The 2023-24 season is officially in its second half and it is time to review the top 10 prospects in the St. Louis Blues‘ organization. Before going any further, it is important to note that this list does not officially and individually rank these players, but list them in a top-10 grouping.
Zachary Bolduc
One of the most offensively-talent forwards in the pipeline, Zachary Bolduc is currently ranked 14th in total points among all Blues prospects across all leagues. With five goals and 15 points in his first season with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, some could say that his first year is a bit disappointing from an offensive standpoint after coming off back to back seasons surpassing 50 goals with the now-Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s (QMJHL, at the time known as the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League) Quebec Ramparts.
After a slow start to the his first professional season, Bolduc has scored in spurts after seeing a steady rise in the lineup. After starting on the third line with Zach Dean, Bolduc has been consistently deployed on the second line and most recently on the top line with Matthew Peca and Adam Gaudette in their Jan. 10 game against the Bridgeport Islanders. While there is a lack of goal-scoring at this point, the shots on goal certainly have not lacked as he currently ranks second on the team with 81 shots through 34 games.
Michael Buchinger
The highly-skilled offensive defenseman has made his presence known with the Guelph Storm in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this year recording (as of this writing) eight goals and 37 points currently through 36 games. He is on pace to match his 2022-23 campaign of 67 points in 61 games and is looking all the part of the offensive defenseman that could play a pivotal role one day in the NHL. However, it will be his defensive skills that either make or break that opportunity. After making Team Canada’s preliminary roster for the 2024 World Junior Championship (WJC), he was ultimately one of the final cuts ahead of the start of the tournament, largely due to his poor performances defensively.
Quinton Burns
Drafted 74th overall by the Blues in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Quinton Burns is currently ranks 25th in the OHL in total points scored among all defensemen on a Kingston Frontenacs team that is currently struggling to keep their head above .500 and has a -13 goal differential. At this point, it is rare to find a game Burns does not find his way onto the scoresheet as he has two goals and 21 assists in 28 games. He is consistently handling the heavy minutes and difficult defensive assignments with the Frontenacs this season, but proves his worth every shift. He has some growth and skating development to work on but could easily find himself with a long NHL career and be a bit of a hidden gem should his development go according to plan.
Zach Dean
Along with Bolduc, forward Zach Dean has grossly underperformed when it came to fan expectations this season. Thought to be one of the next big offensive forwards working his way through the ranks, Dean (21) has managed only two goals and four points through eight games in his first professional season with the Thunderbirds. After scoring 33 goals and 70 points in the QMJHL for the Gatineau Olympiques during the 2022-23 season, his acquisition from the Vegas Golden Knights was thought to be a steal of a trade. However, his transition to the professional game seems to be rougher than expected that could land ultimately land Dean as a penalty-killing, bottom-six forward long-term. While the young forward has plenty of time to develop into a well-rounded forward that could contribute in a middle-six forward role similar to Sammy Blais or Ivan Barbashev, his future role in the NHL is still unclear.
Dalibor Dvorsky
The Blues drafted Dvorsky 10th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, their highest draft pick since choosing defenseman Alex Pietrangelo fourth overall in the 2008 draft. His first 10 games in the Swedish Elite League (SHL) did not go according to plan, forcing his club to take immediate action and assign him to the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) with the Sudbury Wolves. It did not take him long to acclimate to the smaller North American ice as he scored a goal in his first game with the Wolves.
Most recently, Dvorsky appeared along with six other Blues’ prospects in the 2024 WJC where he and Team Slovakia ultimately claimed a bronze medal. The forward did not find quite the same offensive flair after producing 13 points in seven games in U-18 World Juniors only one year ago. However, three goals and six points in five games is nothing to discount as Dvorsky provided several timely goals for his country. Should his development and health remain in order, it would not be a surprise to see him turn pro for the 2024-25 season.
Theo Lindstein
The final the trio of three first-round draft choices in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Lindstein has performed admirably this season and should be looked at in high regard among Blues prospect defensemen moving forward. It is unlikely he finds himself as a top-pairing defenseman in the NHL, but could develop into a very good, well-rounded second-pairing defenseman who plays a similar style to former Blues defenseman Carl Gunnarsson or Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin.
