The St. Louis Blues have made five picks in the first round since the 2021 Draft, including three in the 2023 Draft. Each of these five prospects are amongst the club’s most important in their system. They represent an important part of the franchise’s future. Let’s delve into these five and how they’ve been doing this season.
Bolduc Getting Time in the NHL
After spending most of this season with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League (AHL), Zachary Bolduc has 10 NHL games under his belt this season at 21 years old. The time is right for him to get his NHL chance, so the club made the correct decision in bringing him up this season as they struggle to stay in playoff contention. He’s still so young with ample room to grow offensively at this level.
Through 10 games, Bolduc has one goal and a plus/minus of minus-2. The numbers certainly don’t jump off the page and that’s no surprise, but he’s recently shown plenty of ability in doing the small things. He’s only averaging 10:31 of ice time, and that could grow over the next few seasons like it did for Jake Neighbours. The Blues have shown the ability to develop high-level talent over the past six seasons. Forwards like Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Neighbours are prime examples of quality development. I’ve been impressed with the small improvements made by Bolduc through 10 games. He has so much time to find his footing at this level and I believe he will.
Snuggerud Lighting the Lamp at Minnesota
The Blues’ 2022 first-round pick was winger Jimmy Snuggerud, who has steadily been one of the best goal-scorers in college hockey at the University of Minnesota for the past two seasons. What’s impressed me most in watching him at Minnesota and in the World Junior Championships with the United States is his lethal shot. He has 41 goals in 76 games at Minnesota for the last two seasons, including 20 goals this season after the departure of elite linemates Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies. He also had 10 goals in 13 games at the World Juniors for the U.S. squad in the past two years, including being one of their top players on the gold medal-winning 2024 team.
Related: Blues’ Prospect Jimmy Snuggerud’s Floor & Ceiling
I think Snuggerud has legitimate 40-goal potential in the NHL with the possibility of playing alongside Thomas soon with the Blues. He will get playing time with the club next season and could play a few games if he signs an entry-level contract after the season at Minnesota is over. I’m bullish on the potential of Snuggerud. It wouldn’t surprise me if he becomes a franchise cornerstone within the next five years.
Stenberg & Lindstein Finding Their Way
The Blues had three first-round picks in the 2023 Draft. They used their 25th overall pick on Swedish center Otto Stenberg and 29th overall pick on Swedish defenseman Theo Lindstein.
Starting with Stenberg, he’s got nine points in nine games for Bofors IK. He’s playing in the second-highest-level Swedish hockey league, so this production is solid at age 18. Before heading down to Bofors IK, he had six points in 31 games in the highest-level Swedish Hockey League. He also had a great run in the World Juniors with Sweden, scoring nine points in seven games. The versatility that Stenberg brings as a prospect will be something for the club to monitor over the next few seasons as he gets closer to the NHL.
As for Lindstein, he has the potential to be the club’s best defensive prospect within the next couple of seasons. He was electric in the World Juniors for Sweden with six assists and eight points in seven games. He’s a mobile skater and moves the puck well, so I think he fits well in the Blues’ system.
Dvorsky Having Electric Season in Junior
With the 10th overall pick in the 2023 Draft, the Blues drafted Slovakian center Dalibor Dvorsky. He has number-one center potential and they need that more than almost anything right now. After Thomas, there are a lot of questions about center depth in their system right now.
Dvorsky started the season with Oskarshamn IK in the highest-level Swedish Hockey League. The team was poor and he had zero points in 10 games, so he ended up coming to North America. The Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) own his rights, so he’s spent the past few months with them. He has done exactly what I’d expect an 18-year-old first-round prospect to do in the OHL – dominate.
In 46 games with the Wolves, Dvorsky has 38 goals and 36 assists for 74 points overall. He’ll be AHL-ready next season and I wouldn’t be surprised if he got some NHL time as well.
Blues Have Bolstered Their Prospect Pool
In making all of these first-round picks since the 2021 Draft, the Blues have done a great job of bolstering the top end of their prospect pool. The 2020 selection of Neighbours looks great as he’s recorded 20 goals in his age-21 season. I think general manager Doug Armstrong needs to embrace the youth movement in St. Louis and let the kids play. He’s shown signs of allowing it with Bolduc, Matthew Kessel, and Zach Dean getting call-ups this season. Either way, the club is set up well to add more prospects as the 2024 Draft approaches.
