2022 NHL Draft thread

1
I'm still in playoff mode and hopefully the Blues will be too for another month but Pronman dropped his mock draft

1. Shane Wright
2. Juraj Slafkovsky
3. Logan Cooley

24. St. Louis Blues: Nathan Gaucher, C, Quebec-QMJHL

I think the Blues system could really use a defenseman but I don’t see the board lining up well to take one on talent if draft goes like this. Their system could also use a true center, and Gaucher fits at 24. He can complement the skilled players they have on their roster and in the system by providing hard minutes and size down the middle. That he’s teammates with fellow Blues first round pick Zachary Bolduc is also just a coincidence.

https://theathletic.com/3310759/2022/05 ... raft-2022/

Lian Bichsel is someone I have my eye on for the Blues. Big Swede d-man.
Just a Russian propaganda account

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

2
Interestingly the Blues haven't taken a D in the first round since Schmaltz in 2012. There were 2 years where they picked a D in the second round when they didn't have a first round pick (Dunn and Vannelli). I wonder if that's a draft philosophy or just kind of the way the board has fallen. Of the first round forwards selected in that timeframe, the good news is that only one of those picks appears to have been a bust, and the better news is that we traded him as part of the Faulk deal (Bokk).

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/tea ... 08187.html
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

3
Dave's a mess wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 11:50 am Interestingly the Blues haven't taken a D in the first round since Schmaltz in 2012. There were 2 years where they picked a D in the second round when they didn't have a first round pick (Dunn and Vannelli). I wonder if that's a draft philosophy or just kind of the way the board has fallen. Of the first round forwards selected in that timeframe, the good news is that only one of those picks appears to have been a bust, and the better news is that we traded him as part of the Faulk deal (Bokk).

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/tea ... 08187.html
And yet our defense isn't atrocious. Unless the guy is going to be an elite dman like Petro was I don't see the Blues feeling any pressure to choose one.

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

5
BluesSK wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 12:10 pm
Dave's a mess wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 11:50 am Interestingly the Blues haven't taken a D in the first round since Schmaltz in 2012. There were 2 years where they picked a D in the second round when they didn't have a first round pick (Dunn and Vannelli). I wonder if that's a draft philosophy or just kind of the way the board has fallen. Of the first round forwards selected in that timeframe, the good news is that only one of those picks appears to have been a bust, and the better news is that we traded him as part of the Faulk deal (Bokk).

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/tea ... 08187.html
And yet our defense isn't atrocious. Unless the guy is going to be an elite dman like Petro was I don't see the Blues feeling any pressure to choose one.
Yeah I think you go best player available no matter what when you pick in the 20s. They've done well with D after the first round and haven't been afraid to acquire the high end guys via trade or free agency.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

6
BluesSK wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 12:10 pm
Dave's a mess wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 11:50 am Interestingly the Blues haven't taken a D in the first round since Schmaltz in 2012. There were 2 years where they picked a D in the second round when they didn't have a first round pick (Dunn and Vannelli). I wonder if that's a draft philosophy or just kind of the way the board has fallen. Of the first round forwards selected in that timeframe, the good news is that only one of those picks appears to have been a bust, and the better news is that we traded him as part of the Faulk deal (Bokk).

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/tea ... 08187.html
And yet our defense isn't atrocious. Unless the guy is going to be an elite dman like Petro was I don't see the Blues feeling any pressure to choose one.
Not atrocious but mostly because Army has invested a lot in it from players outside the organization.
Just a Russian propaganda account

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

7
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 12:43 pm
BluesSK wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 12:10 pm
Dave's a mess wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 11:50 am Interestingly the Blues haven't taken a D in the first round since Schmaltz in 2012. There were 2 years where they picked a D in the second round when they didn't have a first round pick (Dunn and Vannelli). I wonder if that's a draft philosophy or just kind of the way the board has fallen. Of the first round forwards selected in that timeframe, the good news is that only one of those picks appears to have been a bust, and the better news is that we traded him as part of the Faulk deal (Bokk).

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/tea ... 08187.html
And yet our defense isn't atrocious. Unless the guy is going to be an elite dman like Petro was I don't see the Blues feeling any pressure to choose one.
Not atrocious but mostly because Army has invested a lot in it from players outside the organization.
He turned Cole into Bortuzzo. He turned Petro into Faulk + 2.3M per season and he turned Walman and a pick into Leddy who we may very well retain. Plus, we still have homegrown talent in Parayko, Perunovich and Mikkola.

