Draft Thread
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Draft Thread
The way things are looking for us, maybe it is not too early for a draft thread? Talking about what possible high pick we may get, would be a pleasant distraction from talking about our current play! Seattle, Stl Fan In MN, Tim, or anyone who follows these prospects closely, please jump in to give us some hope about the future.
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Pierre McGuire
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Re: Draft Thread
Blues are getting a real good player in June and likely at least one additional first rounder.
Belchetz is my current want depending on if we slot 2-5 but at this point a legit shot at McKenna appears to be on the table.
Belchetz is my current want depending on if we slot 2-5 but at this point a legit shot at McKenna appears to be on the table.
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Snuggyfresh
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Re: Draft Thread
Who is the best defender in this draft. In your opinionPierre McGuire wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 06:41 am Blues are getting a real good player in June and likely at least one additional first rounder.
Belchetz is my current want depending on if we slot 2-5 but at this point a legit shot at McKenna appears to be on the table.
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BalotelliMassive
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Re: Draft Thread
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/8 ... n-verhoeffSnuggyfresh wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 08:58 amWho is the best defender in this draft. In your opinionPierre McGuire wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 06:41 am Blues are getting a real good player in June and likely at least one additional first rounder.
Belchetz is my current want depending on if we slot 2-5 but at this point a legit shot at McKenna appears to be on the table.
Re: Draft Thread
Piere from your persepctive can you rank these 10.
Gavin McKenna: LW, Penn State University (NCAA)
Keaton Verhoeff: RHD, University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Ivar Stenberg: LW/RW, Frölunda HC (SHL)
Tynan Lawrence: C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Mathis Preston: Forward, Spokane (WHL)
Ethan Belchetz: LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Ryan Lin: RHD, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Xavier Villeneuve: LHD, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Chase Reid: RHD, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Viggo Björck: C/W, Djurgårdens (J20)
Gavin McKenna: LW, Penn State University (NCAA)
Keaton Verhoeff: RHD, University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Ivar Stenberg: LW/RW, Frölunda HC (SHL)
Tynan Lawrence: C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Mathis Preston: Forward, Spokane (WHL)
Ethan Belchetz: LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Ryan Lin: RHD, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Xavier Villeneuve: LHD, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Chase Reid: RHD, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Viggo Björck: C/W, Djurgårdens (J20)
Re: Draft Thread
I thought someone said he wasnt worthy of being in the top 10 or 15th. Cant remember where i read that.BalotelliMassive wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 09:05 amhttps://www.eliteprospects.com/player/8 ... n-verhoeffSnuggyfresh wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 08:58 amWho is the best defender in this draft. In your opinionPierre McGuire wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 06:41 am Blues are getting a real good player in June and likely at least one additional first rounder.
Belchetz is my current want depending on if we slot 2-5 but at this point a legit shot at McKenna appears to be on the table.
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Pierre McGuire
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Re: Draft Thread
Too early yet to rank all 10Nublues69 wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 09:09 am Piere from your persepctive can you rank these 10.
Gavin McKenna: LW, Penn State University (NCAA)
Keaton Verhoeff: RHD, University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Ivar Stenberg: LW/RW, Frölunda HC (SHL)
Tynan Lawrence: C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Mathis Preston: Forward, Spokane (WHL)
Ethan Belchetz: LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Ryan Lin: RHD, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Xavier Villeneuve: LHD, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Chase Reid: RHD, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Viggo Björck: C/W, Djurgårdens (J20)
McKenna
Belchetz
Verhoeff
Stenberg
Lawrence
Reid
Carels
Villenueve
Lin
Rudolph
Re: Draft Thread
My only draft concern is this team goes on a run and drops the team out of taking on one of the top three forwards. They have the bad record, might as well get the best pick from it.
Anyone know how tall Ivar Stenberg actually is? His numbers and highlights are impressive.
Anyone know how tall Ivar Stenberg actually is? His numbers and highlights are impressive.
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Pierre McGuire
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Re: Draft Thread
Around 5”9 but hes got some Patrick Kane in his game. He’s legitdr0zombie wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 09:47 am My only draft concern is this team goes on a run and drops the team out of taking on one of the top three forwards. They have the bad record, might as well get the best pick from it.
Anyone know how tall Ivar Stenberg actually is? His numbers and highlights are impressive.
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Pierre McGuire
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Re: Draft Thread
Sweden revealed their WJC roster today and no surprise Stenberg is on it
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juan good eye
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Re: Draft Thread
Yes and it’s up to Army to ensure that doesn’t happen after (bleep) up the draft in previous years.dr0zombie wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 09:47 am My only draft concern is this team goes on a run and drops the team out of taking on one of the top three forwards. They have the bad record, might as well get the best pick from it.
