The St. Louis Blues kicked off their NHL prospect camp over the weekend and through the mid-morning of July 4. As the players progressed through their four-day stay in St. Louis, there was a considerable amount of attention on the future of the organization and some of the newest prospects recently selected by general manager Doug Armstrong and his team. While fans crammed into the stands and surrounding standing-room section of Centene Ice Rink in Maryland Heights, the players on the ice continued to sweat and grind out every ounce of effort they could muster up and show their worth to the franchise. Here is a look at some of the key takeaways from the club’s camp.
Blues’ Prospect Depth is Deeper Than Ever
If there is one thing that the Blues have always relied upon, it has been their positional depth to help them through not only the season but on a nightly basis. Throughout the club’s history, there have been many top-end players who have worn the Blue Note sweater and brought fans into the arena to see them play. However, it has also been positional depth that has kept those teams competitive on a nightly basis. When one player went down with an injury or illness, there has always been a “next man up” mentality to keep the team competitive.
Since the club won its only Stanley Cup in 2019, the organizational depth has begun to dry up. While there were a few players that stood out among the masses on the ice, there was a logical argument that could be made about nearly every single player that they too could make it to the NHL one day. Top-billed players such as Dalibor Dvorsky, Zachary Bolduc, Zach Dean, and Jimmy Snuggerud each brought fans a level of excitement and anticipation. But it was the play of additional newcomers Otto Stenberg, and Theo Lindstein, along with returning players Dylan Peterson, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Tanner Dickinson, and many others that help offer fans a look at a hopeful bright future of the organization.
There Has Been Strong Development Across the Globe
The Blues are seeing strong development from players across the globe. While it is often difficult for a young player to earn their way out of junior leagues and into professional clubs, Blues prospects are turning heads as they continue to earn and command ice time. One of the team’s prospects, Simon Robertsson, has struggled to find offensive consistency in his game and has bounced around in the European leagues as a result.
“Two years ago, when I played the most games in the SHL, I was mostly an extra forward,” Robertsson said. “So I played like two minutes a game. It’s so hard to get into the game, and you’re not feeling the puck and you try to be strong on it. That was a tough year. I think it was better last year when I got to play more. I didn’t play that much at Skelleftea, so I was loaned to Allsvenskan and there I played more. That’s what I think helped me out the most, after Christmas. I got a bigger role so had a better feel for the puck and strong at the same time.”
(from ‘Blues prospects Simon Robertsson, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki show promise after World Juniors,’ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 2023)
Robertsson played 16 games in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) (seven points) and 15 games in Allsvenskan (seven points) during the 2022-23 season. In seven Allsvenskan playoff games, he had a goal and an assist.
Looking back to North America, players like Bolduc and Snuggerud have both seen growth at their respective levels. This past season, Bolduc tied for third in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with 50 goals, and fourth in total points with 110 in 61 regular season games. He also added 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 18 playoff games on his way to winning the Memorial Cup. In the NCAA, Blues 2022 first-round draft pick, Snuggerud, made his name known across the college hockey universe by scoring 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists) in 40 games. Playing for the University of Minnesota, he and his team played their way to the NCAA championship game before ultimately falling 3-2 in overtime against Quinnipiac.
Dvorsky Has Come as Advertised
The organization’s 10th overall draft choice at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Dvorsky, is living up to the hype. While there were no official statistics surrounding the four-on-four and three-on-three scrimmages that took place, it is believed that he led the tournament with four goals. The 18-year-old made his way to the Blues prospect camp and has been turning heads ever since. While he impressed on the ice with his athleticism, speed, skill, and scoring ability, he was also doing the little things afterward like spending time with the fans, taking photos and signing autographs, and getting to know his future fanbase. On the ice, Dvorsky has been one of the biggest standouts of the camp, rewarding Armstrong and the Blues for their decision to draft him 10th overall.
Despite the current state of the Blues franchise being in a cash-strapped limbo, the future looks bright for this club. They have slowly begun to stockpile players that are making names for themselves across the globe and who could all one day be wearing the Blue Note at the same time together.
