Prospect Info: Blues Prospect Rankings #6

[rumrokh]

I really believe they need to quit doing that. Defensemen are much easier to find in rounds 2-5 and much harder to predict.

To be fair, Vannelli was drafted in the second round. Since Pietrangelo, six drafts ago, they've drafted Rundblad and Schmaltz in the first round and traded Rundblad to get Tarasenko. Effectively one defenseman in the first round in the past five years. In that time span, they've chosen two forwards in the first round and five of eight of their second rounders have been forwards. I'm not sure how they had forwards and defensemen ranked, but I don't see evidence for preference for defensemen.

As to your general point, do you mean that it's easier to find good defensemen in rounds 2-5 than it is to find good forwards in rounds 2-5? Or, more specifically, that it's easier to get a good forward with a late first rounder than it is to get a good defenseman with a late first rounder? Either way, I'm interested to hear why you say that. Not that I necessarily disagree - I think there's some evidence that you have better odds of getting an NHL-level with a forward with a late first, but I don't know about impact players chosen in that range.

 

[Prussian_Blue]

McRae was qualified so he's technically still a Blues prospect. He's way down the list for me though.

I stand corrected; I also agree with the assessment that he's way down the list.

The QO only allows the Blues to retain his rights for one year, yes? Unless he really breaks out in Finland, I don't see the Blues being interested in bringing him back, and even if they were, they'd have to get into a bidding war with his Finnish club (who would no doubt be very interested in keeping him if he were to break out in a big way).

For the 6th spot, I find it interesting how many have chosen Carrier over Vannelli considering about a month ago, the Blues chose Vannelli ahead of Carrier. I suppose Carrier is a bit of a "safer" pick though. Still, an interesting observation IMO.

For me, I see this next tier as Carrier, Hakanpaa, Schmaltz, Vannelli and Fairchild. I view all of those guys pretty evenly.

Lundstrom and Binnington belong in that "next tier" as well, IMO. I also think that what they do this year will send Colton Parayko and Yannick Veilleux into that next tier as well.

Veilleux has made a career out of scoring on the power play in the QMJHL (over half his career goals in the "Q" came with the man advantage), and a power play specialist is something this organization can definitely use.

Parayko was very solid as a freshman for Alaska-Fairbanks. If he were playing for a nationally-recognized program like Schmaltz, I could easily see him being considered on a par with, or even ahead of, Schmaltz at this point of their development. Schmaltz clearly has the most offensive upside of the two, but Parayko looks to me like another Roman Polak in the making.