- Jul 4, 2014
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Prospect Info: 2018 St. Louis Blues Prospect Camp
- Thread starter Blanick
- Start date
Dr Quincy
Registered User
- Jun 19, 2005
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This is incorrect. It is dependent on what league he was drafted from. Where he goes post draft doesn't matter.
EDIT: Just for a little more info- Had Toropchenko been drafted in the CHL draft BEFORE he was drafted by the NHL (for example, Svechnikov, Bokk and a bunch of other '18 NHL draftees were taken in last year's CHL import draft... the same one Toropchenko was taken in) then he would be bound by the NHL-CHL agreement.
However, he was drafted by the CHL a week after the NHL draft, so he is not bound by the agreement.
So what is the situation like for Bokk? He had been drafted in the Import Draft in 2017, played in Sweden for the 2017/18 season, if I'm not mistaken his CHL rights were released by Prince Albert before the NHL draft, and then he was drafted by the Blues and went undrafted in the 2018 CHL Import Draft.
These rules can be very confusing.
The Note in MI
Bow to the pyramid
Bokk will play in Sweden this coming year. 90% sure he will he in San Antonio the following year.
Several times throughout the week when talking to people there I made a Backes/Foley comparison and really do believe it to be accurate.
Can't wait to see write ups from @bluesfan3109 and @Bluesnatic27 and anyone else who decides to do one. Love to compare notes. I know 3109 and I had pretty different opinions on Foley for instance.
PiggySmalls
Oink Oink MF
- Mar 7, 2015
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Interesting, so why was Kostin not held to it? He was taken by Kootenay in the 2016 import draft then Blues drafted him in 2017. That agreement needs to be redone with clearer rules.
Only applies to players who were drafted while playing in CHL. Doesn't matter whether were previously drafted by CHL or whether they play there after NHL draft, only if current club at time of draft was in CHL then it applies.
(Standard Disclaimer: I never played the game, but have been a hockey fan about 60 years.) Here are my notes from Prospect Camp. Focused on a few players who stood out.
75 - Tyler Tucker. Tyler, if you could only skate. Noticeable every time he was on the ice (good and no so good). High energy level, plays straight up defense, and seems like his position was good when his skates could get him there. Kind of guy you really want to root for and hope he succeeds.
82 - Josh Dunne. Seemed to be pretty slick and had good breakouts and skated well for his size. I thought I read somewhere that he got an offer to play for Clarkson based on Prospect Camp.
56 - Hugh McGing. Other than knowing that he was just drafted, my first reaction was "who is this guy?" He's has a quick start and flies down the ice. My reaction to his goals were "How did that get into the net."
65 - Alexey Toropchecko. I first noticed him when they were doing the bungee cord drills and he was paired up will Kostin (more on Kostin below). This kid can pump it across across the ice better than anyone else I saw. Appears to be incredibly strong and add another 20 pounds to his frame, he will just throw people around the ice.
37 - Klim Kostim. He was paired up with Toropchecko during the bungee drills. Poor Klim. At one point, I thought he had hurt his shoulder in the one-arm pull, but then realized he was just gassed. Overall, he's got the tools but the toolbox needs some shiny.
39 - Mitch Reinke. I noticed him, I liked him, I have no idea why. Sounds like a perfect Defenseman.
52 - Erik Foley. Great one moment and then not-so-much 15 seconds later in the scrimmages. Watched him especially during the two-puck drills, controlling one puck with his skates and the other with his stick - just say no. As others have said, he appears to be a great locker room guy. He just needs to put it together and get there.
18 - Dominik Bokk. Slick.
33 - Jordan Kyrou - Silk.
My thanks to all the others who did writes for the camp. I was a fun camp for I guess the last time at The Mills (or whatever it's called the days). As for The Mills, "sad, just sad."
75 - Tyler Tucker. Tyler, if you could only skate. Noticeable every time he was on the ice (good and no so good). High energy level, plays straight up defense, and seems like his position was good when his skates could get him there. Kind of guy you really want to root for and hope he succeeds.
82 - Josh Dunne. Seemed to be pretty slick and had good breakouts and skated well for his size. I thought I read somewhere that he got an offer to play for Clarkson based on Prospect Camp.
56 - Hugh McGing. Other than knowing that he was just drafted, my first reaction was "who is this guy?" He's has a quick start and flies down the ice. My reaction to his goals were "How did that get into the net."
65 - Alexey Toropchecko. I first noticed him when they were doing the bungee cord drills and he was paired up will Kostin (more on Kostin below). This kid can pump it across across the ice better than anyone else I saw. Appears to be incredibly strong and add another 20 pounds to his frame, he will just throw people around the ice.
37 - Klim Kostim. He was paired up with Toropchecko during the bungee drills. Poor Klim. At one point, I thought he had hurt his shoulder in the one-arm pull, but then realized he was just gassed. Overall, he's got the tools but the toolbox needs some shiny.
39 - Mitch Reinke. I noticed him, I liked him, I have no idea why. Sounds like a perfect Defenseman.
52 - Erik Foley. Great one moment and then not-so-much 15 seconds later in the scrimmages. Watched him especially during the two-puck drills, controlling one puck with his skates and the other with his stick - just say no. As others have said, he appears to be a great locker room guy. He just needs to put it together and get there.
18 - Dominik Bokk. Slick.
33 - Jordan Kyrou - Silk.
My thanks to all the others who did writes for the camp. I was a fun camp for I guess the last time at The Mills (or whatever it's called the days). As for The Mills, "sad, just sad."
Thanks all. I normally would have attended one or two days of this, but I'm stuck studying for the bar for two months (ugh)...this thread provided me with some much needed study breaks. With that said, I need to get back to studying...
Borderbluesfan
Registered User
I also noticed this the one time I saw Kostin in SA. He looked really good on the ice as an individual player, but didn't seem to mesh with his line. Left the defensive zone early a couple of times hoping for a break. Seemed like he was mostly playing 3rd line in that game. I'm excited to see how the Blues minor league coaches will use the Blues prospects in San Antonio this next year. Will be going to every game I can make in San Antonio next year!!
