Pre-Game Talk: 2024 Draft Thread

[Celtic Note]

This is what worries me. There's so much uncertainty in the mid-1st Rd D, and it gives me pause given our track record of developing (or rather not developing) young defensemen. Seems like a recipe for a high chance of flopping. I feel a lot better about guys like LSW, Badinka, Emery, Elick later because they seem more bankable in their own zone plus the expectations would be more in-line than the guys going in that 8-15 range. I'm beginning to think we should trade down. We can only repeat the mantra of "BPA, we can draft D next year" for so long until our big league defense starts to look like this....

Are these guys solid as in they have a low floor but also a lower ceiling? I get the concerns with swinging and missing, but at this point we don’t have anyone that projects as top dog or even #2. Hopefully Lindsten emerges higher than projected, but I am personally not willing to hedge on that.

 

[sfvega]

Are these guys solid as in they have a low floor but also a lower ceiling? I get the concerns with swinging and missing, but at this point we don’t have anyone that projects as top dog or even #2. Hopefully Lindsten emerges higher than projected, but I am personally not willing to hedge on that.

I'm not sure anyone after the top 3 is a safe bet to be a top pairing D. I think they're more like Klingberg-esque, good offensive talents who may be better suited on 2nd pairing. Which is why I'm leery. Someone like LSW, Elick, Emery has more bankable ability in their own end. I like Parekh's ability but he doesn't strike me as an Armstrong-type pick. He's huge on hustle. And like most, I like Jiricek, but not at where we would have to pick him. Buium I could do with or without. There's just a lot of risk where we're projected to be at for D. I'd rather get a bankable defenseman like we did last year with Lindstein than risk on offense with someone who is below-average in their own zone.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I'm not sure anyone after the top 3 is a safe bet to be a top pairing D. I think they're more like Klingberg-esque, good offensive talents who may be better suited on 2nd pairing. Which is why I'm leery. Someone like LSW, Elick, Emery has more bankable ability in their own end. I like Parekh's ability but he doesn't strike me as an Armstrong-type pick. He's huge on hustle. And like most, I like Jiricek, but not at where we would have to pick him. Buium I could do with or without. There's just a lot of risk where we're projected to be at for D. I'd rather get a bankable defenseman like we did last year with Lindstein than risk on offense with someone who is below-average in their own zone.

Last year was a week year for defenseman. The coolest pick in town was Dave Reinbacher. That’s basically who Badinka is. you have a younger kid playing top four in a pro league and it’s the SHL. I think the biggest thing the blues need to do is get themselves some top four defenseman that can eat some minutes. I wouldn’t sell Freij short either. everybody wanting to trade for Willander there isn’t a whole Lotta difference between the two. he just may be the more offensive version. The trajectory is the same as LSW has been THE guy though smallish (Sandin-Pelikka) but then there’s this other guy who is bigger and can really skate. If he were in the W or O, then he would be touted much higher.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I'm not sure anyone after the top 3 is a safe bet to be a top pairing D. I think they're more like Klingberg-esque, good offensive talents who may be better suited on 2nd pairing. Which is why I'm leery. Someone like LSW, Elick, Emery has more bankable ability in their own end. I like Parekh's ability but he doesn't strike me as an Armstrong-type pick. He's huge on hustle. And like most, I like Jiricek, but not at where we would have to pick him. Buium I could do with or without. There's just a lot of risk where we're projected to be at for D. I'd rather get a bankable defenseman like we did last year with Lindstein than risk on offense with someone who is below-average in their own zone.

I also left out that Jiricek is a bit of a wild card himself. He didn’t show any O in the Czech league before he got hurt. But…right hand shot D. I like Elick and Emery both, but just no offense to speak of. Elick can really skate. JBoesque skate. Emery may be best of bunch if he can marinate at the college level.

 

[sfvega]

Last year was a week year for defenseman. The coolest pick in town was Dave Reinbacher. That’s basically who Badinka is. you have a younger kid playing top four in a pro league and it’s the SHL. I think the biggest thing the blues need to do is get themselves some top four defenseman that can eat some minutes. I wouldn’t sell Freij short either. everybody wanting to trade for Willander there isn’t a whole Lotta difference between the two. he just may be the more offensive version. The trajectory is the same as LSW has been THE guy though smallish (Sandin-Pelikka) but then there’s this other guy who is bigger and can really skate. If he were in the W or O, then he would be touted much higher.

