St. Louis Blues have positional depth developing at the junior level

[HF Article]

Photo: St. Louis Blues prospect Luke Opilka is part of a crowded and talented depth chart at goaltender, but gets a chance to shine on the international stage with Team USA at the 2016 World Juniors (courtesy of Terry Wilson/OHL Images)


</p> The St. Louis Blues have continued to find success through the NHL draft and have several intriguing prospects at every stage of hockey. While most of the Blues prospects are at the professional or college level, the young talent at the junior level has given St. Louis even more to look forward to down the line. The most impressive aspect of their junior prospect pool is the level of skill at forward, on defense, and in net.… read more

The post St. Louis Blues have positional depth developing at the junior level appeared first on Hockey's Future.



More...

Click to read more...

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Hey! People might know something about our great prospects now!

 

[Captain Creampuff]

Hey! People might know something about our great prospects now!

We really do have quite a bit of sleepers in the late rounds that could be useful NHL players.


EDIT: Great article. Very good write up for some of the guys I know less about.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

Suraj is rolling!

 

[bleedblue1223]

Quality article.

 

[542365]

I would say Walman would deserve the prospect of the month over Parayko. Parayko's been fine, but Walman was leading the NCAA in goals as a sophomore Dman. That's incredible. I know the injury got in the way, but he still had an exceptional month.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Suraj is rolling!

Glad to see that he is getting better.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

I get the impression he is getting more familiar with the Blues' prospects, but that it was pretty cursory familiarity initially.

 

[Renard]

I hope Gawdin and Musil come along in a hurry. I though we had filled our center needs with Stastny and Lehtera, and I still have hope for them, but so far, they haven't lifted the team.

 

[Oberyn]

I hope Gawdin and Musil come along in a hurry. I though we had filled our center needs with Stastny and Lehtera, and I still have hope for them, but so far, they haven't lifted the team.

And you think Gawdin and Musil will lift this team? Musil isn't even PPG and Gawdin is pretty far off still. They're decent prospects but more likely to be bottom six players if they even reach the NHL. Barbashev is the best hope for the Blues down the middle.

 

[Dbrownss]

And you think Gawdin and Musil will lift this team? Musil isn't even PPG and Gawdin is pretty far off still. They're decent prospects but more likely to be bottom six players if they even reach the NHL. Barbashev is the best hope for the Blues down the middle.

Fabbri...?

 

[Oberyn]

Fabbri...?

I have my doubts regarding Fabbri at center, personally.

 

[Dbrownss]

I have my doubts regarding Fabbri at center, personally.

Why exactly....other then the beaten to death "he's too small". Hitch still views him as a center. Panger had reiterated it a few times that he still projects as a center. Watching him play you can see he's comfortable driving the center off the ice and generally roaming the ice.

 

[Oberyn]

Why exactly....other then the beaten to death "he's too small". Hitch still views him as a center. Panger had reiterated it a few times that he still projects as a center. Watching him play you can see he's comfortable driving the center off the ice and generally roaming the ice.

Just a personal opinion. Size is obviously an issue, the fact that it's been beaten to death doesn't make it any less valid.

I actually prefer him on his off wing like Tarasenko to put him at a better shooting angle. He's got great skating so he can fly down the side boards and his release is quite impressive. I think he can score a lot of goals similar to the ones he scored against Chicago and Pittsburgh.

 

[Dbrownss]

Just a personal opinion. Size is obviously an issue, the fact that it's been beaten to death doesn't make it any less valid.

I actually prefer him on his off wing like Tarasenko to put him at a better shooting angle. He's got great skating so he can fly down the side boards and his release is quite impressive. I think he can score a lot of goals similar to the ones he scored against Chicago and Pittsburgh.

That's all you needed to say

 

[KirkOut]

That's all you needed to say

Well he's not the only one who has that opinion. I see him as a winger long-term as well

 

[Oberyn]

That's all you needed to say

Lmao are you serious? You asked me "why exactly", so I gave you an exact explanation. I even ended my original post with "personally" which basically meant it was a personal opinion. Hell, everything we say on these boards are personal opinions.

Sorry for raining on your parade since you think Fabbri will be the next Giroux.