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rumrokh
THORBS
- Mar 10, 2006
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Give me Thompson or maybe even Kyrou on that line for now. Kostin has ability and potential, but he hasn't remotely convinced me he's ready for those minutes/match-ups, yet. I mean, just playing in the NHL would be a start. I think he has more room to grow before being thrown to the wolves like that. I know he's played more pro hockey than Kyrou has, but I think Kyrou is closer to being what he'll have to be in the NHL.
Last edited:
bluesfan3109
Let's Go Blues!!!
Ok @Blanick talked me into one of these because we do have a couple differing opinions, but some very much the same so here we go...
Invitees
Amonte, J.Thomas, Rueschhoff, Dunne, Davies
-Not going to give you a write up on them, they were there to fill space, but nothing special from this group, they each showed moments that were good, but also a lot of sloppy meh from them as a whole.
Goalies
Joel Hoffer
-He plays a big game, looks like he's taking up the whole net even when he drops into a butterfly, but gosh he has to learn some rebound control, I see a little Allen in him with being overly aggressive in certain situations that get him way out of position, overall I see potential here and am excited to see what he does with the starting job with Swift Current next season.
Luke Opilka
-I'm a little disappointed because he was having such a good run with Kitchner before he got hurt multiple times and never seemed to get right, he has decent size but plays very small, T-rex arms at all times and butterflies at quickly as possible leaving all corners open to be sniped, not giving up on him because we have seen solid numbers before and hopefully he's still getting back to 100% from those hip surgeries, but that hope is fading for me.
Evan Fitzpatrick
-Hands down the best tendy in camp, plays big, usually real good positioning, great lateral movement, very fluid in his movements, get rebound control and recovery, looks like he is constantly competing, as I told blanick that blocker side needs fixed because he would see it and overcompensate and let in a weak catcher side goal right after, I see NHL in his future whether it's as a starter or backup or fringe guy is too be determined but there's a ton to like here.
Defenseman
Mitch Reinke
-He's not a big guy, he doesn't have blazing speed, not the hardest shot, but is solid in everything he does, he's got pretty good offensive instincts to jump up into the play, and I really like his active stick when defending and taking away passing lanes, I don't think he's ever going to wow us defensively, but can definitely see him being a 5-6-7 type role that could provide a little offense.
Trenton Bourque/Grant Frederic
-These were disappointments for me, they've been in camp before and know what they need to do and I felt like I was constantly searching to find them in drills and scrimmage just to see anything to post about, I know I saw Bourque with a splint of some sort under a glove so maybe that held him back, but there's nothing here that excites me to be honest. I guess if I'm going with disappearing act I could throw the nonexistent Anton Andersson in this group lol.
David Noel
-Not gonna wow you offensively, but plays a solid defensive game, pretty good positioning, pretty good skater, I think he could be a tweener for me at least, want to see more of him of him still to get a better assessment.
Scott Perunovich
-The first thing about him is he's TINY!!! He made little guys look like giants standing next to him, he was only a participant the first day so didn't get to see a whole lot of him, but I saw a solid skater with good edge work, but not top notch by any means, seemed like a decent puck handler, again I wanted to see more game action from him to see how he transitions and jumps into plays and defends being so small, but that didn't happen, everything tells me he's got good hockey IQ, but I think the skating even though it's solid needs to be better and needs to bulk up if he wants to be an NHL player, can he do it yes, will he, we'll see.
Tyler Tucker
-Day 1, I've lost all hope for this kid, I could have skated circles around him in these drills in my goalie skates, but every other day I liked what I saw, he's big not afraid to take the body, good positionally on d, has good hockey IQ to jump into a rush even though his skating compares to Cam Janssen (yes worse than Jaskin easily), if this kid can get a power skating coach and learn some agility, I bet money he's an NHLer, I like him a lot might be a 5-6 stay at home defenseman, but that's A-ok with me.
Forwards
Jordan Kyrou
-We all should know what he is at this point, for me that's an NHL ready speedster with soft hands, he's smooth, he's smart, and he wants the puck in the offensive zone and he should, love this kids upside, do think he still has a ways to go defensively which whatever stick him with someone who can compensate for him for now he's ready.
Dominik Bokk
-Liked this kid coming into the draft didn't think we had a shot of getting him and after this camp I've fallen in love and can't stop drooling over him, kid is electric good not great speed, but dynamic agility and quickness, I hate the stickhandling in a phone booth analogy but it looks like the puck and his stick are connected with a string and it just goes anywhere he wants it and stays on his stick making multiple defenders look silly, average shot but very accurate, solid one timer, and best passer I've seen in a long time, makes passes no one else should try or would see, great vision, puck hound on the backcheck, my only knock on him is he can get lost in the d-zone, but he's 18 and hasn't had to do it much I think playing in the SHL this year will be great for him....Our big 5 in my eyes at this point is Thomas, Kyrou, Bokk, Kostin, Thompson...that's how much this kid impresses me.
Eric Foley
-Here's where I have differing opinions that most so take it as you will, everyone seems to be in love with this kid, I am not, I think he has potential, but I don't see anything higher than a 3rd line guy max from him, I think his skating needs work, I think he's a bad puckhandler, but do like his power move to the net, he has an awesome shot and release if he could learn some accuracy and hit the net ever, and I love his board play, Foley goes into the boards two opponents go in also Foley comes out with the puck every time, listen I don't think he's a bad player, I just don't get the hype here if you do great, but I'm not buying it.
Alexey Torpechenko
-Man do I love this kid! Been tweeting JR for days trying to get a report or thoughts from him and I'm sure he's pissed at me, but this kid is for real, he's big, skates well, drives the net, is a puck hound both ends of the ice, compete level 1000, every time he was on the ice he had a scoring chance, which lies his weaknesses, he doesn't have the greatest of hands but good enough to power his way to the net, and very little finish, I'm hoping his second year in NA ups his offensive game because this kid will be an NHLer no question in my mind.
Klim Kostin
-I didn't think he had a great camp, others disagree, but I didn't see a whole lot that was spectacular, I think his skating and endurance needs work as I've said every time I've mentioned him, I think his puckhandling is ok, but not great while at speed, he did show excellent patience in the offensive zone to let plays open up but he looked hesitant a lot of times and tried to force passes instead of stepping up and letting it rip, which was one of my disappointments I don't know if I ever saw him unload that heavy shot he possess (I didn't get to be at the last scrimmage), if a trade is held up because they want Kostin instead of Thompson I pull that trigger honestly, I like the tools and potential I just worry he doesn't have a toolbox...again he's still very young and developing his game and transitioning to the NA style so we'll see, but right now he isn't what I hoped he'd be.
