.

Stenberg is a May birthday.

Buchinger, Burns, Stancl are April birthdays.

Jecho is a March 24 birthday.

That's 10 (of the 16) guys we selected in the first 4 rounds of the last 3 drafts who were born in the 'younger' half of the draft class. Of the 6 picks who were born in the 'older' half, 3 of them have February or early March birthdays. Only 2 of the 16 guys turned 18 between September 16 and December 31st of their draft-eligible season. I think it is pretty clear that our recent draft strategy has been to target younger prospects. All of the early results suggest that it has been a great strategy, especially paired with how aggressive we have been getting European picks over to North America to play junior as 18 year olds.

 

[PocketNines]

I should have said Fischer is 12 days older than Aitcheson, but the point is they're 12 days apart and the latter is a possible mid first pick this year. The late birthday guys also kind tend to rise in the second half of their draft years too.

Schaefer being two weeks older from going in the 2026 draft is a big part of his #1 status if we won the lottery