Corey Pronman details what to expect from the St. Louis Blues’ new prospects and how they fit into the farm system.
2023 draft grade: B+
With three firsts, including No. 10, you should get players, and the Blues did. Dalibor Dvorsky is a potential top-two-line center for them in a few years. Otto Stenberg, Theo Lindstein and Juraj Pekarcik all have real chances to play in the NHL too. They could get two NHL regulars from this group, maybe three.
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Draft class
10. Dalibor Dvorsky, C, AIK (SWEDEN-2)
June 15, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 200 pounds
Tier: Top-of-the-lineup player
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Player comparable: William Karlsson
Background: Dvorsky’s play was up and down this season versus men in the Allsvenskan, but he was excellent at the junior level in Sweden. He was an important part of Slovakia’s U20 team in both the winter and summer world juniors. He led Slovakia’s U18 team to a top four finish at the U18s. He was the second-leading scorer of the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup behind Michkov. He was a top player at the U18 worlds B Pool in 2022, leading Slovakia to promotion.
Analysis: Dvorsky is quite dangerous inside the offensive zone. He has excellent puck skills in small areas and can make checkers miss routinely in open ice. He can make tough plays and find seams. He excels as a goal scorer, though, with a wrist shot and one-timer that he can often finish from range. Dvorsky’s compete is good, he wins puck battles and he isn’t shy from using his body. Like a lot of shooters he can stay too much on the perimeter instead of taking it to the net, but I never watch his games and think he lacks effort. His footspeed is going to be an issue for higher levels. I think with his offensive talent, his work ethic and strong and consistent track record of scoring he finds a way to become a very important part of an NHL lineup, but I’m less sure of whether he sticks down the middle or has to be a winger due to his skating.
Thoughts on the pick: Dvorsky gives the Blues an excellent young center talent, one who could play behind Robert Thomas in four to five years. He’s very skilled but also competitive and has some of the physicality they tend to covet. His skating is a minor issue, and because of that we will see when he takes that major step versus men, but he is an excellent prospect who becomes the top young talent in their system.
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25. Otto Stenberg, C, FROLUNDA JR. (SWEDEN-JR.)
May 29, 2005 | 5-foot-11 | 185 pounds
Tier: Middle-of-the-lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Player comparable: Alexander Barabanov
Background: Stenberg was the captain of Sweden’s U18 team this season. He got extended time in the SHL with Frolunda. His performance in Sweden’s J20 league wasn’t as good as expected, but he scored very well in that league as a 16-year-old. He was a top scorer at the Hlinka Gretzky this summer and at the U18s in the spring.
Analysis: There is a lot to like about Stenberg’s game. He is a strong skater with good hands who can be a threat in transition. His shot is excellent, and Stenberg is often a threat to score from the faceoff dots, although I don’t know if that will be his role on an NHL power play. Stenberg isn’t the biggest forward, but he gives an honest effort every night and doesn’t shy from going into traffic. His hockey sense is good enough to score at higher levels, and he’s certainly more of a shooter than a passer. He’s listed as a center but is likely a pro winger. I could see him as a second- or third-line wing in the NHL.
Thoughts on the pick: Stenberg is a good all-around winger who can play with pace, competes well and has goal-scoring ability. I’m surprised the Blues picked yet another winger with a first-round pick, but they must have felt he was a no-doubt-about-it talent at 25. I’m not quite as high on him, but I think he can be a second- or third-line forward in the NHL.
29. Theo Lindstein, LHD, BRYNAS (SWEDEN)
Jan. 5, 2005 | 6-feet | 185 pounds
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: NHL average
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Background: Lindstein split time between Brynas’ SHL and J20 team this season but got more time up in the SHL in a limited-minutes role. He was a major part of Sweden’s U18 team during the course of the season. He was also on Sweden’s U18 team as a 16-year-old.
Analysis: Lindstein’s game is quiet but effective. He’s a strong skater who can kill a lot of rushes and transport pucks up ice. He’s a smart puck-mover who makes a great first pass and has some blue-line poise. He can make some tough plays and get up into attacks even though I wouldn’t call his offensive touch a standout aspect. He’s not that physical, but Lindstein defends well due to his brain and feet and gives a solid effort. I see him as a third-pair defenseman in the NHL.
Thoughts on the pick: St. Louis addresses a critical organizational need by adding Lindstein, a strong-skating defenseman who can move the puck. He isn’t the flashiest player in the world, and he’s average-sized, but he’s a quality defenseman with a good chance to have an NHL career.
