Prospect Info: Klim Kostin (31st overall in 2017)
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Majorityof1
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I definitely have a problem with staying on the thread topic. I don't think its ADHD. I just like to follow the flow of the conversation. If someone says something that is interesting to me to follow up on, I follow up right there, rather than cutting and pasting into a more appropriate thread. Most of the time, I am not even fully aware of what thread I am in as I open up several in tabs, then read and close them. Besides I think its silly to confine a discussion into one very narrow subject and not let it develop organically. BUT, I try to stay on topic because I know that's the rules. So my apologies if my wandering has disrupted how anyone else prefers to read the boards.
Now to stay on topic, as to Kostin.....he's not interesting enough to have his own thread. Not that he isn't an exciting prospect, but what we actually know about him that is based on actual evidence (games played, interviews, etc) couldn't fill a post much less a thread. He has very minimal games under his belt. Most of this thread is hype based on lack of information. If a player has 3 years in the CHL and numerous scouts have seen him, they are fairly dialed in as to where he will be. With Kostin, nobody knows. He could be Ovechkin and he could be Yakupov. Its much more fun to think he is Ovechkin, so people convince themselves about that. Then they hype him up beyond what's credible.
Majorityof1
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I lol'd irl.
Robb_K
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I expect Barbashev to be either The Blues' 3rd Line centre or 3rd Line RW THIS season. I expect him to play mostly centre over his career, starting 2018-19, IF he plays on the wing this season. I expect him to peak at 2nd Line centre. But, that could be a couple years away. In the meantime, I'm hoping that Schenn or Fabbri play #2 centre, or Barbashev plays so well that HE grabs that spot. If he DOES play mainly or totally on Line 3, he'll likely have Sobotka on his line (either at centre, or on the wing). Either way, Sobotka will probably be taking the draws in that situation.
I think that if Fabbri can handle the #2 centre position, The Blues would then have Schenn at #2 RW, and be able to fill the #3 RW fairly easily with Barbashev or Sobotka.
I don't see any weaknesses in their Top 9. And, with Kostin, Kyrou, Thompson and Thomas on the horizon, things should only get better starting next season.
I think the STL - AHL situation this year alone will cause a few players to get a few games.
I think if significant centre injuries occur then Adam Musil will get a brief call up. I think Musil is our best "sleeper" prospect.
I think Tage Thompson will get a call up regardless of situation, if nothing else, to gauge his physical readiness relative to NHLers. Probably after December.
I think Jordan Kyrou will also get a call up if injuries occur - since Jordan cannot AHL he is stuck at the top of the OHL, and would benefit from knowing what he needs to work on.
Any goaltending injury will result in a call-up - they can't find starting jobs now.
Dunn and Walman will get at least a brief stint too.
But most of all, I think the most glaring hole on STL's line-up - #2 RW, will give Kostin the first chance at securing a line-up spot. First 9 games of the season he will be in STL.
The kid is a beast, and the fact that he was a 31st pick is a travesty (that we get to enjoy).
I think if significant centre injuries occur then Adam Musil will get a brief call up. I think Musil is our best "sleeper" prospect.
I think Tage Thompson will get a call up regardless of situation, if nothing else, to gauge his physical readiness relative to NHLers. Probably after December.
I think Jordan Kyrou will also get a call up if injuries occur - since Jordan cannot AHL he is stuck at the top of the OHL, and would benefit from knowing what he needs to work on.
Any goaltending injury will result in a call-up - they can't find starting jobs now.
Dunn and Walman will get at least a brief stint too.
But most of all, I think the most glaring hole on STL's line-up - #2 RW, will give Kostin the first chance at securing a line-up spot. First 9 games of the season he will be in STL.
The kid is a beast, and the fact that he was a 31st pick is a travesty (that we get to enjoy).
kimzey59
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While the AHL situation might dictate a few of our call-ups(if we're on the EC and need somebody for the 2nd game of a back to back; we likely go with somebody in Chicago rather than SA); I think you're forgetting that we already have an arrangement with the San Antonio Rampage to get some players playing time. I believe JR has already said that we plan on putting 5 or 6 guys in SA. And given that they'll be our Affiliate for the foreseeable future(5 year agreement starting with the 18-19 season) and that we have full control of Hockey Operations, I don't think they'll put up any kind of argument if we want to put a couple more there.
For sure; one of our goalies will go there which solves the biggest issue of getting Husso and Binnington games.
I'm not saying the AHL situation won't be a factor, but having the arrangement with SA fixes a lot of the problems to the point where it isn't really an issue. The question isn't so much about who we don't have room for so much as which players go to which team.
Oh for sure, I wasn't trying to paint the current events as the apocalypse. I may have done that, I've had a few beers. Perhaps I could have worded a few things better.
That being said, I think this year's team will do less of trading for Anders Nilsson, Zbynek Michalek, and Olli Jokinen and more of promoting from within due to the constraints of the AHL system along with the level of development of the prospects.
