Blues Prospects Thread 2020-2021

[DatDude44]

That's exactly who I'd compare Loof to - and for a third round pick, I think that's a good pick.

It'd be a great pick, anything more than that is just gravy, Gunnar was so smart, so solid defensively, ashame that injuries derailed his career too early. He was low key very good for us, despite what fans who only care about guys that can score think

 

[bleedblue1223]

H


He is far more physical in the three games I saw him play last week, then Gunner. He has more of and Eddy vibe. Plays the body a lot.

Wouldn't be bad either. You really just need some amount of mid-round picks to develop into NHL players.

 

[bleedblue1223]

From Scott Wheeler of The Athletic.

Team Canada summer showcase: U18 standouts and World Junior roster projection

St. Louis Blues

LW Jake Neighbours: Neighbours was most noticeable when he was physical along the wall at even strength and posting up for his one-timer from his off-wing on the power play. He can really shoot it from the right-wing faceoff circle and it’s not hard to imagine him in that role on Canada’s power play come Boxing Day. There were times where Neighbours dropped his head in possession or his passes looked sloppy, though.

C/LW Zachary Bolduc: Bolduc’s made a number of really nice plays off the wing and the wall, especially as a passer (though he also scored two goals in the final game), and looked really good in his penalty killing reps. I thought he was a factor on most shifts offensively with the puck on his stick (especially on cuts) and one of the better 2003-born forwards in camp.

 

[Stealth JD]

Scott Wheeler at the Athletic just released his top-50 drafted skaters (non-goalies) league wide. Blues were one of five teams not to have a top-50 talent:

NHL top 50 prospects, 2021 edition: Byfield, Caufield and Power headline Wheeler’s drafted skaters ranking

If/when the bottom falls out of this roster, it's going to be a painful rebuild having to basically start from scratch trying to find top-of-the-lineup talents. Only Perunovich garnered even as much as an 'honorable mention'.

 

[joe galiba]

was Brayden Point a top 50 prospect when he was drafted?

 

[Oberyn]

Scott Wheeler at the Athletic just released his top-50 drafted skaters (non-goalies) league wide. Blues were one of five teams not to have a top-50 talent:

NHL top 50 prospects, 2021 edition: Byfield, Caufield and Power headline Wheeler’s drafted skaters ranking

If/when the bottom falls out of this roster, it's going to be a painful rebuild having to basically start from scratch trying to find top-of-the-lineup talents. Only Perunovich garnered even as much as an 'honorable mention'.

Well that's the price you pay for being at or close to the top for the five years. The Blues have traded multiple first round picks and picked late in the first round, and have a Cup to show for it. Nobody stays at the top forever, I consider myself to be fortunate enough to have witnessed this team at the very top.

 

[Stealth JD]

was Brayden Point a top 50 prospect when he was drafted?

Not sure how the Lightning's ability to scout and develop has anything to do with the Blues. When was the last time a Blues drafted a top-6 forward outside of the first round? Maybe Kyrou will get there...maybe...but if not, you're hanging your hat on Lehtera ('08), Soderberg ('04) and Backes ('03)? Maybe Kostin and Neighbors find another gear and become 30-30 guys like Backes...but something tells me the Blues' talent pool has been fairly assessed and the farm is indeed as bare as seems. But hey...Mabye McGing will hit a growth spurt and become the next Rick Tocchet.

 

[joe galiba]

Not sure how the Lightning's ability to scout and develop has anything to do with the Blues. When was the last time a Blues drafted a top-6 forward outside of the first round? Maybe Kyrou will get there...maybe...but if not, you're hanging your hat on Lehtera ('08), Soderberg ('04) and Backes ('03)? Maybe Kostin and Neighbors find another gear and become 30-30 guys like Backes...but something tells me the Blues' talent pool has been fairly assessed and the farm is indeed as bare as seems. But hey...Mabye McGing will hit a growth spurt and become the next Rick Tocchet.

how have the top 50 skaters list from 5 years ago done?
I suspect just ok

the bust rate on prospects is rather high in every sport, even one like the NFL where you have a very good grasp on how they have developed in college and are 21, 22,23 years old
when you are drafting 17 and 18 year old kids, from different leagues all over the world, coming up with a list of the top 50 prospects is likely to be wrong as often as it is right

 

[ChicagoBlues]

how have the top 50 skaters list from 5 years ago done?
I suspect just ok

the bust rate on prospects is rather high in every sport, even one like the NFL where you have a very good grasp on how they have developed in college and are 21, 22,23 years old
when you are drafting 17 and 18 year old kids, from different leagues all over the world, coming up with a list of the top 50 prospects is likely to be wrong as often as it is right

Let’s have a look.

Wheeler’s Top 50 2016

 

[Celtic Note]

Let’s have a look.

Wheeler’s Top 50 2016

That seems like a pretty solid hit rate.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Cool that he had Barbashev as a HM.

 

[Majorityof1]

Well that's the price you pay for being at or close to the top for the five years. The Blues have traded multiple first round picks and picked late in the first round, and have a Cup to show for it. Nobody stays at the top forever, I consider myself to be fortunate enough to have witnessed this team at the very top.

Aside from our cup win, have we really been close to the top though? Out results over those 5 years include 2 first round exits and missing the playoffs. Aside from the cup, the best we managed was a 2nd round loss.

 

[MissouriMook]

That seems like a pretty solid hit rate.