Last year was weaker for defense, I agree. But I also think that was overstated. The elite D in this draft are better for sure, but I think the 5-20 picks last year were better than this crop. There is no one last year I would take over the top 3 this year, but then you had Reinbacher, Simashev, Willander, and ASP. I like those guys better than Buium, Parekh, Jiricek, etc. I think the value is after 20, the guys that will go 20-40 will be a lot better I think than the guys who went there last year.

I've heard the Badinka/Reinbacher comp before and I disagree. Not sure if you're low on Reinbacher or high on Badinka. I consider myself high on Badinka, but I think he's more of a #3 of #4 if he pans out. I think Reinbacher can be a serviceable #2 if things break right.

I think what it boils down to for me is what we lack now. We need bankable, minute eating defensemen. I look at someone like Sanheim which we all wanted in the offseason, and he isn't a dynamic offensive player. He eats minutes, is good in his own zone, contributes on offense but will never be confused for Quinn Hughes. But also those types of guys are hard to find. I see more guys like ASP, Hutson, etc every year it seems like. It's easier to trade for an offensive defenseman (like Brzustewicz) or draft one, where as you rarely see young defensemen who are good in their own end move.

 

[Thallis]

Last year was weaker for defense, I agree. But I also think that was overstated. The elite D in this draft are better for sure, but I think the 5-20 picks last year were better than this crop. There is no one last year I would take over the top 3 this year, but then you had Reinbacher, Simashev, Willander, and ASP. I like those guys better than Buium, Parekh, Jiricek, etc. I think the value is after 20, the guys that will go 20-40 will be a lot better I think than the guys who went there last year.

I've heard the Badinka/Reinbacher comp before and I disagree. Not sure if you're low on Reinbacher or high on Badinka. I consider myself high on Badinka, but I think he's more of a #3 of #4 if he pans out. I think Reinbacher can be a serviceable #2 if things break right.

I think what it boils down to for me is what we lack now. We need bankable, minute eating defensemen. I look at someone like Sanheim which we all wanted in the offseason, and he isn't a dynamic offensive player. He eats minutes, is good in his own zone, contributes on offense but will never be confused for Quinn Hughes. But also those types of guys are hard to find. I see more guys like ASP, Hutson, etc every year it seems like. It's easier to trade for an offensive defenseman (like Brzustewicz) or draft one, where as you rarely see young defensemen who are good in their own end move.

I think you touch on the piece that we're missing, but are off base in the statement. Parayko is a minute eating defenseman, the problem is he doesn't improve the condition of the puck to create offense. He can carry the puck out of the zone, but he's lost once he enters and it doesn't translate to offensive pressure or chances. That's what we've been missing. We have guys who can play offense, we have a guy who can munch minutes, we don't have a guy who can do both.

 

[sfvega]

I think you touch on the piece that we're missing, but are off base in the statement. Parayko is a minute eating defenseman, the problem is he doesn't improve the condition of the puck to create offense. He can carry the puck out of the zone, but he's lost once he enters and it doesn't translate to offensive pressure or chances. That's what we've been missing. We have guys who can play offense, we have a guy who can munch minutes, we don't have a guy who can do both.

That's what I mean though, I don't think the guys projected to go around where we're very likely to draft are that either.

 

[Blueston]

I think you touch on the piece that we're missing, but are off base in the statement. Parayko is a minute eating defenseman, the problem is he doesn't improve the condition of the puck to create offense. He can carry the puck out of the zone, but he's lost once he enters and it doesn't translate to offensive pressure or chances. That's what we've been missing. We have guys who can play offense, we have a guy who can munch minutes, we don't have a guy who can do both.

This is where Faulk has been huge bust this year. Not sure if he is hurt or what, but we expected him to be minute eating guy who is solid defensively and provides offense.

 

[ExtremeColdWeather]

Any possibility of Dickinson slipping to the 8th seed? Landing him would be great.

 

[Thallis]

This is where Faulk has been huge bust this year. Not sure if he is hurt or what, but we expected him to be minute eating guy who is solid defensively and provides offense.

I don't think Faulk was ever this guy, though. His success on offense comes from him being a plus shooter, but he's never been a big offensive creator otherwise.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I'm not sure how far some will slip, but I think you can at least bank on a couple off the wall picks, that makes everyone fall down a slot or 2. Last year that was Simashev and probably Danielson.

 

[LetsGoBooze]

I keep flip flopping on Dickinson, Silyayev, and Levshunov. Just the inconsistency, but I probably would pick all three over Buium end of the day.

