Prospect Info: St. Louis Blues Top-20 Prospects: #17

[Bluesnatic27]

The Blues 2020 - 2021 Top-20 Prospect List:
1) Klim Kostin - 61.3%
2) Scott Perunovich - 50%
3) Zachary Bolduc - 45.9%
4) Jake Neighbours - 63.8%
5) Simon Robertsson - 35.8%
6) Nikita Alexandrov - 62.1%
7) Joel Hofer - 72.1%
8) Colten Ellis - 33.3%
9) Matt Kessel - 48.8%
10) Alexei Toropchenko - 27.3%
11) Tyler Tucker - 43.6%
12) Leo Loof - 32.4%
13) Tanner Dickinson - 35.7%
14) Vadim Zherenko - 35.3%
15) Dylan Peterson - 48.6
16) Keean Washkurak - 57.1%

The sparkplug that is Washkurak takes the #16 spot. The guy just does not give up. Plain and simple really. He will hit the ice and not stop moving until he's called off or his legs meld together at the joints from overheating. He is the type of player that will become a fan favorite if he makes it to the big show. He won't be more than a third liner if he makes it that far. I don't think he'll be a physical force, but a player that aggressively hounds the puck for turnovers and defensive miscues. Personally, I don't think of his skating to be special, but that doesn't matter if he's in almost constant motion and plays with reckless abandon. The biggest question surrounding him is if he can succeed with the skillset he has now. He lacks a lot of defining tools that scouts look for in NHL talent and tries to make that up with his style fo play. That isn't to say he's poor in any of those skills. Rather none are true weapons that he can lean on in the future. That could work, or just as easily cause him to stall, similar to Tanner Kaspick in a way. Making the NHL is a tall order for any player and Washkurak will have a steep hill to climb. But he's fun to watch and the door isn't shut on his future just yet. Time will tell.

Voting for #17 starts now.

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[Ranksu]

Laferrierre just how good he looked in Traverse City tournament.

Kind of build soft spot on him. Fast, big, good possession of puck, understand game, good forechecker and shoots right. We lack of players who shoots right.

Couple years maturing and build strength. We might have in our hands pretty darn good 6th round prospect.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

McGing. But I wouldn't quibble with Laffer or even Galloway.

 

[Frenzy31]

McGing looked better in the prospect tournament, but..... I am not high on any of these guys.

 

[Memento]

Laferriere is my choice, and I'd have picked him even over Washkurak. Laferriere is going to be a solid bottom six option with offensive skill.

After him, I'd go with Galloway (gotta love size), Beck (left-handed defenseman from college, and the Blues seem to nail those picks), and finally, McGing (has surprising physicality, but is he big enough to handle a bottom six role and be in front of the net?) I don't know enough about Vorobyev, and Cranley is still a goalie (and I wouldn't have put any goalie anywhere near my top fifteen, let alone top ten; no offense meant to Hofer, Ellis and Zherenko).