 

[Dbrownss]

Lmao are you serious? You asked me "why exactly", so I gave you an exact explanation. I even ended my original post with "personally" which basically meant it was a personal opinion. Hell, everything we say on these boards are personal opinions.

Sorry for raining on your parade since you think Fabbri will be the next Giroux.

Outside of him being small, none of that bars him from being a center. At this point being a "big bodied" center man is right up there with "old fashioned crease clearing" defenseman. Fabbri has great vision, plays a 2 way game, has great speed/agility, and he has the ability to create and finish his own oppertunites. What about that says "winger".

Ffs everyone seemed to be clamoring for putting Schwartz at center....


Bolded: sick burn bro....

 

[Oberyn]

Outside of him being small, none of that bars him from being a center. At this point being a "big bodied" center man is right up there with "old fashioned crease clearing" defenseman. Fabbri has great vision, plays a 2 way game, has great speed/agility, and he has the ability to create and finish his own oppertunites. What about that says "winger".

Ffs everyone seemed to be clamoring for putting Schwartz at center....


Bolded: sick burn bro....

You just described Tarasenko.

I didn't like nor want Schwartz at center.

 

[KirkOut]

I've seen Fabbri getting overwhelmed physically fairly regularly. I disagree with dbrownss assessment that big bodied centers are as much of a vestige as crease clearing caveman defensemen. I don't think putting Fabbri in a position to be the main man in charge of supporting the puck in the defensive zone is a recipe for success. All the talents he has can be on display for him as a winger where one of his biggest weaknesses (size) is less likely to be a liability

 

[Dbrownss]

You just described Tarasenko.

I didn't like nor want Schwartz at center.

As in an elite point producer? Obviously Fabbri isn't at that level yet...but who wouldn't want a center version of Tarasenko?

I've seen Fabbri getting overwhelmed physically fairly regularly. I disagree with dbrownss assessment that big bodied centers are as much of a vestige as crease clearing caveman defensemen. I don't think putting Fabbri in a position to be the main man in charge of supporting the puck in the defensive zone is a recipe for success. All the talents he has can be on display for him as a winger where one of his biggest weaknesses (size) is less likely to be a liability

He's a 19yr old. He has to adapt...even if he does stay a winger, he has to deal with board battles.

As for the big bodied center comment. I mean that along the lines of how some want to ship of the higher skilled guy for the brute when in today's NHL the higher skilled guy is more valuable even if you don't get the "wow" affect...if that makes sense.

 

[KirkOut]

As in an elite point producer? Obviously Fabbri isn't at that level yet...but who wouldn't want a center version of Tarasenko?




He's a 19yr old. He has to adapt...even if he does stay a winger, he has to deal with board battles.

As for the big bodied center comment. I mean that along the lines of how some want to ship of the higher skilled guy for the brute when in today's NHL the higher skilled guy is more valuable even if you don't get the "wow" affect...if that makes sense.

Yeah every NHL player has to continually adapt no matter their size or skill. So Fabbri is no different. And we aren't talking about trading one type of player for another, just how to best utilize a player we already have.

 

[Dbrownss]

Yeah every NHL player has to continually adapt no matter their size or skill. So Fabbri is no different. And we aren't talking about trading one type of player for another, just how to best utilize a player we already have.

That's my point, on the board Fabbri seems to be relegated to the wing because of his size. There was zero chance of him making the team as a center. The same applies to Barbashev, if he made the team, he'd be a left winger. We've been crying for an "elite" playmaking centerman. Fabbri was 5'10 165-170 at the draft. At TC he was 5'11 185-190, I doubt he's done getting bigger weight wise.

 

[Captain Creampuff]

Did Pang state the other night that Fabbri just doesn't feel comfortable taking faceoffs and defensive assignments yet because he isn't used to the 82game schedule but still expects to be a center in the NHL?

 

[Dbrownss]

Did Pang state the other night that Fabbri just doesn't feel comfortable taking faceoffs and defensive assignments yet because he isn't used to the 82game schedule but still expects to be a center in the NHL?

I didn't hear the exact reason outside of he wasn't comfortable yet.