The St. Louis Blues have begun the retooling of their organization and the prospect pool is quickly replenishing itself. After selling three veteran forwards at the trade deadline in former team captain, Ryan O’Reilly, along with long-time players Vladimir Tarasenko and Ivan Barbashev, they have amassed a multitude of impactful players that should hopefully help turn the team from outsiders to playoff contenders sooner than later. With that in mind, it’s time to start reviewing some of the club’s top prospects. Rather than attempt a compilation piece looking over 12-15 players in a single article, this review will be split into a miniseries of the top players at each major position. Please note that the ranking of these prospects will be in alphabetical order and not a ranking in terms of overall skill or potential.
Related: St. Louis Blues’ 2023 Top 5 Forward Prospects
Next on the docket is a look at the club’s defensemen.
Michael Buchinger
Drafted 88th overall by the Blues in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Michael Buchinger is among one of the organization’s most highly-anticipated defensemen due to his offensive abilities. During the 2022-23 season, the 19-year-old finished third overall in points for the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with 15 goals and 67 points over 61 games with a team-leading 198 shots on goal. The blueliner was without a doubt the rock on their backend and one of the biggest x-factors to help propel them into the postseason.
Buchinger signed his entry-level contract with the Blues in March 2023 signaling what could be the end of his junior hockey days in the OHL, turning his sights toward the pros. While he has shown an ability to dominate offensively by leading the rush and contributing offensively in the junior leagues, the jury is still out on how his game will translate at the professional level. As a number one defender today, he could find himself hitting a ceiling as a third-pairing, second power play unit defender in the NHL if his defensive game does not tighten up.
Matt Kessel
Former University of Massachusetts defender Matt Kessel is an intriguing prospect. Averaging just over a half-point per game in the NCAA with 51 points (23 goals, 28 assists) in 100 games, he seemingly found his next gear in his first full season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Springfield Thunderbirds producing 33 points (five goals, 28 assists) in 71 games. He still has work to do and likely will not compete for a full-time spot in the NHL for the next season or two as he continues to grow and develop his 200-foot game.
Theo Lindstein
One of the three first-round draft choices by the Blues in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Theo Lindstein projects as a reliable two-way defender that could find his way to the NHL as a second-pairing defenseman in the near future. He had plenty of hype heading into his draft season having appeared in Sweden’s top junior league (J20 Nationell) and the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) during his age-16 season. During the 2022-23 season, he scored two goals and seven points at the J20 level, and one goal and two points in the SHL. Internationally, he appeared in the World Junior tournament for Sweden finishing with five points (one goal, four assists) in seven games.
Lindstein will have friendly competition and fellow prospects to keep up with if he intends to arrive in the NHL around the same time as Dalibor Dvorsky and Otto Stenberg. All three first-round draft choices by the Blues in the 2023 Entry Draft have familiarity with one another and should arrive with established chemistry to hit the ground running when they turn pro in North America.
Leo Lööf
The hard-hitting, tough defender will make his way to North America for the 2023-24 season after signing a three-year entry-level contract in April 2023. The 21-year-old was drafted 88th overall by the Blues in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and has spent the past two seasons playing for Ilves of Liiga in Finland, posting 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) and 58 penalty minutes in 103 games.
At this point in his career, Lööf should be ready to take on a third-pairing role in the AHL with the Thunderbirds, but could ultimately be loaned back to Europe should the Blues feel he is not ready yet, or have a better opportunity for increased responsibilities. He carries a familiar, gritty style of hockey that Blues fans have long adored from their players, a style that should move along with him as he works his way toward a spot in the NHL. At the height of his career, he could be a very good bottom-pairing defenseman that earns his frequent flyer miles on the way to the penalty box, and possibly a few calls from the Department of Player Safety if he is not careful with his powerful bodychecks.
Tyler Tucker
Having shown he is ready to compete for a full-time role with the Blues for the 2023-24 season, Tyler Tucker is nearly ready to graduate from prospect to an NHL regular this coming year. Among a group of restricted free agents this offseason, Tucker and the Blues agreed to a two-year, one-way contract worth an annual average value of $800,000.
The 23-year-old made his NHL debut during the 2022-23 season and played in 26 games, scoring one goal and three assists. Tucker also spent time with the Thunderbirds where he appeared in 41 games, scoring three goals and 18 assists. Fans have already come to enjoy the physical, old-school type of play from the youngster, quickly becoming a player that they rooted for on a nightly basis. He is the type of player that is not afraid to stick up for his teammates and let his opponents know when he believes they are in the wrong. As the Blues continue their rebuilding efforts, expect him to be among the key components to their success.
Honorable Mentions
Honorable mentions go to none other than Scott Perunovich. The club’s former top prospect will be turning 25 years old on Aug. 18 and has aged out of the prospect category at this point in his career, despite playing only 19 NHL games. There are still high hopes for him at this stage of his career, but fans will continue to wince every time he is checked with anticipation that he remains healthy for a full season.
The Blues have a wide array of defenders that should be making their way to the NHL over the coming seasons. While they currently boast a multitude of young blood that can hold their own in a game, the club currently lacks a top defensive prospect ready to take on the top-pairing assignments. The Blues front office will have their work cut out for them to ensure they can bring in a defender capable of handling such assignments in the near future.
