Prospect Info: Traverse City - 2017

[tfriede2]

It was somebody that went higher than expected. I'm thinking it was Lias Andersson.

I remember hearing that the Blues were very high on Valimaki - I think it might have been him. Or maybe it was vaakinainen - one of those two.

 

[LetsGoBooze]

I was on the 'trade up train' but with the players we ended up with by the end of night 1 of the draft i couldnt be more happy. We've exponentially improved the farm over the last two years, the future is now bright.

 

[BlueDream]

Did fabbri not spend a year in Guelph after being drafted? Then he came into camp DY+1 in 15/16 and made the team. Correct.

Yep. And nobody expected him to make it in 2014 before he showed up to camp.

In one year from now it's absolutely possible that Kyrou, Thomas, Thompson and Kostin are all NHL ready, or at least a few of them would be.

2 things:

1. Goodbye Stastny
2. We have the assets to make a trade for a center

 

[Majorityof1]

The drafting was slightly muddier given the trades but I'll take Schenn, Thomas and Kostin over a single higher pick. Did we ever find out who the Blues were targeting higher up?

After watching Thomas....i think this kid is going to be Fabbri 2.0 in NHL readiness.

We got Kostin with our 2nd + Reaves, so unless we had to trade 3 picks for whoever we targeted, we'd still get Kostin. And Schenn cost a 2018 1st too. So in actuality, it is:

Suzkuki/Middlestadt/Rasmussen/whoever and a 2018 1st vs. Thomas and Schenn

Not saying it would have been worth it, but its a lot closer.

 

[Dbrownss]

I think he definitely has NHL skill, but I'm not sure he's physically ready. By contrast, Fabbri had a legitimate shot to make the team out of camp in 2014, but I don't see anyway Thomas isn't sent back to London unless he has a near-McDavid-like impact during the pre-season games.

I look for him to go back to the OHL and put up big numbers, and show what he has at the pro level in the AHL after his junior season is over. Depending on how his year progresses, I could definitely see him making the team in 2018 out of camp.

Fabbri was the same, skill wise he looked ready to go but his body wasn't there. Im super lazy right now but isn't Thomas bigger then Fabbri at 18? Fabbri was a shrimp. Im just basically saying that i wouldn't be shocked to see Thomas on the club next year. That kid is a homerun pick. 2014 over again. Uber skilled Canadian pick then boom/bust Russian pick.

I'm not even sure we ever found out for sure that we were trying to move up. I definitely could have seen us going after Rasmussen or Suzuki, and I'm sure we would have been thrilled to get Vilardi at 11. The way picks 14-19 fell went almost perfectly for us though. That run of 5 straight defensemen followed by San Jose taking Norris (thank god) dropped Thomas right in our laps. And then the stuff at the end of the round was just shrewd maneuvering. I absolutely agree, I'll take Schenn, Kostin, and Thomas over any of those early-teens players by themselves.

I think that it was confirmed they wanted to but it was someone around 10 that went higher....maybe the kid vancouver picked. From what I read....he wasn't that hot at the tourney.

 

[Dbrownss]

We got Kostin with our 2nd + Reaves, so unless we had to trade 3 picks for whoever we targeted, we'd still get Kostin. And Schenn cost a 2018 1st too. So in actuality, it is:

Suzkuki/Middlestadt/Rasmussen/whoever and a 2018 1st vs. Thomas and Schenn

Not saying it would have been worth it, but its a lot closer.

I left the 18 out because im sure that was to dump Lehtera...

Id take Thomas over Rasmussen 10x out of 10. Jury is out on Suzuki and Middlestadt.....Buffalo picks tend to kinda go blah. I wasnt super impressed with him at the WJ camp

 

[stl76]

I'm not even sure we ever found out for sure that we were trying to move up. I definitely could have seen us going after Rasmussen or Suzuki, and I'm sure we would have been thrilled to get Vilardi at 11. The way picks 14-19 fell went almost perfectly for us though. That run of 5 straight defensemen followed by San Jose taking Norris (thank god) dropped Thomas right in our laps. And then the stuff at the end of the round was just shrewd maneuvering. I absolutely agree, I'll take Schenn, Kostin, and Thomas over any of those early-teens players by themselves.

