Prospect Info: St. Louis Blues Top-20 Prospects: #1

[Bluesnatic27]

Hello all,

So I've been rather busy these past few months and as such I completely forgot top open up the annual Top-20 Prospects list. Thank you @Ranksu for reminding me.

Now, the ground rules for this list:

1. As an arbitrary number, I decided that any Blues prospect that has played less than 41 games, or less than half of a season, will be considered a "prospect".
2. Any Blues prospect below the age of 25 will be eligible.
3. The prospect has to be Blues property at this current stage.
4. Voting will take 2 days for the first ~10 spots (+/- 2-3) and then switch to a longer timeline to allow more chances to vote.

We can debate if the rules are acceptable, but I think these are fair for now. Without further ado, let the voting begin!

Click to read more...

 

[The Note]

Perunovich. Though I almost voted Leo Loof just because that is an all-time hockey name.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Hello all,

So I've been rather busy these past few months and as such I completely forgot top open up the annual Top-20 Prospects list. Thank you @Ranksu for reminding me.

Now, the ground rules for this list:

1. As an arbitrary number, I decided that any Blues prospect that has played less than 41 games, or less than half of a season, will be considered a "prospect".
2. Any Blues prospect below the age of 25 will be eligible.
3. The prospect has to be Blues property at this current stage.
4. Voting will take 2 days for the first ~10 spots (+/- 2-3) and then switch to a longer timeline to allow more chances to vote.

We can debate if the rules are acceptable, but I think these are fair for now. Without further ado, let the voting begin!

In the past, I thought we used the HF definition which is less than 25 and 65 games for skaters, 45 games for goalies. Not sure it matters, but if we want year to year consistency I’m not sure why we’d change it.

 

[GoldenSeal]

I’m happy that we might end up with more than one real talent

 

[Bluesnatic27]

In the past, I thought we used the HF definition which is less than 25 and 65 games for skaters, 45 games for goalies. Not sure it matters, but if we want year to year consistency I’m not sure why we’d change it.

Well to answer that question, it's because I forgot.

 

[simon IC]

Mikkola. Perunovich has a higher upside offensively, but Mikkola is pretty much "can't miss' in terms of chances of becoming an NHL'er. Mikkola also is more likely to become a two-way player, which, at least in my mind, is more valuable.

 

[Frenzy31]

Kostin. I think he will find a role, bottom 6 or top 6.


I like Perunovich, but isn’t he older then Kostin?????

Mikkola is a bottom pairing guy to me. I like Nieghbor’s upside more.

But we really don’t have anything high end. Kostin maybe our best prospect......

 

[Ranksu]

I go Perunovich.

We have kind of missed opportunity with Mikkola. Kid has been NHL ready over year, but was buried in to AHL.

Our prospect pool is slim. Nobody doesn't qualify as high end prospect.

 

[Celtic Note]

Slim pickings, even at the top.

 

[Blueston]

Perunovich. And it’s not really close.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Answer this question a different way:
If Perunovich, Mikkola and Kostin were in the next draft again, who would the teams in the league be likely to draft first. I’m betting Perunovich. I think Kostin wouldn’t go as high as he did. He still has a chance, but I see him as having slipped a bit from his development trajectory. That’s highly debatable though.

 

[TheBluePenguin]

Looking at this list is a little saddening IMO we do not have much coming up, it just seems less top end talent

 

[ThunderCat]

Welll.. It's hard to get top-end talent late in the 1st round.. when you're consistently competing.

We did trade some away last few years.. but just hoping one of those late rounders could be a steal.. is wishful thinking.

Surely some make it, but the odds are against you.

 

[Ranksu]

Its crucial to keep our future 1st round picks, but if move those need to protect lottery pick(s).

 

[TK 421]

I voted Neighbours even if some of these other guys make the big show before him.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Looking at this list is a little saddening IMO we do not have much coming up, it just seems less top end talent

It’s a long time since the days of having 3 first rounders in one draft and a bunch of exciting prospects in the pipeline. I’m not complaining since that’s the way it goes becoming a Cup contender.

 

[Celtic Note]

It’s a long time since the days of having 3 first rounders in one draft and a bunch of exciting prospects in the pipeline. I’m not complaining since that’s the way it goes becoming a Cup contender.

Kyrou and Thomas weren’t that long ago and I would consider them significant steps above what we have “on the farm”. But I do get what you are saying. Still, this pool is almost hard to look at. I just have to remind myself we just won a Cup for some comfort.

 

[Frenzy31]

Kyrou va Neighbors. I really want to see what Neighbors does this year. He was trending up last year prior to the shit down.

 

[Mike Liut]

Depressing list

 

[CoMoBlues]

Prospect rankings are my favourite time of the offseason. I went with Kostin. Go Blues!

 

[BlueKnight]

I voted Perunovich. I wanted to vote Leo Loof just for the name alone.

Overall outside of couple guys it's a pretty depressing list.

 

[The Note]

Idk what people were expecting. The prospect pool does appear to stink but that’s what happens when you trade multiple firsts and one of your better forward prospects on top of drafting mid-to-late first round. Maybe one of these guys has an unforeseen ascent. That’s gotta be the hope barring the Blues getting their hands on a high first somehow.

 

[Celtic Note]

Idk what people were expecting. The prospect pool does appear to stink but that’s what happens when you trade multiple firsts and one of your better forward prospects on top of drafting mid-to-late first round. Maybe one of these guys has an unforeseen ascent. That’s gotta be the hope barring the Blues getting their hands on a high first somehow.

My guess is people aren’t shocked that we have a low ranked prospect pool with few “soon to be” NHL players for the reasons you mentioned. I do think people are offering their gut reactions at the prospects list we are looking at and seeing that it is really pretty paltry despite the points you and others have made about why it looks that way. I think this paired with the general feel that our window for contention has either closed or is quickly closing (depending upon who you ask). In that light, our prospect pool is far from where it needs to be to even consider the possibility of a re-opening of that window.

 

[Blueston]

My guess is people aren’t shocked that we have a low ranked prospect pool with few “soon to be” NHL players for the reasons you mentioned. I do think people are offering their gut reactions at the prospects list we are looking at and seeing that it is really pretty paltry despite the points you and others have made about why it looks that way. I think this paired with the general feel that our window for contention has either closed or is quickly closing (depending upon who you ask). In that light, our prospect pool is far from where it needs to be to even consider the possibility of a re-opening of that window.

I think it is crazy to say our window is closed. We may have slightly less odds but we still look to be one of better teams in the league. And our prospect pool is fine in light of this.

 

[Ranksu]

I think it is crazy to say our window is closed. We may have slightly less odds but we still look to be one of better teams in the league. And our prospect pool is fine in light of this.

Well we need to re-evaluate where we're at when half of season has gone. But please keep this topic on rail.