Related: Blues December Prospect Report: World Juniors
After making Team Sweden’s 2024 WJC roster as an injury replacement, Lindstein was named one of the top performers of the tournament after recording two goals and eight points in seven games while averaging 19:32 of time on ice per game. The 18 year old is still several years away from contending for a spot in the NHL, but should be difficult to be taken out of the lineup once he gets there.
Juraj Pekarcik
Juraj Pekarcik is possibly one of the most surprising stories of all Blues prospects this season. Selected only two choices after Burns, the forward has taken the United States Hockey League by storm scoring five goals and 27 points in his first 18 games of the season with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. After scoring 10 points (three goals, seven assists) for Slovakia in the 2023 U-18 tournament, he became a clear target for teams as a forward with high offensive intelligence who does not shy away from the physical side of the game.
Alongside Dvorsky, Pekarcik represented Team Slovakia at the 2024 WJC where he scored one goal and three points in five games. The forward started the tournament on the third-line left-wing slot but found his way paired with Dvorsky and the duo seemed to click immediately reclaiming their connection from the 2023 U-18 tournament. Look for Pekarcik to continue his development over the next few seasons.
Jimmy Snuggerud
Along with Dvorsky, there is not a more highly-anticipated prospect in the Blues organization than Jimmy Snuggerud. After scoring 21 goals and 50 points in 40 NCAA games with the University of Minnesota during the 2022-23 season, the forward opted to return to college and continue his development among his peers. This season, he continued his development by working on different areas of the game and leading some younger players as he has become one of the top targets for his opposition.
After producing 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in the 2023 WJC, he took his spot as Team USA’s top-line right winger for the 2024 tournament. After being removed from the lineup due to the flu, Snuggerud returned to the lineup on the fourth line to ease his way back into action. However, it did not appear that illness slowed him down as he scored five goals and eight points through six games as he and Team USA secured a gold medal.
After the completion of his 2023-24 season, it would be hard not to imagine a signing of Snuggerud with the Blues and to see him make his NHL debut. In a recent interview, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong stated Snuggerud is “going to have the opportunity to play very quickly, if not immediately.” (from ‘Blues GM Doug Armstrong on the World Juniors, and how soon Jimmy Snuggerud could arrive in the NHL,’ St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jan 8, 2024)
Otto Stenberg
Among the three first-round selections in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Blues forward prospect Otto Stenberg was one of the seven prospects to appear in the 2024 WJC. After an impressive 2023 U-18 tournament where he captained Team Sweden while producing 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in seven games, he earned his roster spot for the 2024 WJC on the third line. Despite playing down in the lineup, Stenberg made the most of his time on the ice, scoring five goals and nine points in seven games, including a hat trick against Team Germany in a 5-0 victory.
Stenberg has produced admirably this year in a middle-six role playing with Frolunda HC in the SHL while averaging 11-12 minutes per game. The Swedish forward is a line-driver who constantly looks to create plays and scoring opportunities either for himself or his teammates. At the peak of his career, he could fill in at all areas of the game will providing strong leadership on and off the ice.
Vadim Zherenko
One of the top goaltending prospects in the Blues organization, Vadim Zherenko (22) is continuing his transition to North America in his second season with the Thunderbirds. After playing 25 games during the 2023-24 season sporting a .913 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.14 goals against average (GAA), there has been noticeable improvement through 18 games this season as he has a .915 SV% and a 2.88 GAA. It is unclear what the future holds for Zherenko in the Blues organization with Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer looking to hold down both the starting and backup roles for the foreseeable future. Should one of the two experience an injury, the Russian netminder should be serviceable in the NHL at this point in his career.
The Blues’ top 10 prospects hold a wide range of NHL potential. Whether these players fit in a highly-regarded top-six role one day or a bottom-pairing penalty-killing, they hold true value for this franchise. It has been quite some time that the top of their prospect pool has shown such promise. At this point, it is clear they are still missing the high-end defender to add to their mix, but that is a problem for another day. The future looks bright with these individuals on the horizon.
