seattleblue wrote: ↑13 Sep 2025 14:35 pm
Adding a one way defenseman prospect and one good game of a prospect who has potential but challenges does not mean RHD isn’t very much still the weakness. Jiricek showed low positional IQ last year in junior. We have to see if that’s still a part of his game before we can even say he is back on track.
"Weakness" strikes me as overstatement, even for RD. Lot of time left before the Blues rely on any of these guys. Even if Dvorsky or someone else makes the team the Blues are not in a position where they are relying on a prospect (other than perhaps Snuggerud to an extent) to stay afloat. Last night was a positive for the whole group of prospects, another game tonight and then a full season of development.
He’s talking organizationally, long-term. Not currently. Faulk is fading fast, Parayko is 32 and Kessel might not really even be an NHLer. We’re ok at RD for now but organizationally, it’s Jiricek and McIsaac and that’s it. Definitely still a long-term weakness.
Obviously the landscape changes if Jiricek can overcome his 2 injury riddled seasons and reach his potential but even assuming that occurs, we’re still clearly quite shallow there.
The Blues also have all of their future 1st round draft picks in-hand, and all these prospects. To the extent they are "shallow" at RD they are rich in ability to acquire or add resources. They added Mailloux and they still have a lot of good prospects. It seems like the organization is only "weak" if they need both Mailloux and Kessel in the NHL together or perhaps if they need another full-time NHL RD in the next couple of seasons. If Springfield needs one they'll find a player to plug the hole.
Agreed they’re rich in resources/assets. And will be even more so if/when the next wave starts hitting the NHL - Stenberg, Kaskimaki, Pekarcik, Stancl etc. Either they can be traded or whomever they replace can be traded to shore up an area of greater need. We already did that once - trading a winger in Bolduc for a RD in Mailloux but I expect it to occur a few more times in the coming years as well.
"You have to be sure that you’re not blindly attached to draft picks or prospects because at certain times you have to use all the assets at your disposal. Sometimes they’re future draft picks and sometimes they’re recently drafted players that you use to get better."
- Doug Armstrong
seattleblue wrote: ↑13 Sep 2025 14:35 pm
Adding a one way defenseman prospect and one good game of a prospect who has potential but challenges does not mean RHD isn’t very much still the weakness. Jiricek showed low positional IQ last year in junior. We have to see if that’s still a part of his game before we can even say he is back on track.
Jay McKee had nothing but praise for Jiricek and everyone associated with Mailloux, the same. As was said in Jiriceks case it's a positive step, one of many upcoming. Those writing off an 18 yr old bc of bad luck injuries, a little lame.
I'll be here to revisit this let's see what the Blues RHD side looks like in a few years. My guess is we'll be singing a different tune
TampaBlues78 wrote: ↑13 Sep 2025 17:19 pm
Do these guys get any practice in Minn? Does anyone know?
They practiced a bit in St Louis jumped on a plane and played last night and tonight then it's camp. They've been at Centene for awhile in most cases but not a lot of real practice
kimzey59 wrote: ↑13 Sep 2025 17:51 pm
Looks like it's Buchinger and Fischer sitting(per Ryan Smith) for Gaudet and Kehrer.
Cranley's still in net and the lines have been shuffled a bit.
Yuck. Don't like the D changes. McIsaac was brutal last night. If any Dman should come out, it should be him. Buchinger and Fischer were good. Forward changes are probably to help the depth. The second line was invisible last night.
kimzey59 wrote: ↑13 Sep 2025 17:51 pm
Looks like it's Buchinger and Fischer sitting(per Ryan Smith) for Gaudet and Kehrer.
Cranley's still in net and the lines have been shuffled a bit.
Yuck. Don't like the D changes. McIsaac was brutal last night. If any Dman should come out, it should be him. Buchinger and Fischer were good. Forward changes are probably to help the depth. The second line was invisible last night.
I don't necessarily disagree.
However:
Buchinger has nothing to prove at this level. He needs to be focused on Camp next week. I wouldn't have been too upset if he wasn't even on this years roster.
Fischer's hands might be feeling it after the scuffle last night. Those were some heavy uppercuts he landed.
kimzey59 wrote: ↑13 Sep 2025 17:51 pm
Looks like it's Buchinger and Fischer sitting(per Ryan Smith) for Gaudet and Kehrer.
Cranley's still in net and the lines have been shuffled a bit.
Yuck. Don't like the D changes. McIsaac was brutal last night. If any Dman should come out, it should be him. Buchinger and Fischer were good. Forward changes are probably to help the depth. The second line was invisible last night.
I don't necessarily disagree.
However:
Buchinger has nothing to prove at this level. He needs to be focused on Camp next week. I wouldn't have been too upset if he wasn't even on this years roster.
Fischer's hands might be feeling it after the scuffle last night. Those were some heavy uppercuts he landed.
kimzey59 wrote: ↑13 Sep 2025 17:51 pm
Looks like it's Buchinger and Fischer sitting(per Ryan Smith) for Gaudet and Kehrer.
Cranley's still in net and the lines have been shuffled a bit.
Yuck. Don't like the D changes. McIsaac was brutal last night. If any Dman should come out, it should be him. Buchinger and Fischer were good. Forward changes are probably to help the depth. The second line was invisible last night.
I don't necessarily disagree.
However:
Buchinger has nothing to prove at this level. He needs to be focused on Camp next week. I wouldn't have been too upset if he wasn't even on this years roster.
Fischer's hands might be feeling it after the scuffle last night. Those were some heavy uppercuts he landed.
Yeah, good points.
Blues actually playing 12 forwards and 7 D. FIscher is in. Buchinger the only scratch.
seattleblue wrote: ↑13 Sep 2025 14:35 pm
Adding a one way defenseman prospect and one good game of a prospect who has potential but challenges does not mean RHD isn’t very much still the weakness. Jiricek showed low positional IQ last year in junior. We have to see if that’s still a part of his game before we can even say he is back on track.
Jay McKee had nothing but praise for Jiricek and everyone associated with Mailloux, the same. As was said in Jiriceks case it's a positive step, one of many upcoming. Those writing off an 18 yr old bc of bad luck injuries, a little lame.
I'll be here to revisit this let's see what the Blues RHD side looks like in a few years. My guess is we'll be singing a different tune
We have to stop with this Jay McKee quote. I promise you I am aware you take it as gospel because you tell me this literally every time we discuss this player I watched last season and you didn’t. I swear I got it.
It’s amazing to see Ashton Cumby da mmit because he was on Seattle last season and I saw him play Stancl then too. He was noticeable but he was a 20 year old junior