The only real loss was Dunn but that was unavoidable. I think Armstrong has done a masterful job in reshaping the defense. .

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

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BluesSK wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 1:42 pm
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 12:43 pm
BluesSK wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 12:10 pm

And yet our defense isn't atrocious. Unless the guy is going to be an elite dman like Petro was I don't see the Blues feeling any pressure to choose one.
Not atrocious but mostly because Army has invested a lot in it from players outside the organization.
He turned Cole into Bortuzzo. He turned Petro into Faulk + 2.3M per season and he turned Walman and a pick into Leddy who we may very well retain. Plus, we still have homegrown talent in Parayko, Perunovich and Mikkola.

The only real loss was Dunn but that was unavoidable. I think Armstrong has done a masterful job in reshaping the defense. .
He didn’t turn Petro into Faulk. That was Edmundson. Krug was signed with the Petro departure. But I agree with what you’re saying.
Just a Russian propaganda account

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

10
Corey Pronman dropped a new mock draft today. Here's the Blues bit:
23. St. Louis Blues: Filip Bystedt, C, Linkoping-SHL

Bystedt is a player I’m hearing a lot about in the run-up to the draft as a 6-foot-3 center who can skate well and has some offense. St. Louis doesn’t have many true centers in their system so I could see him or Gaucher as fits here. If one of the WHL defensemen in Mateychuk or Pickering gets this far I could see them as a destination for the Blues, who lack young defensemen.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

13
BillP. wrote: Tue Jun 07, 2022 11:13 am
BluesSK wrote:Any moody Russians available? 😄
I want a lineup full of them - ha

If Kostin can get motivated and make team and if the Blues keep Barbashev, that's 5 right? Let's make it 6 and have 2 lines - ha
Ivan Miroshnichenko is a name to keep an eye on then. 6'1 forward, he was Pronman's #2 prospect in January however, in March he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. He likely won't play at all next season as he undergoes treatment, but if you want to swing for the fences and go for a top 5 guy he's the name to watch.

Also captained Russia's U18 team to a silver medal at World's and had 6 goals.

The other is Danila Yurov. Another top 10-15 talent with a Russian passport.
Just a Russian propaganda account

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

14
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Fri Jun 10, 2022 9:22 am
BillP. wrote: Tue Jun 07, 2022 11:13 am
BluesSK wrote:Any moody Russians available? 😄
I want a lineup full of them - ha

If Kostin can get motivated and make team and if the Blues keep Barbashev, that's 5 right? Let's make it 6 and have 2 lines - ha
Ivan Miroshnichenko is a name to keep an eye on then. 6'1 forward, he was Pronman's #2 prospect in January however, in March he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. He likely won't play at all next season as he undergoes treatment, but if you want to swing for the fences and go for a top 5 guy he's the name to watch.

Also captained Russia's U18 team to a silver medal at World's and had 6 goals.

The other is Danila Yurov. Another top 10-15 talent with a Russian passport.
Let's do it.

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

15
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:
BillP. wrote: Tue Jun 07, 2022 11:13 am
BluesSK wrote:Any moody Russians available? 😄
I want a lineup full of them - ha

If Kostin can get motivated and make team and if the Blues keep Barbashev, that's 5 right? Let's make it 6 and have 2 lines - ha
Ivan Miroshnichenko is a name to keep an eye on then. 6'1 forward, he was Pronman's #2 prospect in January however, in March he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. He likely won't play at all next season as he undergoes treatment, but if you want to swing for the fences and go for a top 5 guy he's the name to watch.

Also captained Russia's U18 team to a silver medal at World's and had 6 goals.

The other is Danila Yurov. Another top 10-15 talent with a Russian passport.
I like that. Thanks for the info. Good stuff!

