Draft day: Blues Review
2022-08-29The St. Louis Blues have finished using all of their selections and have no intent on trying to get back into this year’s draft. First of all, I would like to thank all involved that helped make this a very smooth, and quite fast-paced draft, well done!
St. Louis came in with picks 5, 10, 69,107 and 117. We ended up picking at 1,10 and 40. I will start it off by saying I felt that after pick 40 to 45 the talent really slacked off so we felt trying to use our later picks to move up into the top 50 would be the best use of our assets. I mean that with no dis respect towards the players or teams it was simply our/my point of view, which in the grand scheme of things means very little.
Without further ado let’s move it along.
#5 Center – Logan Cooley – USA – 5’10” 180 Lbs. – NTDP USA U-18
Mindset: I am not sure I will have to go into much detail here, but as you can imagine I was ecstatic to be getting Cooley at the five. Knowing Minny was more than liking taking Kasper I knew my job was to take whatever piece was left from my top 4.
Elite level puck handling, elite level vision and IQ, elite level play making ability, elite level hand eye with an above average shot. Skates very well, and even with his small body frame he uses his body well to protect pucks. He is also very solid on the defensive side of the puck as well using his high hockey IQ and his anticipation to read plays before they happen. Will have to get a little bit stronger physically to have an elite career at the next level, but the whole package is currently there already to succeed and become a top line C that can play in every situation. Getting someone who some may have had going 1st overall with the 5th overall pick I was obviously pleasantly surprised.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mns1gh_kB4&t=19s
#10 Defense – Kevin Korchinski – CAN – 6’2” 190 Lbs. – Seattle - WHL
Mindset: To be fully transparent I was looking to slide down the draft here a little but closer to the 15-20 range, but it did not appear that there was too much out there, we wanted to make sure with our first two picks we got 1 F and 1 D-man although looking back maybe should have gone Kemell or Savoie?
Elite level skating and playmaking for a defenseman. He is a very good puck mover in all zones, and has the ability to take pucks turned over into instant offence using his skating ability. He has solid size but will need to fill out and become stronger. This also might help him with his one downside of being out muscled in his own zone while playing defense. He must improve and use his shot more in order to QB a PP at the next level.
Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7Iv9jIQRt8
#40 Left Wing – Julian Lutz – GER – 6’2” 190 lbs. – Munchen – DEL
Mindset: Traded picks 69,107 and 117 to move up, Marcos drove a hard bargain. But I was ok with it as I had a feeling Lutz would not last much longer, but then again, I have been wrong before and reached. Hard to find game action on him as he was hurt for the majority of the DEL season. Most of my viewing was from the Hlinka tourney where he put an undermatched German team on his back and was their best player in every game.
He is going to be a boom or bust prospect that is going to take some time to develop. Solid skater not quite elite but solid. Solid edgework and agility as well as firs step speed. Just like Korchinski he is going to have to fill out his 6”2 frame and become stronger on the puck as at times he was out muscled in the men’s game. Offensively he is just good at everything but great at nothing, he is going to have to work on all facets of his offensive game if he wants to be more than a bottom 6 winger. He is in the same boat defensively doing most things well but nothing great. He does poses a high end motor and compete level which is why I think he will continuously improve as he is a very raw prospect.
Highlights: No real highlight package to be found, so will drop his shift by shift at the Hlinka vs Sweden. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxIvQA-Uj20
https://twitter.com/IIHFHockey/status/1518304637073375232
https://twitter.com/IIHFHockey/status/1518313230493433863
I was quite happy with how the Blues draft ended up, although I am someone second guessing my pick at 10 but will not be losing any sleep over it. I think simply getting Cooley at the 5 should net me a solid A+ from Jared when his rankings come out!
On a side note, as this was being written the Blues organization would like to welcome Travis Konecny into the fold and look forward to seeing if he can help us become a playoff team.
Nice work and nice picks Shaun.
Draft day: Blues Review
Blues picked at the 5, 10 and 40
Quality over quantity. Can't argue with that.
Draft day: Blues Review
Blues picked at the 5, 10 and 40
When you get Cooley and Korchinski it's always going to be a good draft. Quality pieces that the Blues future should be built around. Loved the Konecny add as well. Fills a much needed hole at RW.
Draft day: Blues Review
Blues picked at the 5, 10 and 40