Mathias LaFerriere/Hugh McGing
-Wasn't a fan of either pick if I'm being honest and the first day of camp left me saying meh, but as the week went on the more and more I like these kids, I group them together because I kinda have the same feelings about them, both constant battlers with good quickness, both little guys with some handles and can find soft spots for chances, I like the Andy MacDonald comparison.
Nolan Stevens
-I like him, but still wanted to see more, showed flashes that got you excited, followed by just averageness, not overly excellent at anything, but decent at everything, solid hands, solid shot, I see him as a 3rd/4th liner pk role type player in his future.
Austin Poganski/Nikolaj Krag
-Probably my two biggest disappointments, excited to see them take the next step since they've been to multiple camps now, but like Bourque/Frederic I had to search to find them throughout the week, they didn't do anything that was worrisome other than they didn't stand out at all, I think they are both solid skaters and show two way aspects, but they were disappearing acts and I know how you all think Krag is our future 1C so sorry to disappoint you all, but yeah disappointed.
Filip Helt
-Missed the first day so really tried to focus in on him the rest of camp and like I said before he intrigues me as a prospect because I like a lot of things I saw from him, hand eye, edge work, puckhandling, but felt like he was a nonfactor during scrimmages for the most part, definitely need to see more but hard since he plays in the Czech league.
Tanner Kaspick
-Put up over a point per game in the WHL last year so was looking to see how his offensive game looked and I didn't see it, I liked his hustle, work ethic, compete level, always battling, super hard on the back check, pretty quick, good skater, just didn't see the offensive game from him I was looking forward to seeing, excited to see what he does in the AHL this year.
That was rough, but hope you all get something from it, creates dialogue, whatever. I'm someone who doesn't care if you have a differing opinion than mine, that's great creates good conversation, so please feel free to chat me up about anything you want to know from my eyes or disagree with that's what makes this fun. They're all kids with a long way to go and no one really knows how it'll end up. Hope you enjoyed!
Invitees
Amonte, J.Thomas, Rueschhoff, Dunne, Davies
-Not going to give you a write up on them, they were there to fill space, but nothing special from this group, they each showed moments that were good, but also a lot of sloppy meh from them as a whole.
Goalies
Joel Hoffer
-He plays a big game, looks like he's taking up the whole net even when he drops into a butterfly, but gosh he has to learn some rebound control, I see a little Allen in him with being overly aggressive in certain situations that get him way out of position, overall I see potential here and am excited to see what he does with the starting job with Swift Current next season.
Luke Opilka
-I'm a little disappointed because he was having such a good run with Kitchner before he got hurt multiple times and never seemed to get right, he has decent size but plays very small, T-rex arms at all times and butterflies at quickly as possible leaving all corners open to be sniped, not giving up on him because we have seen solid numbers before and hopefully he's still getting back to 100% from those hip surgeries, but that hope is fading for me.
Evan Fitzpatrick
-Hands down the best tendy in camp, plays big, usually real good positioning, great lateral movement, very fluid in his movements, get rebound control and recovery, looks like he is constantly competing, as I told blanick that blocker side needs fixed because he would see it and overcompensate and let in a weak catcher side goal right after, I see NHL in his future whether it's as a starter or backup or fringe guy is too be determined but there's a ton to like here.
Defenseman
Mitch Reinke
-He's not a big guy, he doesn't have blazing speed, not the hardest shot, but is solid in everything he does, he's got pretty good offensive instincts to jump up into the play, and I really like his active stick when defending and taking away passing lanes, I don't think he's ever going to wow us defensively, but can definitely see him being a 5-6-7 type role that could provide a little offense.
Trenton Bourque/Grant Frederic
-These were disappointments for me, they've been in camp before and know what they need to do and I felt like I was constantly searching to find them in drills and scrimmage just to see anything to post about, I know I saw Bourque with a splint of some sort under a glove so maybe that held him back, but there's nothing here that excites me to be honest. I guess if I'm going with disappearing act I could throw the nonexistent Anton Andersson in this group lol.
David Noel
-Not gonna wow you offensively, but plays a solid defensive game, pretty good positioning, pretty good skater, I think he could be a tweener for me at least, want to see more of him of him still to get a better assessment.
Scott Perunovich
-The first thing about him is he's TINY!!! He made little guys look like giants standing next to him, he was only a participant the first day so didn't get to see a whole lot of him, but I saw a solid skater with good edge work, but not top notch by any means, seemed like a decent puck handler, again I wanted to see more game action from him to see how he transitions and jumps into plays and defends being so small, but that didn't happen, everything tells me he's got good hockey IQ, but I think the skating even though it's solid needs to be better and needs to bulk up if he wants to be an NHL player, can he do it yes, will he, we'll see.
Tyler Tucker
-Day 1, I've lost all hope for this kid, I could have skated circles around him in these drills in my goalie skates, but every other day I liked what I saw, he's big not afraid to take the body, good positionally on d, has good hockey IQ to jump into a rush even though his skating compares to Cam Janssen (yes worse than Jaskin easily), if this kid can get a power skating coach and learn some agility, I bet money he's an NHLer, I like him a lot might be a 5-6 stay at home defenseman, but that's A-ok with me.
Forwards
Jordan Kyrou
-We all should know what he is at this point, for me that's an NHL ready speedster with soft hands, he's smooth, he's smart, and he wants the puck in the offensive zone and he should, love this kids upside, do think he still has a ways to go defensively which whatever stick him with someone who can compensate for him for now he's ready.
Dominik Bokk
-Liked this kid coming into the draft didn't think we had a shot of getting him and after this camp I've fallen in love and can't stop drooling over him, kid is electric good not great speed, but dynamic agility and quickness, I hate the stickhandling in a phone booth analogy but it looks like the puck and his stick are connected with a string and it just goes anywhere he wants it and stays on his stick making multiple defenders look silly, average shot but very accurate, solid one timer, and best passer I've seen in a long time, makes passes no one else should try or would see, great vision, puck hound on the backcheck, my only knock on him is he can get lost in the d-zone, but he's 18 and hasn't had to do it much I think playing in the SHL this year will be great for him....Our big 5 in my eyes at this point is Thomas, Kyrou, Bokk, Kostin, Thompson...that's how much this kid impresses me.