Vilardi at 11 would have been great. Other than that tho, glad things worked out the way they have so far.

It was somebody that went higher than expected. I'm thinking it was Lias Andersson.

Bit off topic, but after watching some film on him, I am convinced Lias Andersson is going to be a very good NHL player. The kid is legit. Not sure if he will be playing C or W, but regardless that was a great pick by NYR IMO.

Yep. And nobody expected him to make it in 2014 before he showed up to camp.

In one year from now it's absolutely possible that Kyrou, Thomas, Thompson and Kostin are all NHL ready, or at least a few of them would be.

2 things:

1. Goodbye Stastny
2. We have the assets to make a trade for a center

Don't want to single out any one poster, but I am honestly a bit confused by all the people predicting and some even hoping that this will be Stastny's last season with the Blues. I've seen it here in this forum and on the main boards. I think he is going to have a great year and will sign another deal (for a lower cap hit of course). 60+ points assuming he can stay healthy.




STEPHEN DHILLON:

Does anyone have any other thoughts on this kid? Regrettably I missed all the games this tournament including his start against CBJ. Reading thru this thread it sounds like he played well and his stat line is definitely impressive. Would love to hear more thoughts from folks who got to see him play!

Also, here is a nice write up about him, definitely recommend reading: LINK

Sounds like he will be going back to play for the Niagra Ice Dogs again next season. Really hope the Blues offer him a contract. If they don't then somebody else will, especially if he continues to develop well next season.

Here are come quotes from Niagra Head Coach Billy Burke:

He’s got a good head on his shoulders...He is mature beyond his years. For a guy that didn’t play at all in his first year, he has come a long way.

From a team perspective, if you don’t have a good goalie, you are going to be behind the 8-ball. Steve proved himself last year. He’s an elite goalie in this league.

He is built like a goaltender. He has long limbs. He is tall. He has an incredible work ethic. His teammates look up to him. I don’t see why he wouldn’t take that next step this year.

...

I was shocked he wasn’t drafted. Sometimes I don’t know what these guys are looking at. All he did last year was make save after save, improve his game and give us a chance to win every night.

He is mature enough and confident enough that he won’t be discouraged by not being drafted. He is going to an NHL camp. That speaks to the fact he is on the radar in the NHL.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him get a free-agent contract at some point. Just because he wasn’t drafted, doesn’t mean he won’t play in the NHL one day.

 

[Majorityof1]

I left the 18 out because im sure that was to dump Lehtera...

Id take Thomas over Rasmussen 10x out of 10. Jury is out on Suzuki and Middlestadt.....Buffalo picks tend to kinda go blah. I wasnt super impressed with him at the WJ camp

I think '18 was only partially to dump Lehtera. Schenn was more valuable than #27, and dumping Lehtera less valuable than next years first in a strong draft. I wouldn't have been happy trading our 2018 1st to dump Lehtera without Schenn, and I very much disliked the Lehtera contract.

 

[MissouriMook]

Fabbri was the same, skill wise he looked ready to go but his body wasn't there. Im super lazy right now but isn't Thomas bigger then Fabbri at 18? Fabbri was a shrimp. Im just basically saying that i wouldn't be shocked to see Thomas on the club next year. That kid is a homerun pick. 2014 over again. Uber skilled Canadian pick then boom/bust Russian pick.

Did fabbri not spend a year in Guelph after being drafted? Then he came into camp DY+1 in 15/16 and made the team. Correct.

As I recall, Fabbri got hurt in camp at a time when it was expected that he had better than a 50/50 shot at making the team. He had demonstrated that, despite his size, he wasn't going to get pushed around playing against men, something Thomas has yet to prove. Fabbri may have been smaller in 2014 than Thomas is now, but Fabbri has a strong lower body that allowed him to compete at this level without being pushed around. From what I've seen, I think Thomas needs to add more lower body strength before he is ready for full-time NHL action. Just my $0.02

After the injury, the team decided to take a more prudent path with Fabbri and returned him to his junior team, only to have him get hurt (high ankle sprain I believe) in the WJC.