It certainly is, but I think it is also noteworthy that we were a couple of months removed from a conference finals appearance at its publication, and have won a Cup since this list was published, and yet our only players on this list were Walman at 36 (who factored in neither run) and Barbashev as an HM.

Obviously we would like to have a few guys on the 2021 list, but our recent past suggests that not having one player on the list contributing to your current or future roster certainly isn't a death sentence for a franchise. I think this development matters more to what happens 5 years from now than it does what happens in the next 5 years if we can keep the window open.

 

[Stealth JD]

how have the top 50 skaters list from 5 years ago done?
I suspect just ok

the bust rate on prospects is rather high in every sport, even one like the NFL where you have a very good grasp on how they have developed in college and are 21, 22,23 years old
when you are drafting 17 and 18 year old kids, from different leagues all over the world, coming up with a list of the top 50 prospects is likely to be wrong as often as it is right

I'm not as much worried about the top guys busting, as I am the likelihood of one of the Blues prospects forcing his way onto this ranking at some point. No doubt guys on this list will bust, and other prospects will displace them. But will any of the Blues prospects displace those 50? Honestly, it doesn't really matter because these rankings are utterly meaningless outside of their ability to create discourse, but it's hard to see any diamonds in the rough at this stage. All of their players will need some significant smoothing of their rough edges to eventually outshine their peers who DID make these rankings.

 

[joe galiba]

That list was pretty good
to my point, Brayden Point (see what I did there) went from a 2014 3rd round pick that would be no where near this list to #37 (behind Walman)
so if Neighbors has another good year he could be on this list after 2 years just like Point - or not
and if he is on this list he could wind up as a good middle six winger - or not, same if he does not make the list
the top of his list has a lot of no brainers and yet Puljujarvi is sitting there at 3 and Barzal is at 27

as a side note, why the heck do Scandinavians have so many f-ing consonants in their names

 

[Celtic Note]

It certainly is, but I think it is also noteworthy that we were a couple of months removed from a conference finals appearance at its publication, and have won a Cup since this list was published, and yet our only players on this list were Walman at 36 (who factored in neither run) and Barbashev as an HM.

Obviously we would like to have a few guys on the 2021 list, but our recent past suggests that not having one player on the list contributing to your current or future roster certainly isn't a death sentence for a franchise. I think this development matters more to what happens 5 years from now than it does what happens in the next 5 years if we can keep the window open.

We did have many players on those lists over the years though. They were a big reason we were good for so long.

I don’t disagree about the next 5 years, but when you aren’t hitting on a few guys every few years, you start to feel those talent gaps as you have more aging players and less ELCs. Since we are getting age heavy in terms of contracts, we need to start making strides there.

We won a Cup and that continues to be great, but what we have done since has not been great. What we look like moving forward doesn’t look great unless guys grow pretty dramatically. Now is the time to decide if we are going to wallow in mediocrity or change course. Drafting could change that course, but I am not seeing it yet.

 

[Quaz]

The Blues could have 6 players at the WJC this year if the guys invited to camps make their teams. Neighbours, Bolduc, Peterson, Dickinson, Loof, and Robertsson could all be playing for their countries. Considering the Blues had zero players the WJC last year this is a great improvement. If those guys play well and perform maybe they will gain more attention as prospects. Maybe they pick up some good prospects when they deal Tarasenko.

 

[Renard]

Let’s have a look.

Wheeler’s Top 50 2016

Good thinking.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

 

[Renard]

The guy is left handed. He will never succeed.

 

[Beauterham]

Traverse roster is out. Looking at the invites most are squadfillers, some guys who might be on tryout for Springfield and IMO one interesting player: Deni Goure. Played in the OHL last season. Or better said, didn't play.

Small chance, and correct me if Im wrong, but if we really, really, really like him (which isnt likely, but not out of the question) we can still get him. We do need to give him an ELC immediatly though.

 

[execwrite1]

Traverse roster is out. Looking at the invites most are squadfillers, some guys who might be on tryout for Springfield and IMO one interesting player: Deni Goure. Played in the OHL last season. Or better said, didn't play.

Small chance, and correct me if Im wrong, but if we really, really, really like him (which isnt likely, but not out of the question) we can still get him. We do need to give him an ELC immediatly though.

Traverse City Roster

Forwards: Nikita Alexandrov (59), Zack Bolduc (76), Daniel D'Amico (79)*, Tanner Dickinson (78), Riley Ginnell (88)*, Deni Goure (81)*, Brayden Guy (67)*, Dakota Joshua (54), Mathias Laferriere (58), Hugh McGing (56), Landon McCallum (82)*, Jake Neighbours (63), Alexei Toropchenko (65), Keean Washkurak (40).

Defense: Tyson Galloway (71), Cole Larkin (68)*, Griffin Luce (62)*, Sam McGinley (84)*, Andrew Perrott (64)*, Scott Perunovich (48), Nate Staios (74)*, Tyler Tucker (75).

Goalies: Will Cranley (85), Colten Ellis (45), Joel Hofer (1).
* indicates tryout player

 

[Frenzy31]

That is a decent roster. Only two legit D, in Perunovich and Tucker, but the O is pretty solid - Alexandrov, Joshua, Toropchenk for vets. Bolduc, Neighbors, Washkurak and Laferriere with some skill, aggression and size. Goalies are really solid. They could do some damage.

 

[Ranksu]

Do we have AHL team in coming season?

 

[simon IC]

LOL @ that defense! I know, I know, there's no point in getting serious about that at this point. This is about showcasing their talent. Let them have fun. I'm looking forward to it!