Eric Foley
-Here's where I have differing opinions that most so take it as you will, everyone seems to be in love with this kid, I am not, I think he has potential, but I don't see anything higher than a 3rd line guy max from him, I think his skating needs work, I think he's a bad puckhandler, but do like his power move to the net, he has an awesome shot and release if he could learn some accuracy and hit the net ever, and I love his board play, Foley goes into the boards two opponents go in also Foley comes out with the puck every time, listen I don't think he's a bad player, I just don't get the hype here if you do great, but I'm not buying it.
Alexey Torpechenko
-Man do I love this kid! Been tweeting JR for days trying to get a report or thoughts from him and I'm sure he's pissed at me, but this kid is for real, he's big, skates well, drives the net, is a puck hound both ends of the ice, compete level 1000, every time he was on the ice he had a scoring chance, which lies his weaknesses, he doesn't have the greatest of hands but good enough to power his way to the net, and very little finish, I'm hoping his second year in NA ups his offensive game because this kid will be an NHLer no question in my mind.
Klim Kostin
-I didn't think he had a great camp, others disagree, but I didn't see a whole lot that was spectacular, I think his skating and endurance needs work as I've said every time I've mentioned him, I think his puckhandling is ok, but not great while at speed, he did show excellent patience in the offensive zone to let plays open up but he looked hesitant a lot of times and tried to force passes instead of stepping up and letting it rip, which was one of my disappointments I don't know if I ever saw him unload that heavy shot he possess (I didn't get to be at the last scrimmage), if a trade is held up because they want Kostin instead of Thompson I pull that trigger honestly, I like the tools and potential I just worry he doesn't have a toolbox...again he's still very young and developing his game and transitioning to the NA style so we'll see, but right now he isn't what I hoped he'd be.
Mathias LaFerriere/Hugh McGing
-Wasn't a fan of either pick if I'm being honest and the first day of camp left me saying meh, but as the week went on the more and more I like these kids, I group them together because I kinda have the same feelings about them, both constant battlers with good quickness, both little guys with some handles and can find soft spots for chances, I like the Andy MacDonald comparison.
Nolan Stevens
-I like him, but still wanted to see more, showed flashes that got you excited, followed by just averageness, not overly excellent at anything, but decent at everything, solid hands, solid shot, I see him as a 3rd/4th liner pk role type player in his future.
Austin Poganski/Nikolaj Krag
-Probably my two biggest disappointments, excited to see them take the next step since they've been to multiple camps now, but like Bourque/Frederic I had to search to find them throughout the week, they didn't do anything that was worrisome other than they didn't stand out at all, I think they are both solid skaters and show two way aspects, but they were disappearing acts and I know how you all think Krag is our future 1C so sorry to disappoint you all, but yeah disappointed.
Filip Helt
-Missed the first day so really tried to focus in on him the rest of camp and like I said before he intrigues me as a prospect because I like a lot of things I saw from him, hand eye, edge work, puckhandling, but felt like he was a nonfactor during scrimmages for the most part, definitely need to see more but hard since he plays in the Czech league.
Tanner Kaspick
-Put up over a point per game in the WHL last year so was looking to see how his offensive game looked and I didn't see it, I liked his hustle, work ethic, compete level, always battling, super hard on the back check, pretty quick, good skater, just didn't see the offensive game from him I was looking forward to seeing, excited to see what he does in the AHL this year.
That was rough, but hope you all get something from it, creates dialogue, whatever. I'm someone who doesn't care if you have a differing opinion than mine, that's great creates good conversation, so please feel free to chat me up about anything you want to know from my eyes or disagree with that's what makes this fun. They're all kids with a long way to go and no one really knows how it'll end up. Hope you enjoyed!
Itsnotatrap
Registered User
- Oct 6, 2013
- 1,294
- 1,600
I follow Michigan Tech hockey, so am glad to hear mostly positive reports on Reinke. I’m glad we’re getting into the college FA game, regardless of my personal bias towards Reinke. That said, if you are 22 years old, you should hold up pretty well in prospect camp. The real test will be in the fall for him.
mk80
Registered User
- Jul 30, 2012
- 8,024
- 8,547
@Blanick Great writeup! I agree with a lot of your thoughts (although we have to agree to disagree on Foley)...
My comments for discussion that I want to add:
I stood behind the net most days and your goalie reviews are spot on! Fitzpatrick looks like the most potential, as I said in another post sometimes it looked like Opilka and Hoffer were just going through the motions of drills. Hoffer is big but that's really all I liked on him, although he did have a great sequence of saves in the last scrimmage, hoping to see more as well after another year in Swift Current. Opilka was average in my opinion, nothing flashy, nothing too terrible for me to give up on him yet.
Kostin: Especially in the scrimmages I felt he was trying to do too much (although he was the bulk of yellow's offense, along with Toropchenko). He is definitely strong, I think we'll see more impact from him in SA this year.
Kaspick: Being on the end and around the net for the drills and such, you can tell he's got the skills to succeed in juniors, and I'm interested to see how he adapts in San Antonio. Potential is there, he just to tap into it. Same thoughts on Toropchenko, I would bet he goes back to Guelph next season, but I'm also interested to see if he could possibly go to the Rampage.
Reinke and Amonte: I really liked their work ethic. I could tell they really cared about focusing on the drills and improving their game and just taking the extra steps sometimes to work on things. Reinke I agree is nothing flashy, and while he was used sparingly in that blowout loss to Arizona I felt like my thoughts from that game are same coming out of this camp, he is certainly a capable defenseman and with some time in the AHL I'm sure he could be a bottom pair/ 7th D type NHLer.
Poganski: I feel he matches the type of player that is decent but seems to fly under the radar, which can be a good or bad thing. He's not some sort of offensive powerhouse type guy but I think he does the little things right. Overall I think seeing him in last year's camp and this one, he looked more impressive last year to me.
My comments for discussion that I want to add:
I stood behind the net most days and your goalie reviews are spot on! Fitzpatrick looks like the most potential, as I said in another post sometimes it looked like Opilka and Hoffer were just going through the motions of drills. Hoffer is big but that's really all I liked on him, although he did have a great sequence of saves in the last scrimmage, hoping to see more as well after another year in Swift Current. Opilka was average in my opinion, nothing flashy, nothing too terrible for me to give up on him yet.