 

[Dbrownss]

As I recall, Fabbri got hurt in camp at a time when it was expected that he had better than a 50/50 shot at making the team. He had demonstrated that, despite his size, he wasn't going to get pushed around playing against men, something Thomas has yet to prove. Fabbri may have been smaller in 2014 than Thomas is now, but Fabbri has a strong lower body that allowed him to compete at this level without being pushed around. From what I've seen, I think Thomas needs to add more lower body strength before he is ready for full-time NHL action. Just my $0.02

After the injury, the team decided to take a more prudent path with Fabbri and returned him to his junior team, only to have him get hurt (high ankle sprain I believe) in the WJC.

Well we havn't seen Thomas against men though so its impossible to say. As far as lower body strenght...idk. Fabbri simply just didn't care how big you are, he's battling in the corner. Thomas while not afraid to go there, that just doesn't look like his game. So he goes a different route

 

[BlueDream]

Don't want to single out any one poster, but I am honestly a bit confused by all the people predicting and some even hoping that this will be Stastny's last season with the Blues. I've seen it here in this forum and on the main boards. I think he is going to have a great year and will sign another deal (for a lower cap hit of course). 60+ points assuming he can stay healthy.

No worries, it's a good discussion. Actually, the tone of my post probably made it seem like I really want Stastny gone but I don't. I like him, he's a good player and a good guy.

But, we have Schwartz, Fabbri, Tarasenko, Schenn, Steen, Barbashev, Sobotka, Berglund all under team control for a long time.

If we re-sign Stastny, where would we ever have room for Thompson, Kostin, Thomas, Kyrou, Sanford, etc to make the jump and get meaningful playing time?

It's going to start getting crowded. Either we let Stastny go, or we sign him and... Armstrong better have some trades up his sleeve because idk. If he decides to move out Steen and Berglund in a year while keeping Stastny, that's probably something I would be on board with. But I'm not sure how easy it would be to do while still getting value in return.

 

[phxblue]

For a draft everyone for the past year has called a "weak" draft and "weak first round depth" the Blues sure got some steals towards the end of round 1.

 

[Dbrownss]

For a draft everyone for the past year has called a "weak" draft and "weak first round depth" the Blues sure got some steals towards the end of round 1.

Was said about '14 too iirc. Really shows how incompetent some teams are.

 

[The Note in MI]

That's where some big trades are going to have to happen, whether it's moving these prospects for futures, packaging them for a big splash, or moving the established guys for futures to make room for the prospects. It's impossible to predict what is going to happen over the next two years. I don't think you can truly plan for it either.

 

[Dbrownss]

That's where some big trades are going to have to happen, whether it's moving these prospects for futures, packaging them for a big splash, or moving the established guys for futures to make room for the prospects. It's impossible to predict what is going to happen over the next two years. I don't think you can truly plan for it either.

Well imo outside of Boumeester and Berglund's NTCs, this is a great problem to have. As long as Armstrong doesn't value the vets too much anymore. We should have a great future. Id say Yeo is more then willing to give the youth their chance.

 

[Klank Loves You]

For a draft everyone for the past year has called a "weak" draft and "weak first round depth" the Blues sure got some steals towards the end of round 1.

The draft was regarded as weak because the top 5 were nothing jawdropping. Its a loud narrative, but there were always talks about how deep it would be too. No obvious choices, but great for someone like Bill Armstrong. Thats why i was happy not moving up. The more bullets Bill fires in the late 1st to 3rd days the better.

 

[Itsnotatrap]

Bourque was as advertised. Smooth skating, good breakouts, threw his weight around a little, kept the puck out of danger under pressure for the most part. Kid couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with his shot, but everything else seems to be in a good spot.

