Prospect Info: Blues 2021 draft

[DatDude44]

Hank Kempf in the 3rd rd or later would be fantastic.

Idk where that Eklund kid is projected to go but he's absolutely gross. Would love him in a blue note.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Well with the Blues play not being the most exciting, I got to looking at picks 16 - 22 to see what would be good pickings. I haven't paid nearly as much attention to this draft then in years past because of how wonky this year has been with league starts and player transactions.

But from what little I do know, this draft will be very exciting. Not really in terms of player quality, but rather there should be plenty of damn good players falling because of how little teams have seen them play. Hopefully the Blues aren't going to be risk averse and really take a chance on a player even if he hasn't played much this year. Maybe the Blues will be fortunate enough to snag a Chaz Lucius. If not, I hope they go for Corson Ceulemans, although the forwards I think that will be available will be of interest to the Blues specifically. If they want to develop two-way and/or physical players for their forward core, then Zach L'Heureux, Mason MacTavish, and Francesco Pinelli should all be there. I'm thinking they either go that route or snag Carson Lambos as a safe bet, especially with no 2nd rounder at this moment.

(Or hell, maybe they'll read my mind and go for Brennan Othman if they pick within the pick 22+ range.)

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Montreal/STL/Minn Scandella is 3 times better than Buffalo Scandella. Idk whats up with Buffalo but everyone they get suddenly regress. Look at Okposo and Skinner. There's something in the water in Buffalo.

Wasn’t Okposo legally blind at one point?

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

I really like Sillinger and Berniers. When I first saw Berniers (last year?) I thought he looked really good, and hadn’t heard much rumbling about him. Now, he might go 1OA. Both players would be excellent grabs, and I would take them over Räty and Lucius.

Lucius, to me, seems like a bust waiting to happen, though that’s just my instinct after watching him twice. Räty will be an NHLer, though I’m not sure how much room his game has to grow despite a decently high floor.

Clarke is a swing for the fences-type move, and I’m not convinced he’ll be more than a powerplay specialist a la Krug (at best). His skating just isn’t good enough when it comes to speed for him to be really impactful in the NHL.

Eklund is another big swing, but I think he could actually realize that potential in the right organization.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

I really like Sillinger and Berniers. When I first saw Berniers (last year?) I thought he looked really good, and hadn’t heard much rumbling about him. Now, he might go 1OA. Both players would be excellent grabs, and I would take them over Räty and Lucius.

Lucius, to me, seems like a bust waiting to happen, though that’s just my instinct after watching him twice. Räty will be an NHLer, though I’m not sure how much room his game has to grow despite a decently high floor.

Clarke is a swing for the fences-type move, and I’m not convinced he’ll be more than a powerplay specialist a la Krug (at best). His skating just isn’t good enough when it comes to speed for him to be really impactful in the NHL.

Eklund is another big swing, but I think he could actually realize that potential in the right organization.

If Eklund were available, the Blues would be the luckiest team on the planet. I don't know as much about this draft as I have in previous years, but he is highly skilled with a dangerous intelligence. He could easily be the best forward this draft produces. Might even be a similar situation to Pettersson in 2017 where he might not be as polished as the consensus top picks but have the highest potential in the draft. But I highly doubt he makes it past pick 6, let alone to around pick 20 or so.

Although I do agree with Raty. His status as the top forward for this draft was always more of a place holder than anything and this year has proven that.

 

[ezcreepin]

Any wishing I do for getting prospects is based on point totals since I can't watch every game in which a prospect plays in. I will say though, the Blues NEED to get better scouting in Europe. They have missed so much on Euro prospects, specifically really good Finnish players for what I would imagine is not having enough people scouting those places.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Any wishing I do for getting prospects is based on point totals since I can't watch every game in which a prospect plays in. I will say though, the Blues NEED to get better scouting in Europe. They have missed so much on Euro prospects, specifically really good Finnish players for what I would imagine is not having enough people scouting those places.

Our scouting appears to be primarily North American with a huge focus on NCAA, but I don't think we neglect overseas. I think we prefer NA/NCAA because it's in our backyard, but also because the longer development path tends to play nicely with where we typically pick and how we play (a stronger focus on physical ability that players have time to develop while in a collegiate program). Our tendency to draft safely tends to lead us away from Europe/Russia, and I think that tendency really needs to change -- especially in the later rounds.

 

[simon IC]

Brandt Clarke is #1 on my wishlist, although I doubt he falls outside the top 10.

 

[Blueston]

Our scouting appears to be primarily North American with a huge focus on NCAA, but I don't think we neglect overseas. I think we prefer NA/NCAA because it's in our backyard, but also because the longer development path tends to play nicely with where we typically pick and how we play (a stronger focus on physical ability that players have time to develop while in a collegiate program). Our tendency to draft safely tends to lead us away from Europe/Russia, and I think that tendency really needs to change -- especially in the later rounds.

Last 4 years we have drafted 3 players out of college and 4 from Europe, including a 1st rounder in Bokk.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Last 4 years we have drafted 3 players out of college and 4 from Europe, including a 1st rounder in Bokk.

Yeah, we definitely don't neglect it; 7 players is roughly 1/4 of the picks made in 4 years. Again, it's not that we don't draft from those regions, I think it's that we are just a risk-averse organization when it comes to drafting. This is especially true in later rounds. Those safe picks lead to the feeling that we're just missing talent in Europe/Russia, when I really think it's more so that we just don't take risks.

 

[Blueston]

Yeah, we definitely don't neglect it; 7 players is roughly 1/4 of the picks made in 4 years. Again, it's not that we don't draft from those regions, I think it's that we are just a risk-averse organization when it comes to drafting. This is especially true in later rounds. Those safe picks lead to the feeling that we're just missing talent in Europe/Russia, when I really think it's more so that we just don't take risks.