Kostin: Especially in the scrimmages I felt he was trying to do too much (although he was the bulk of yellow's offense, along with Toropchenko). He is definitely strong, I think we'll see more impact from him in SA this year.
Kaspick: Being on the end and around the net for the drills and such, you can tell he's got the skills to succeed in juniors, and I'm interested to see how he adapts in San Antonio. Potential is there, he just to tap into it. Same thoughts on Toropchenko, I would bet he goes back to Guelph next season, but I'm also interested to see if he could possibly go to the Rampage.
Reinke and Amonte: I really liked their work ethic. I could tell they really cared about focusing on the drills and improving their game and just taking the extra steps sometimes to work on things. Reinke I agree is nothing flashy, and while he was used sparingly in that blowout loss to Arizona I felt like my thoughts from that game are same coming out of this camp, he is certainly a capable defenseman and with some time in the AHL I'm sure he could be a bottom pair/ 7th D type NHLer.
Poganski: I feel he matches the type of player that is decent but seems to fly under the radar, which can be a good or bad thing. He's not some sort of offensive powerhouse type guy but I think he does the little things right. Overall I think seeing him in last year's camp and this one, he looked more impressive last year to me.
I just wanted to thank Blanick, bluesfan3109, Bluesnatic27 and all other contributors for taking the time and effort to attend and report on the Blues Prospects Camp. I really enjoyed the writeups. They were informed, insightful and entertaining! Thank you all very much!
Bluesnatic27
Registered User
- Aug 5, 2011
- 4,714
- 3,212
Okay, I apologize for the late reports. I did attend both Wednesday's and Friday's camp, but I haven't really had the time to sit down to write my thoughts. Now that I have some time, I'll put in both days notes into this report. With that out fo the way, let's begin.
Tanner Kaspick:
Kaspick has seen some rise in his stock after his draft year. From being captain of the Brandon Wheat Kings to almost making Team Canada for the WJC, there's been a growing hum pertaining to his future. However, I've always been a sort of detractor of his simply because I don't see him having enough to find a future in the NHL given the role he's shooting for (4th line forward). After camp, my feelings have not changed. I don't think he has the necessary tools or intangibles to fit into a bottom-6 role. His skating is adequate, but his edge-work, speed, and balance are all average at best. His shot isn't lethal. His puck control isn't that great. By and large, there isn't anything I'd say he does very well. That wouldn't be an indictment if he had apparent intangibles to use so as to be effective in game, but I couldn't see anything in that department either. Granted, it is a camp, so spotting intangible elements to a players game might be akin to looking for a humpback in Syria. However, I would still like to see more out of Kaspick before I start projecting him into an NHL line-up. At this point, he just seems like a vanilla forward that doesn't have much to help him standout in any meaningful ways.
Trenton Bourque:
Bourque is one of the more interesting stories in camp. I'm sure many here have taken a gander at his HockeyDB page, and I'm sure the same people have all given up on him just from what they saw on that page. The guy has 1 goal in 243 career OHL games, both regular season and playoffs. So to say he's a defensive defenseman might be a little too mildly put. Although, I do remember coming out of last year's camp feeling surprisingly pleasant towards Bourque. I liked his ability to read developing defensive play and his mobility put himself in the most opportune areas to cancel out offensive chances. He was so good defensively last year, that I quickly put him in my folder of "keep and eye on". Well after this years camp, I can't say I saw much progression from Bourque. That doesn't mean he regressed, he just sort of flatlined. His strengths of mobility and reads are still finely tuned. But his shot is still as lethal as puppy wearing pillow armor and his puck-handling is only adequate. But that wouldn't be so bad if he was engaged in the play a la Mikkola. But, as Blanick said to me when we met at the camp Friday, Bourque is WAY too conservative of a player. He knows exactly where to be to intercept passes and close out shooting lanes, but he avoids the puck like its infected. It's actually enlightening seeing him in the scrimmages because from his skills and abilities, you would still think he could hit 25+ points a season in juniors. I really can't say he's bad. In fact, I could argue he's well polished for a junior defenseman. But unless he realizes that the puck isn't a pinecone on his lawn, or something that should be kept as opposed to flicked into his neighbors yard, his development will be stifled.
Nikolaj Krag:
Ah yes, now comes the Danish Malkin. I could try to come up with some interesting introduction, but that nickname is about as good as it's going to get. I know the jokes surrounding this guy are plenty, and I highly doubt many actually expect him to hit the NHL level. Saying that, I can't help feeling disappointed with the guy this year. Krag is a nice finesse player with a good frame and a decent shot. He came into camp two years ago and took me by surprise with just how effective he could be. He sort of reminded me of Blais with more skill but a lower IQ. And coming into this camp, things looked better as he looks to have filled out some. His skating is still passable, albeit a bit slow. His shot is still decent with adequate torque upon the initial release. His puck-handling is still a bit stiff, but I think it looks better than what I saw in years past. So if he looks better than what I remember, why did I leave disappointed? Well, honestly, Krag just looked disinterested the entire camp. He didn't standout much in the scrimmages until Friday. He hardly ever seemed to engage in the play when I watched. It started effecting the drills as well, as he seemed to just go through the motions instead of taking the drills seriously. I don't like a disinterested player not because of any character questions, but because it makes my job harder deciphering his overall improvements or not. So I ended up disappointed because I can't make any deeper insights. At least during Friday's scrimmage, I saw Krag break through the defense multiple times and create to golden scoring chances. But that only confounds the issue now because Krag could have improved more than I originally thought. In the end, he's still a long shot from making the NHL, and I would be surprised if he ever did. He still needs to speed up, or become more agile in spite of his speed, and work on controlling the puck better to counteract the limited space he'll see on NA ice.