We'll probably have our selection made for us but i just absolutely want one of these 4 guys. Just praying atleast one falls in our lap.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I'm not sure how far some will slip, but I think you can at least bank on a couple off the wall picks, that makes everyone fall down a slot or 2. Last year that was Simashev and probably Danielson.

I think someone gambles and takes Parekh.

 

[bleedblue1223]

My initial top 32 ranking. This doesn't take into account Blues needs, but does reflect the positional value of D and C over wings:

1. Celebrini
2. Silayev
3. Levshunov
4. Dickinson
5. Demidov
6. Catton
7. Lindstrom
8. Parekh
9. Helenius
10. Buium
11. Iginla
12. Boisvert
13. Freij
14. Eiserman
15. Greentree
16. Connelly*
17. Emery
18. Hemming
19. O’Reilly
20. Mews
21. Brandsegg-Nygard
22. Roberts
23. Bednarik
24. LSW
25. Hage
26. Shuravin
27. Basha
28. Fischer
29. Ritchie
30. Badinka
31. Yakemchuk
32. Sennecke

*I don't know that I am comfortable spending a 1st on Connelly based on character concerns but this is how I would rank him as player.

Connelly is certainly an interesting one. Someone that has the talent to potentially be in the top 10, but someone that a lot of teams will have on their do not draft list because his off ice stuff. I'll be curious how that plays out on draft day.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Connelly is certainly an interesting one. Someone that has the talent to potentially be in the top 10, but someone that a lot of teams will have on their do not draft list because his off ice stuff. I'll be curious how that plays out on draft day.

If you like Mike Hoffman, then Connelly is your guy. He is pretty useless without the puck in the games I’ve watched. Highlight reel with it.

 

[bleedblue1223]

If you like Mike Hoffman, then Connelly is your guy. He is pretty useless without the puck in the games I’ve watched. Highlight reel with it.

Not that I want him for the Blues, just interesting to see where he lands and how teams weigh the off ice stuff.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Not that I want him for the Blues, just interesting to see where he lands and how teams weigh the off ice stuff.

Two guys I was impressed with were Sacha Boisvert and Kleber. I see a good 2 way number 2 center in Boisvert. Kleber can play some D and solid first pass. Maybe 3rd or 4th round pick? Watched him shut Connelly down recently.

 

[Blueston]

Two guys I was impressed with were Sacha Boisvert and Kleber. I see a good 2 way number 2 center in Boisvert. Kleber can play some D and solid first pass. Maybe 3rd or 4th round pick? Watched him shut Connelly down recently.

I like both, but I think kleber goes in 2nd. Big RHD with some skill and mobility tend to go early.

 

[jbron]

Sacha Boisvert would be a solid pick for the Blues. Lots to like about his game. He's a smart player who is on the powerplay and penalty kill and projects as a 2C. Heading to UND from USHL Muskegon he should add some weight/ strength. Sacha seems like a Blues pick, but time will tell just where they draft in round one.

 

[Blueston]

Sacha Boisvert would be a solid pick for the Blues. Lots to like about his game. He's a smart player who is on the powerplay and penalty kill and projects as a 2C. Heading to UND from USHL Muskegon he should add some weight/ strength. Sacha seems like a Blues pick, but time will tell just where they draft in round one.

if we fall end up picking outside top 8 or so, i would absolutely consider him if we aren't sold on remaining d. Especially with 2 2nds that would allow us opportunity to take a couple d there who we may well rank similarly to those still on board after top few guys.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

if we fall end up picking outside top 8 or so, i would absolutely consider him if we aren't sold on remaining d. Especially with 2 2nds that would allow us opportunity to take a couple d there who we may well rank similarly to those still on board after top few guys.

The hardest commodity is right shot D. I may just pick Yakemchuk as trade bait or take Badinka. He’s 6’3” skates well and plays in a pro league.

 

[Stealth JD]

Dickinson up to #3 on Pronmans ‘24 draft list. Not that I think Pronman is very good, but I don’t think there’s any chance of Dickinson falling to #8.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Dickinson up to #3 on Pronmans ‘24 draft list. Not that I think Pronman is very good, but I don’t think there’s any chance of Dickinson falling to #8.

What if Catton does?

 

[Stealth JD]

What if Catton does?

I’d for sure grab a top-6 center who could be a 1A with Thomas some day. Catton is very good.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

I’d for sure grab a top-6 center who could be a 1A with Thomas some day. Catton is very good.

I like watching his team play. Let me rephrase that, I like watching him play with somewhat of a team. I see a 1a center too. He's also darn good on the penalty kill and always a threat. They say he is small. He sure didn’t have any problem. Whipping Iginlas ass.