Obviously injuries will dictate this, but the team also has a glaring hole early season due to Berglund being down (a replacement needed in that spot), and #2 RW being open. I think its a simple solution to rotate ready prospects through that hole, Kostin, Kyrou, Thompson - worst case scenario, when their ECL is eligible to slide it will, and if any earns a full time spot that's gravy.
I'm not predicting any stick, and if Bennett can stay healthy he can fill the gaps.
Yup.
There is next to no chance we have a rookie on the 2nd line. It's not like we can stash everyone on the left side - somebody will be playing there.
And as for the 3rd line RW spot, I think Bennett and Sanford are basically in competition for that spot.
Injuries of course will determine how much time Thompson/Kostin/Kyrou see in the NHL this season. But if the team stays relatively healthy, I'm betting they all barely see any. I view all of them as basically needing one more year before they're ready to contribute at the NHL level.
High n Wide
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Beat me to it. I don't expect Schenn to stick at center; however I don't know that he really needs to. I think our center situation is not ideal, but if he plays at center then our RW situation isn't either.
I think it makes sense to let Schenn slot in to the 2RW spot since it's a weak spot in the roster and he's been playing RW. This seems to make much more sense than to play him out of position because we have a weakness at center. Regardless, I don't see a situation where Kostin is gifted ANY spot on the team, let alone a top-6 role. If he earns it he does, but he won't get it before then.
Well, Schenn himself wants to play center. So if he plays there and is decent at it, then everyone is happy.
But I agree with what you are saying. The good thing about Schenn is we know for sure that he will fill one of our holes up front. RW is the safest bet. Him and Tarasenko is a great 1-2 punch there, and we all know about our LW's. Which would leave us needing Barbashev or Sobotka to step up and perform at center, which could be a struggle...but at least it's a start.
High n Wide
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I knew that they intended to start Schenn at center, but I must've missed him saying that he wanted to himself. I'm glad to hear it and I hope it works out. We're in a good/bad situation where we have a place for Schenn that'll fill a need, but clearly he can't fill both.
I don't like our center situation, but I think that our "center by community" approach to the position will get us by for another season. It isn't ideal, but I think almost any of our players can play as a Band-Aid center on any line for a limited period and not be a blatant liability. We don't have a center that is going to take over a game and that's clearly what we need to continue to move forward as a team, but short of that I think our center situation is acceptable for the time being. I hope that Barbashev can continue to build on a pretty decent (and fast-tracked) start to his NHL career.
CaliforniaBlues310
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I'm thinking one of Schenn/Fabbri will open the season in the middle. If it is in fact Schenn, I'd love for one of the rookies to earn that 2RW spot and force Steen to the third line with Barbashev/Sobotka. Realistically, I just want Stastny to finally have a RHS(Kyrou/Thompson) on his line for once, even if it's just until Berglund comes back.
Those could very well be the opening night lines assuming best case for Fabbs at center. Too early to predict who will nail down the "open" top nine slot. If no one seizes it, then by committee until someone sticks. However, I would prefer to see Jaskin on the 4th line RW over Thorburn. And I think we'll miss Bergy's size in the top nine, so I wouldn't be opposed to Jasker manning his spot, if he earns it. We've seen DJ work his way off the 4th line before, and heck, maybe he and Barbs can rekindle some of the old Moncton magic.
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Majorityof1
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Sundqvist over Thorburn (punchy guy) and Jaskin. They are lookin gat Sundqvist for 3C, unless he blows it, he probably has at least a 4th line spot.
Celtic Note
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Sundqvist as our #3C seems to be a mistake move to me. We have better in house options.
STL fan in MN
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Sundqvist will get a shot at the 3C role but that doesn't mean he's the most likely to earn the spot though. I do agree that Sundqvist is likely to at least earn one of the 14 forward spots.
Majorityof1
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I agree. I hope Barbashev gets 3C with Sobotka on his wing to take face-offs. But if Sundqvist is in line for 3C, its unlikely he will be relegated to the press-box once he loses the battle. He can definitely play a 4th line role, and should beat Thorburn at the least, aside from spot games where we want a thug. I think Blues fans forget about him because he was an after-thought in the Reaves trade, but he is very much in the mix for one of the 4 open bottom 6 roles (Sobotka and Brodziak being the 2 set players). Bennett and Sanford may be 3rd line or bust, but Sundqvist is definitely capable in any 4th line role.
Edit: Also, Sundqvist is "in-house". Its not like we have to go out and get him. He has already been traded for. I know that's not what you meant, but it seems like he is an after-thought to a lot of Blues fans who don't realize we have him, he is good enough to play in the NHL, and that prior to the trade he in the plans for the defending Stanley Cup Champs to replace Cullen.
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I like giving Sundqvist a shot at 3C, if he sinks, slide him down to 4th line and no harm done. But if he can at least tread water, he may not play 3C regularly, but he can be a decent injury fill in, especially since none of our other spare forwards are centers.
Kootenay drafted him 1st overall in the import draft last year. That's likely the only reason why he's listed.
STL fan in MN
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I would guess that since they don't know if he'll be playing for the Wolves or Rampage yet that it's just showing as Kootenay since they hold his CHL rights? I mean, I suppose it's possible the eliteprospects guys know something we don't but I doubt it.
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