Dominik Bokk:
So I finally get to get a live look at the prospect I've been hoping the Blues would draft all year. And just to ruin any suspense, I like what I see. He's a puck-handling genius. He can maintain possession at top speed and can dangle through traffic with acrobatic like agility. He's so good at it, in fact, that he gives off this illusion of being fast. His top speed isn't that impressive, and his acceleration is about average from what I saw. But it looks like he's going so much faster when he's dangling the puck and using his superb lateral movement. It makes it seem like he can just blow past people with minimal effort simply by side-stepping into open areas of the ice without much warning. It makes him incredibly dangerous anytime he steps onto the ice. However, he is still raw, and I think much more raw than most would think. His strengths are lethal, but his deficiencies are in need of quite a bit of work. He stands too upright and his foot speed needs work. His shot isn't lethal in terms of fundamentals or technique, but he can make use of it with his superb agility. His defense is questionable, but what 18-year-old, RWer's isn't questionable? All-in-all, he's a prospect that can be a grand-slam if he puts it together, but it will take time and careful preparation to do so. Like a 2000 piece puzzle where the pieces are made of glass, I can see what makes him spectacular, but he's not going to amount to much if mishandled... or given to your children.
Mitch Reinke:
I was quietly excited for Reinke after the signing because he had been compared to Kris Russell before he stepped foot in a Blues uniform. I had always viewed Russell as an unheralded player, so hearing the Blues acquired another one without using any meaningful resource filled me with glee. After watching him throughout camp, I can't say I was left disappointed. I quite like what Reinke brings to the table. He's not imposing physically, but I think his vision was only rivaled by Perunovich in camp. He constantly reads developing plays well, and limits the amount of space opposing players will receive when entering the offenzive zone. He makes use of his size as well, as he keeps himself low to the ground in order to maximize his balance and make incredibly tight turns. His hand-eye coordination is great when blocking passes and stealing pucks away from opposing players. I think him and Bourque were the standouts defensively during camp, but as I said before, Bourque seemed way too passive for his own good. In this respect, Reinke is a superior player to Bourque as Reinke would jump into plays constantly. He would get burned occasionally, but I would rather see an initiative to enter plays as opposed to always worrying about making mistakes. Reinke has given me hope that he does have an NHL future if he develops his skating, more specifically his acceleration. His shot and passing aren't going to win him any awards, but I think his defensive strengths will make him a net positive for the franchise, if he were to reach the NHL.
Nolan Stevens:
I'm just going to say it, Stevens reminds me of Logan Couture... I don't like giving out player comparisons unless the resemblance is uncanny because the message could easily be misconstrued in translation. But as a stylistic comparison, I can't think of anyone but Couture when I look at Stevens. I've always viewed both as having good skills, but nothing elite. However, both use their tools effectively to enter the slot in the offensive zone to get off high-danger shots or create general havoc. Whether it be using their bodies to their advantage, dangling their way through, or just beating defense cleanly, both make it their personal goal to get in close to score. Now, I'm not saying Stevens will be as effective as Couture. Stevens has a good shot to go along with his good, albeit choppy, skating and can read developing plays adequately. His defense is above the majority at camp, but that isn't as much as a compliment to him as opposed to an indictment of the field. Stevens is a well rounded player that could become an NHL player. Yet, Couture-like players are those that are increasingly hard to find because NHL players usually have particular skills or abilities that help them standout in one or more ways. Having a jack-of-all trades kind of player is not something that's common, and even less common to see one as effective as Couture. Hell, plenty here are going to tell me that Couture isn't even the kind of player that I'm describing because he'll have one aspect I'm overlooking. But if that were the case, than that just better emphasizes my point. I like Stevens, but I can't make predictions about his future until I see how effective he can be against AHL players. If I were to give a conservative estimate, I would say that he's destined for the newly opened third-line the Blues have, but he has room to grow if his play-style pans out. He's a player that I would keep a close eye on in the upcoming year.
Tyler Tucker:
I don't think I need to go much into Tucker simply because everyone else has given an accurate assessment. His skating is bad. Sure, his stride is powerful, but his edgework, balance, and speed are well below average. His puck-handling is also below average as he can't receive or dish out passes well. His shot is not great, as his release is slow and doesn't seem to put much onto it when the puck comes off. I can see why people like him though. He's big and strong, and easily pushes anyone off the puck when he makes contact with opposing players. I'm also the first to admit that a camp like this doesn't do much to showcase his actual strengths, i.e. his nasty side. I'm not writing him off just yet, but I don't have high hopes for his future as of this moment unless his skating takes serious strides going forward. I think he can deal without a great shot or passing ability as long as he can skate well and maintain puck possession. However, he would be scraping the bottom of the barrel if that's all he had to work with.
Jordan Kyrou:
Plenty of you are going to be hoping and praying for an in-depth report on Kyrou. Well I'm sorry to disappoint, but I don't have much to talk about. Mostly because I don't think there is anything I can add that people don't already know. He's far-and-away the most polished player in camp. His skating is a thing of beauty. His vision is fantastic. He's constantly a danger when on the ice as he's able to maintain superb puck possession at high speeds. The only real complaint is his ability to handle the puck at a stand-still. This might be a little weird to comment on, but Kyrou is the opposite of Bokk in this regard. Bokk gives off the illusion of speed by being agile and moving the puck quickly. Kyrou gives off the illusion of superb puck possession by moving fast and breaking away from opposing player with his skating. It looks like he keeps the puck on a string, but in reality, he's not doing anything fantastic with it. The defensive players are simply caught reaching for Kyrou's stick as opposed to Kyrou tripping them up. But other than that observation, I don't see much Kyrou doesn't excel at in this point of time. That doesn't mean I think he's NHL ready. A camp like this is near impossible to determine something like that. He's excelling against very inexperienced competition, so I can't gauge where he is relative to where he needs to be. Kyrou is exciting. I don't think much more needs to be said after that. I can't wait to see where he goes from here.
Austin Poganski:
I've described him as an explosive player in the past because his first three steps might be the best in camp those years. Things haven't changed this year either, as his acceleration is a sight to behold. He moves ahead of everyone within the first few seconds of any play. The problem is, that's all he really has. His shot and puck-handling aren't great, as he would routinely miss simple shots on the numerous breakaways he would create. Also, for a guy with ridiculous acceleration, he doesn't seem to have a high top speed. He's kind of like an electric car with a great amount of torque, but not much strength to move quickly after the first few seconds. I wouldn't mind so much if he had made it clear that his game is about defense or physicality, but it seems to me that Poganski views himself as a skill player. He doesn't play the game extravagantly, but I don't envision him playing the simple, hard working game he would/should succeed at. I think his acceleration would be a great asset to have when playing a heavily defensive game. If he would stop shying away from board battles and made use of his strength, I'm sure he could get a Cracknell-like treatment at the NHL level. But I wouldn't give him too much hope even then given how hard it is to find the right situation for such a player to be needed on any given team. All-in-all, I can't say I'm a big fan of Poganski at this stage. There are other internal options I would rather see move on to the big club.