Blues give Alexander Steen ‘some work to do’ with 3 European picks in first round of NHL Draft. #stlblues https://t.co/vyNNbM45bY
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) June 29, 2023
74. Quinton Burns, LHD, KINGSTON (OHL)
April 14, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 185 pounds
Tier: Has a chance to play games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: High-end
Background: Burns played a ton of minutes for Kingston this season. He was invited to Canada’s U18 team this spring but was injured midway through the tournament. He was a second-round pick in his OHL Draft.
Analysis: Burns is a strong-skating defenseman who plays very hard. He’s a punishing physical player and a strong defender who will make a lot of stops versus pros. The debate on Burns will be exactly how much offense he has. I haven’t observed enough puck play or vision to be convinced, especially as an average-sized player.
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76. Juraj Pekarcik, LW, NITRA (SLOVAKIA)
Sept. 12, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 183 pounds
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Background: Pekarcik played a limited-minutes role on his Slovakia pro team in the top division. He was a top player for Slovakia’s U18 team, scoring 10 points in seven games at the U18 worlds. He is only a few days away from being eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft.
Analysis: Pekarcik is a strong skater who can create tough offensive plays at pace. He’s got excellent hands and can beat defenders one-on-one at a strong clip. His playmaking isn’t amazing, but it’s good enough, especially how he can create on the move or from small areas. Pekarcik’s compete is an asset. He gets to the net, wins battles and doesn’t shy away from physical play, even if I wouldn’t call him overly aggressive. He has a lot of the traits of a bottom-six wing in the NHL and has a chance to be more if he hits.
106. Jakub Stancl, C, VAXJO JR. (SWEDEN-JR.)
April 10, 2005 | 6-foot-3 | 202 pounds
Background: Stancl was a good player in Sweden’s junior league and earned some time with Vaxjo’s SHL team, which was a top club in Sweden this year. He was also a top player for Czechia’s U18 team.
Analysis: Stancl is a big winger with a strong skill level. He has the one-on-one abilities to beat pro defensemen, and with his powerful frame and strong compete, he can create around the net. Stancl’s skating will be his main hangup against better players. I’ve seen worse feet on 6-foot-3 players, but he lacks the quick twitch for the NHL level. I also don’t see a ton of natural offense in his game, so it’s hard to see what his exact role could be.
138. Paul Fischer, LHD, USA U-18 (NTDP)
Jan. 30, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 200 pounds
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Tier: Has a chance to play games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Background: Fischer was a top-four defenseman for the U.S. NTDP this season, often playing on both special team units for the program, although he lost his power-play time in the second half of the season. He is committed to Notre Dame.
Analysis: Fischer is a solid two-way defenseman. His skating is NHL quality. He has smooth edges to evade pressure, can stay with faster forwards and close on his checks well. He’s able to get up into attacks or skate pucks up ice well. Fischer has some offense, but it projects to be limited against better players. He shows instances of skill and vision, but I wouldn’t call him an instinctive playmaker. He’s not that physical, but Fischer gives a good effort every night. He has a chance, but it’s not clear what his NHL role would be.
170. Matthew Mayich, LHD, OTTAWA (OHL)
Dec. 21, 2004 | 6-foot-2 | 187 pounds
Analysis: Mayich is a decent-sized defenseman with good hockey sense. He competes well and doesn’t shy away from using his body. His skating is just OK, though, and while his opportunity was limited on a top OHL team in Ottawa, I don’t see a ton of offense in his game.
202. Nikita Susuyev, RW, SPARTAK JR. (RUSSIA-JR.)
Feb. 6, 2005 | 6-feet | 172 pounds
Tier: Has a chance to play games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Below NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Background: Susuyev was a quality junior player in Russia this season and ended up getting some time with Spartak’s KHL club. He transferred to Spartak this season after coming up previously with CSKA.
Analysis: Susuyev’s skill and skating are noticeable. He’s a powerful skater who can get past junior defenders and looked like he could handle the pro pace. He has strong edges, sometimes relying on his 10-2 skating style too much, but he has multiple ways he can beat opponents with his feet. Susuyev then has the hands, vision and shot to create offense in various ways inside the offensive zone. The biggest thing for his game is getting more interior offense, as he’s often on the perimeter too much. This isn’t ideal as a one-way winger.
(Photo of Dalibor Dvorsky: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)