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

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Staff mock draft: Who wants to be the one to tell JR that Vince Dunn wasn't a first round pick?

https://theathletic.com/3374958/2022/06 ... ock-draft/

23. St. Louis Blues: Denton Mateychuk, LHD, Moose Jaw-WHL
The Blues haven’t selected a defenseman with a first-round pick since Vince Dunn in 2015. In the six years since, it’s been forwards Tage Thompson, Robert Thomas, Klim Kostin, Dominik Bokk, Jake Neighbours and Zach Bolduc. Thomas has become a top-six center, a pair of trades turned Thompson into Ryan O’Reilly and Bokk into Justin Faulk. Neighbours and Bolduc have shown great promise. But now it’s time for a defenseman, and the Blues are thrilled to see Mateychuk available at No. 23. He moves the puck well and thinks the game well, and while he’s a tad undersized, his ability brings a lot of value with this selection. —Jeremy Rutherford
Just a Russian propaganda account

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

17
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 10:26 am Staff mock draft: Who wants to be the one to tell JR that Vince Dunn wasn't a first round pick?

https://theathletic.com/3374958/2022/06 ... ock-draft/

23. St. Louis Blues: Denton Mateychuk, LHD, Moose Jaw-WHL
The Blues haven’t selected a defenseman with a first-round pick since Vince Dunn in 2015. In the six years since, it’s been forwards Tage Thompson, Robert Thomas, Klim Kostin, Dominik Bokk, Jake Neighbours and Zach Bolduc. Thomas has become a top-six center, a pair of trades turned Thompson into Ryan O’Reilly and Bokk into Justin Faulk. Neighbours and Bolduc have shown great promise. But now it’s time for a defenseman, and the Blues are thrilled to see Mateychuk available at No. 23. He moves the puck well and thinks the game well, and while he’s a tad undersized, his ability brings a lot of value with this selection. —Jeremy Rutherford
He would've known that if he read this thread.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

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I’ll have my annual list for you guys some time before the draft. I’ve got several that I’m keying in on and a couple of risers for me that I wasn’t looking at all that much mid season.
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Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

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BillP. wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 12:20 pm
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Staff mock draft: Who wants to be the one to tell JR that Vince Dunn wasn't a first round pick?

https://theathletic.com/3374958/2022/06 ... ock-draft/

23. St. Louis Blues: Denton Mateychuk, LHD, Moose Jaw-WHL
The Blues haven’t selected a defenseman with a first-round pick since Vince Dunn in 2015. —Jeremy Rutherford
That's just hilarious. I mean that's his life, his job. Just no excuse really.
I ain’t sayin’ nothin’.

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

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Turk Sanderson wrote:
BillP. wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 12:20 pm
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Staff mock draft: Who wants to be the one to tell JR that Vince Dunn wasn't a first round pick?

https://theathletic.com/3374958/2022/06 ... ock-draft/

23. St. Louis Blues: Denton Mateychuk, LHD, Moose Jaw-WHL
The Blues haven’t selected a defenseman with a first-round pick since Vince Dunn in 2015. —Jeremy Rutherford
That's just hilarious. I mean that's his life, his job. Just no excuse really.
I ain’t sayin’ nothin’.
:lol:

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

23
All of the mocks I've seen have had the Blues taking a D. I don't know if that's due to positional depth at that spot in the draft this year or writers projecting organizational need. Generally I feel like the Blues just take best player available in the first, but maybe that's just me drinking the post-draft kool-aid. Looking forward to diving into some serious draft content the next couple weeks.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

24
Dave's a mess wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 1:06 pm All of the mocks I've seen have had the Blues taking a D. I don't know if that's due to positional depth at that spot in the draft this year or writers projecting organizational need. Generally I feel like the Blues just take best player available in the first, but maybe that's just me drinking the post-draft kool-aid. Looking forward to diving into some serious draft content the next couple weeks.
I think it’s just due to organizational depth on the blue line in the prospect pool. Or extreme lack of.

Up front you have Bolduc, Neighbours, Alexandrov, Robertsson, all on the way. On the blue line it’s just Prune and not much else. Maybe Tyler Tucker but I don’t know that there’s a high ceiling there with him.
Just a Russian propaganda account

Re: 2022 NHL Draft thread

25
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote:
Dave's a mess wrote: Wed Jun 22, 2022 1:06 pm All of the mocks I've seen have had the Blues taking a D. I don't know if that's due to positional depth at that spot in the draft this year or writers projecting organizational need. Generally I feel like the Blues just take best player available in the first, but maybe that's just me drinking the post-draft kool-aid. Looking forward to diving into some serious draft content the next couple weeks.
I think it’s just due to organizational depth on the blue line in the prospect pool. Or extreme lack of.

Up front you have Bolduc, Neighbours, Alexandrov, Robertsson, all on the way. On the blue line it’s just Prune and not much else. Maybe Tyler Tucker but I don’t know that there’s a high ceiling there with him.
You mean my boy Kessel isn't a legit sleeper on D? You don't think he has 2nd pairing potential?