Okay, that's what I have written down and I do apologize for such lated reports. Thankfully Blanick and co. were able to tide you over in my absence. If there is anyone I missed reporting, just ask and I'll give you my thoughts on them.
Tanner Kaspick:
Kaspick has seen some rise in his stock after his draft year. From being captain of the Brandon Wheat Kings to almost making Team Canada for the WJC, there's been a growing hum pertaining to his future. However, I've always been a sort of detractor of his simply because I don't see him having enough to find a future in the NHL given the role he's shooting for (4th line forward). After camp, my feelings have not changed. I don't think he has the necessary tools or intangibles to fit into a bottom-6 role. His skating is adequate, but his edge-work, speed, and balance are all average at best. His shot isn't lethal. His puck control isn't that great. By and large, there isn't anything I'd say he does very well. That wouldn't be an indictment if he had apparent intangibles to use so as to be effective in game, but I couldn't see anything in that department either. Granted, it is a camp, so spotting intangible elements to a players game might be akin to looking for a humpback in Syria. However, I would still like to see more out of Kaspick before I start projecting him into an NHL line-up. At this point, he just seems like a vanilla forward that doesn't have much to help him standout in any meaningful ways.
Trenton Bourque:
Bourque is one of the more interesting stories in camp. I'm sure many here have taken a gander at his HockeyDB page, and I'm sure the same people have all given up on him just from what they saw on that page. The guy has 1 goal in 243 career OHL games, both regular season and playoffs. So to say he's a defensive defenseman might be a little too mildly put. Although, I do remember coming out of last year's camp feeling surprisingly pleasant towards Bourque. I liked his ability to read developing defensive play and his mobility put himself in the most opportune areas to cancel out offensive chances. He was so good defensively last year, that I quickly put him in my folder of "keep and eye on". Well after this years camp, I can't say I saw much progression from Bourque. That doesn't mean he regressed, he just sort of flatlined. His strengths of mobility and reads are still finely tuned. But his shot is still as lethal as puppy wearing pillow armor and his puck-handling is only adequate. But that wouldn't be so bad if he was engaged in the play a la Mikkola. But, as Blanick said to me when we met at the camp Friday, Bourque is WAY too conservative of a player. He knows exactly where to be to intercept passes and close out shooting lanes, but he avoids the puck like its infected. It's actually enlightening seeing him in the scrimmages because from his skills and abilities, you would still think he could hit 25+ points a season in juniors. I really can't say he's bad. In fact, I could argue he's well polished for a junior defenseman. But unless he realizes that the puck isn't a pinecone on his lawn, or something that should be kept as opposed to flicked into his neighbors yard, his development will be stifled.
Nikolaj Krag:
Ah yes, now comes the Danish Malkin. I could try to come up with some interesting introduction, but that nickname is about as good as it's going to get. I know the jokes surrounding this guy are plenty, and I highly doubt many actually expect him to hit the NHL level. Saying that, I can't help feeling disappointed with the guy this year. Krag is a nice finesse player with a good frame and a decent shot. He came into camp two years ago and took me by surprise with just how effective he could be. He sort of reminded me of Blais with more skill but a lower IQ. And coming into this camp, things looked better as he looks to have filled out some. His skating is still passable, albeit a bit slow. His shot is still decent with adequate torque upon the initial release. His puck-handling is still a bit stiff, but I think it looks better than what I saw in years past. So if he looks better than what I remember, why did I leave disappointed? Well, honestly, Krag just looked disinterested the entire camp. He didn't standout much in the scrimmages until Friday. He hardly ever seemed to engage in the play when I watched. It started effecting the drills as well, as he seemed to just go through the motions instead of taking the drills seriously. I don't like a disinterested player not because of any character questions, but because it makes my job harder deciphering his overall improvements or not. So I ended up disappointed because I can't make any deeper insights. At least during Friday's scrimmage, I saw Krag break through the defense multiple times and create to golden scoring chances. But that only confounds the issue now because Krag could have improved more than I originally thought. In the end, he's still a long shot from making the NHL, and I would be surprised if he ever did. He still needs to speed up, or become more agile in spite of his speed, and work on controlling the puck better to counteract the limited space he'll see on NA ice.
Dominik Bokk:
So I finally get to get a live look at the prospect I've been hoping the Blues would draft all year. And just to ruin any suspense, I like what I see. He's a puck-handling genius. He can maintain possession at top speed and can dangle through traffic with acrobatic like agility. He's so good at it, in fact, that he gives off this illusion of being fast. His top speed isn't that impressive, and his acceleration is about average from what I saw. But it looks like he's going so much faster when he's dangling the puck and using his superb lateral movement. It makes it seem like he can just blow past people with minimal effort simply by side-stepping into open areas of the ice without much warning. It makes him incredibly dangerous anytime he steps onto the ice. However, he is still raw, and I think much more raw than most would think. His strengths are lethal, but his deficiencies are in need of quite a bit of work. He stands too upright and his foot speed needs work. His shot isn't lethal in terms of fundamentals or technique, but he can make use of it with his superb agility. His defense is questionable, but what 18-year-old, RWer's isn't questionable? All-in-all, he's a prospect that can be a grand-slam if he puts it together, but it will take time and careful preparation to do so. Like a 2000 piece puzzle where the pieces are made of glass, I can see what makes him spectacular, but he's not going to amount to much if mishandled... or given to your children.