Not sure I agree. We do take flyers on guys like Helt or the Danish kid but since they didn’t pan out we forget about them.

 

[simon IC]

Not sure I agree. We do take flyers on guys like Helt or the Danish kid but since they didn’t pan out we forget about them.

Jordan Schmaltz was a 1st round reach that didn't work out. Scott Perunovich was a 2nd round one that did.

 

[Blueston]

Yeah, we definitely don't neglect it; 7 players is roughly 1/4 of the picks made in 4 years. Again, it's not that we don't draft from those regions, I think it's that we are just a risk-averse organization when it comes to drafting. This is especially true in later rounds. Those safe picks lead to the feeling that we're just missing talent in Europe/Russia, when I really think it's more so that we just don't take risks.

And we have actually had some success with 6/7 round Canadians lately- Blais was great pick and Laferriere and Tucker look like finds. You can’t expect to have much success in late rounds and we have done ok.

But I do agree that their is more likely to be undervalued Eoros in last couple rounds than NA.

 

[Beauterham]

Brandt Clarke is #1 on my wishlist, although I doubt he falls outside the top 10.

To be honest, I'd be surprised if he falls outside the top 3.

With how the Blues are playing lately someone like Dylan Guenther might also come within our reach, he's projected to go around 11-ish. We would probably have to trade up a couple of spots, but he's definatly worth doing so. Would love him on the Blues. He's a teammate of Jake Neighbours currently.

 

[Blueston]

To be honest, I'd be surprised if he falls outside the top 3.

With how the Blues are playing lately someone like Dylan Guenther might also come within our reach, he's projected to go around 11-ish. We would probably have to trade up a couple of spots, but he's definatly worth doing so. Would love him on the Blues. He's a teammate of Jake Neighbours currently.

Pronman has Guenther #1 on his latest that just came out this morning.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Pronman has Guenther #1 on his latest that just came out this morning.

Whoa. Really? I always liked him but never thought he'd be 1OA worthy

 

[Blueston]

Whoa. Really? I always liked him but never thought he'd be 1OA worthy

Actually has him in tier by himself for this draft. Says he is on level with Byfield.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Actually has him in tier by himself for this draft. Says he is on level with Byfield.

Guenther, Sillinger, and Beniers are my can't miss forwards for this draft, and Eklund is a wild card. Wow. Don't get me wrong -- Guenther is good -- but I think this speaks to how weak this draft class is for forwards.

Chaz Lucius is on my DO NOT DRAFT list, and I think Raty is ultimately going to be a forgettable (but not bad) high draft pick. I just really think this draft is going to produce a lot of duds, and that's not counting the COVID factor. Not a great year for the Blues to be pushing for a high pick.

 

[Moose and Squirrel]

Jordan Schmaltz was a 1st round reach that didn't work out. Scott Perunovich was a 2nd round one that did.

I like your optimism but perunovich hasn't proven anything yet

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

Guenther, Sillinger, and Beniers are my can't miss forwards for this draft, and Eklund is a wild card. Wow. Don't get me wrong -- Guenther is good -- but I think this speaks to how weak this draft class is for forwards.

Chaz Lucius is on my DO NOT DRAFT list, and I think Raty is ultimately going to be a forgettable (but not bad) high draft pick. I just really think this draft is going to produce a lot of duds, and that's not counting the COVID factor. Not a great year for the Blues to be pushing for a high pick.

I’ve said it before, it’s gonna be like 06 where there’s lots of good to great players at the top, some even maybe elite, but not the true FRANCHISE player the couple drafts before and after it.

So basically it’d be exactly the Blues luck to somehow get the top pick

 

[Bluesnatic27]

I've started to warm up to this year's draft in the past few weeks. I don't think this draft is on a really high tier like 2016, but I certainly don't think of it as another 2012. I'd put it on the same tier as 2014, which was a solid draft with the benefit of hindsight.

Although I do agree that it's a lull from 2020 and not a great opening act for the beast that will be 2022.

As for who I'm looking at, I'm paying close attention to Stalislav Svozil and Corson Ceulemans on defense. I like both, but for different reasons. I don't think the Blues will have a shot of any of Edvinsson, Hughes, Power, and Clarke (Although I don't value Edvinsson or Power personally), so Svozil and Ceulemans should be the best with a chance to be available. For forwards, I still like L:ucius. I once heard someone describe him as a Monohan-like player and I think that's a pretty apt comparison for how he can be effective in the NHL. I need to look more into Robertsson because, from what I saw, he could be a highly undervalued piece. I can't say I'm terribly interested, right now, in many of the other forwards available where the Blues will likely draft. I need to look into Bolduc and Chibrikov more, but I don't care for much others outside of Pinelli.

 

[Mike Liut]

Fabian Lysell is my choice for the Blues

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

My guess is they’ll go super off the board with the save North American who tops out as a bottom 6/bottom pairing player.

 

[simon IC]

My guess is they’ll go super off the board with the save North American who tops out as a bottom 6/bottom pairing player.

Nah. It'll be a 5'9" PMD.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Owen Power the unanimous No. 1 in TSN’s mid-season draft rankings - TSN.ca

Bob McKenzie has released the TSN draft rankings. From a quick look, it highlights just how bonkers this draft will be. Top-end talent doesn’t look like it’s going to be the determining factor for picks as much as safety in the pick’s NHL projection. And given that this consensus list looks fairly different from the other published lists I’ve seen, I’d say there really isn’t a “consensus” this year at all. Or at least, that’s my take given that Power and Edvinsson are #1 and #2/#3 respectively.