Good to hear. Sounds like what he did at the Mills in July. Thanks for the report.

 

[Stealth JD]

It's going to start getting crowded. Either we let Stastny go, or we sign him and... Armstrong better have some trades up his sleeve because idk. If he decides to move out Steen and Berglund in a year while keeping Stastny, that's probably something I would be on board with. But I'm not sure how easy it would be to do while still getting value in return.

That's where some big trades are going to have to happen, whether it's moving these prospects for futures, packaging them for a big splash, or moving the established guys for futures to make room for the prospects. It's impossible to predict what is going to happen over the next two years. I don't think you can truly plan for it either.

Blues have to bring back Stastny...unless they acquire Tavares. In which case, they could go one of two routes: go into the playoffs with both Tavares and Stastny down the middle, and deal with Stastny's contract in the off-season; or trade him in a Shattenkirk-like situation, so the club doesn't let him walk for nothing. If you're satisfied with Tavares/Fabbri as your top-two centers, then it's not a horrible decision to trade Paulie, if the club decided he wouldn't be back.

If the Blues can pay Tavares $10M/year, and Stastny $5M/year...that would be awesome...but I can't see Stastny not getting more in free agency.

 

[Ranksu]

When is next game?

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

When is next game?

September 2018

 

[Brian39]

Blues have to bring back Stastny...unless they acquire Tavares. In which case, they could go one of two routes: go into the playoffs with both Tavares and Stastny down the middle, and deal with Stastny's contract in the off-season; or trade him in a Shattenkirk-like situation, so the club doesn't let him walk for nothing. If you're satisfied with Tavares/Fabbri as your top-two centers, then it's not a horrible decision to trade Paulie, if the club decided he wouldn't be back.

If the Blues can pay Tavares $10M/year, and Stastny $5M/year...that would be awesome...but I can't see Stastny not getting more in free agency.

I don't see any possible reality where Stastny takes a friendly cap hit without a full NTC. If we re-sign Stastny, he isn't getting moved in the near future.

 

[BlueDream]

Blues have to bring back Stastny...unless they acquire Tavares. In which case, they could go one of two routes: go into the playoffs with both Tavares and Stastny down the middle, and deal with Stastny's contract in the off-season; or trade him in a Shattenkirk-like situation, so the club doesn't let him walk for nothing. If you're satisfied with Tavares/Fabbri as your top-two centers, then it's not a horrible decision to trade Paulie, if the club decided he wouldn't be back.

If the Blues can pay Tavares $10M/year, and Stastny $5M/year...that would be awesome...but I can't see Stastny not getting more in free agency.

I know this might be shocking news but Tavares and Stastny aren't the only 2 options... There's lots of players around the league. A trade can be made, etc. There's a lot more that goes into it besides just saying "well it's either Tavares or Stastny". That's not the case and surely not what Blues management is thinking.

 

[Stealth JD]

I know this might be shocking news but Tavares and Stastny aren't the only 2 options... There's lots of players around the league. A trade can be made, etc. There's a lot more that goes into it besides just saying "well it's either Tavares or Stastny". That's not the case and surely not what Blues management is thinking.

True. Stastny must stay, unless a better center is acquired. Tavares is the obvious target due to contract-status and speculation about his future in Brooklyn/wherever. The Blues can't let Stastny go, and roll Fabbri/Barbashev/Berglund/Sobotka down the middle. That isn't going to cut it, regardless of how strong the D and W are. (Unless Fabs/Barbi explode*)

* not in this manner:

 

[Meatwagon]

True. Stastny must stay, unless a better center is acquired. Tavares is the obvious target due to contract-status and speculation about his future in Brooklyn/wherever. The Blues can't let Stastny go, and roll Fabbri/Barbashev/Berglund/Sobotka down the middle. That isn't going to cut it, regardless of how strong the D and W are. (Unless Fabs/Barbi explode*)

* not in this manner:

Frickin love "Big Trouble in Little China", I swear that is Raiden from Mortal Kombat, before there was a Mortal Kombat...