Mitch Reinke:
I was quietly excited for Reinke after the signing because he had been compared to Kris Russell before he stepped foot in a Blues uniform. I had always viewed Russell as an unheralded player, so hearing the Blues acquired another one without using any meaningful resource filled me with glee. After watching him throughout camp, I can't say I was left disappointed. I quite like what Reinke brings to the table. He's not imposing physically, but I think his vision was only rivaled by Perunovich in camp. He constantly reads developing plays well, and limits the amount of space opposing players will receive when entering the offenzive zone. He makes use of his size as well, as he keeps himself low to the ground in order to maximize his balance and make incredibly tight turns. His hand-eye coordination is great when blocking passes and stealing pucks away from opposing players. I think him and Bourque were the standouts defensively during camp, but as I said before, Bourque seemed way too passive for his own good. In this respect, Reinke is a superior player to Bourque as Reinke would jump into plays constantly. He would get burned occasionally, but I would rather see an initiative to enter plays as opposed to always worrying about making mistakes. Reinke has given me hope that he does have an NHL future if he develops his skating, more specifically his acceleration. His shot and passing aren't going to win him any awards, but I think his defensive strengths will make him a net positive for the franchise, if he were to reach the NHL.
Nolan Stevens:
I'm just going to say it, Stevens reminds me of Logan Couture... I don't like giving out player comparisons unless the resemblance is uncanny because the message could easily be misconstrued in translation. But as a stylistic comparison, I can't think of anyone but Couture when I look at Stevens. I've always viewed both as having good skills, but nothing elite. However, both use their tools effectively to enter the slot in the offensive zone to get off high-danger shots or create general havoc. Whether it be using their bodies to their advantage, dangling their way through, or just beating defense cleanly, both make it their personal goal to get in close to score. Now, I'm not saying Stevens will be as effective as Couture. Stevens has a good shot to go along with his good, albeit choppy, skating and can read developing plays adequately. His defense is above the majority at camp, but that isn't as much as a compliment to him as opposed to an indictment of the field. Stevens is a well rounded player that could become an NHL player. Yet, Couture-like players are those that are increasingly hard to find because NHL players usually have particular skills or abilities that help them standout in one or more ways. Having a jack-of-all trades kind of player is not something that's common, and even less common to see one as effective as Couture. Hell, plenty here are going to tell me that Couture isn't even the kind of player that I'm describing because he'll have one aspect I'm overlooking. But if that were the case, than that just better emphasizes my point. I like Stevens, but I can't make predictions about his future until I see how effective he can be against AHL players. If I were to give a conservative estimate, I would say that he's destined for the newly opened third-line the Blues have, but he has room to grow if his play-style pans out. He's a player that I would keep a close eye on in the upcoming year.
Tyler Tucker:
I don't think I need to go much into Tucker simply because everyone else has given an accurate assessment. His skating is bad. Sure, his stride is powerful, but his edgework, balance, and speed are well below average. His puck-handling is also below average as he can't receive or dish out passes well. His shot is not great, as his release is slow and doesn't seem to put much onto it when the puck comes off. I can see why people like him though. He's big and strong, and easily pushes anyone off the puck when he makes contact with opposing players. I'm also the first to admit that a camp like this doesn't do much to showcase his actual strengths, i.e. his nasty side. I'm not writing him off just yet, but I don't have high hopes for his future as of this moment unless his skating takes serious strides going forward. I think he can deal without a great shot or passing ability as long as he can skate well and maintain puck possession. However, he would be scraping the bottom of the barrel if that's all he had to work with.
Jordan Kyrou:
Plenty of you are going to be hoping and praying for an in-depth report on Kyrou. Well I'm sorry to disappoint, but I don't have much to talk about. Mostly because I don't think there is anything I can add that people don't already know. He's far-and-away the most polished player in camp. His skating is a thing of beauty. His vision is fantastic. He's constantly a danger when on the ice as he's able to maintain superb puck possession at high speeds. The only real complaint is his ability to handle the puck at a stand-still. This might be a little weird to comment on, but Kyrou is the opposite of Bokk in this regard. Bokk gives off the illusion of speed by being agile and moving the puck quickly. Kyrou gives off the illusion of superb puck possession by moving fast and breaking away from opposing player with his skating. It looks like he keeps the puck on a string, but in reality, he's not doing anything fantastic with it. The defensive players are simply caught reaching for Kyrou's stick as opposed to Kyrou tripping them up. But other than that observation, I don't see much Kyrou doesn't excel at in this point of time. That doesn't mean I think he's NHL ready. A camp like this is near impossible to determine something like that. He's excelling against very inexperienced competition, so I can't gauge where he is relative to where he needs to be. Kyrou is exciting. I don't think much more needs to be said after that. I can't wait to see where he goes from here.
Austin Poganski:
I've described him as an explosive player in the past because his first three steps might be the best in camp those years. Things haven't changed this year either, as his acceleration is a sight to behold. He moves ahead of everyone within the first few seconds of any play. The problem is, that's all he really has. His shot and puck-handling aren't great, as he would routinely miss simple shots on the numerous breakaways he would create. Also, for a guy with ridiculous acceleration, he doesn't seem to have a high top speed. He's kind of like an electric car with a great amount of torque, but not much strength to move quickly after the first few seconds. I wouldn't mind so much if he had made it clear that his game is about defense or physicality, but it seems to me that Poganski views himself as a skill player. He doesn't play the game extravagantly, but I don't envision him playing the simple, hard working game he would/should succeed at. I think his acceleration would be a great asset to have when playing a heavily defensive game. If he would stop shying away from board battles and made use of his strength, I'm sure he could get a Cracknell-like treatment at the NHL level. But I wouldn't give him too much hope even then given how hard it is to find the right situation for such a player to be needed on any given team. All-in-all, I can't say I'm a big fan of Poganski at this stage. There are other internal options I would rather see move on to the big club.
Okay, that's what I have written down and I do apologize for such lated reports. Thankfully Blanick and co. were able to tide you over in my absence. If there is anyone I missed reporting, just ask and I'll give you my thoughts on them.
izzy
go
TheGoldenJet
Registered User
Hey guys, sorry to hear that Trent Borque played with a hurt hand at your camp.
Any idea if Borque plays in the AHL next season? Or does he get sent down to juniors as an overager, for a fifth season of juniors.
Any idea if Borque plays in the AHL next season? Or does he get sent down to juniors as an overager, for a fifth season of juniors.
TheGoldenJet
Registered User
Same question about your giant Swede D Anton Andersson, does he come over for a look in the AHL for his draft+2 season?
Either way, it’s nice to have draft+2 prospects who aren’t bound by the CHL-NHL agreement, and are AHL eligible.
Either way, it’s nice to have draft+2 prospects who aren’t bound by the CHL-NHL agreement, and are AHL eligible.
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