Anyone know how tall Ivar Stenberg actually is? His numbers and highlights are impressive.
Re: Draft Thread
I’ve seen him up to 6’ recently. Probably a “true” 5’11” at the moment, which is plenty big given his style/skill.dr0zombie wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 09:47 am My only draft concern is this team goes on a run and drops the team out of taking on one of the top three forwards. They have the bad record, might as well get the best pick from it.
Anyone know how tall Ivar Stenberg actually is? His numbers and highlights are impressive.
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PregnantNun
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Re: Draft Thread
I read that Stenberg is possibly the best Swedish prospect since Dahlin.
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Frank Underwood
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Re: Draft Thread
Given the craaapfest that the Blues are this year, the World Juniors will be must watch TV. Well, they always are but even more so this year.
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STL fan in MN
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Re: Draft Thread
It’s still early but I see McKenna, Belchetz, Stenberg and I guess Verhoeff as the top of this class.
From a talent and hockey sense standpoint, I like Lin and Villeneuve more than Verhoeff but those 2 are undersized while Verhoeff is a 6’4” righty. But at the end of the day, I see Verhoeff as more of an Ekblad/EJ/Power sort of caliber of d-men. Very good. Going to have a long career and be a big contributor but I just don’t see the elite hockey sense that’s needed to be a superstar.
Lin and Villeneuve are 5’11” and 5’10” respectively so there’s more bust potential being a d-men that size but they have the skills and smarts of players like Makar, Q.Hughes, L.Hutson etc.
I also really like Lawrence (missed the first 15-20 games of the season to injury but he’s legit), Suvanto and Novotny as well. Viggo Bjorck is also highly, highly skilled.
This draft is deep at wing, relatively deep at D and pretty darn weak at C. Lawrence and Suvanto are really the only 2 true Cs I see going in the first half of the 1st round as of now. There will be others as C is a valued position but those are the only 2 I see as absolutely deserving of going that high as of today.
I didn’t think I’d be watching the top 5-10 kids thinking the Blues would have a legit shot at them this season but here we are. As of today, the Blues project to get a really good player. I’ve got tickets to a few WJC games so looking forward to seeing some of these guys in person. Stenberg and Bjorck were 2 that really stood out in the WJSS that took place here in MN this summer I got to attend. Obviously many others also stood out but most of them were 18-19 yr olds that have already been drafted.
From a talent and hockey sense standpoint, I like Lin and Villeneuve more than Verhoeff but those 2 are undersized while Verhoeff is a 6’4” righty. But at the end of the day, I see Verhoeff as more of an Ekblad/EJ/Power sort of caliber of d-men. Very good. Going to have a long career and be a big contributor but I just don’t see the elite hockey sense that’s needed to be a superstar.
Lin and Villeneuve are 5’11” and 5’10” respectively so there’s more bust potential being a d-men that size but they have the skills and smarts of players like Makar, Q.Hughes, L.Hutson etc.
I also really like Lawrence (missed the first 15-20 games of the season to injury but he’s legit), Suvanto and Novotny as well. Viggo Bjorck is also highly, highly skilled.
This draft is deep at wing, relatively deep at D and pretty darn weak at C. Lawrence and Suvanto are really the only 2 true Cs I see going in the first half of the 1st round as of now. There will be others as C is a valued position but those are the only 2 I see as absolutely deserving of going that high as of today.
I didn’t think I’d be watching the top 5-10 kids thinking the Blues would have a legit shot at them this season but here we are. As of today, the Blues project to get a really good player. I’ve got tickets to a few WJC games so looking forward to seeing some of these guys in person. Stenberg and Bjorck were 2 that really stood out in the WJSS that took place here in MN this summer I got to attend. Obviously many others also stood out but most of them were 18-19 yr olds that have already been drafted.
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seattleblue
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Re: Draft Thread
Pierre is right it's too early to rank.Pierre McGuire wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 09:43 amToo early yet to rank all 10Nublues69 wrote: ↑05 Dec 2025 09:09 am Piere from your persepctive can you rank these 10.
Gavin McKenna: LW, Penn State University (NCAA)
Keaton Verhoeff: RHD, University of North Dakota (NCAA)
Ivar Stenberg: LW/RW, Frölunda HC (SHL)
Tynan Lawrence: C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Mathis Preston: Forward, Spokane (WHL)
Ethan Belchetz: LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Ryan Lin: RHD, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Xavier Villeneuve: LHD, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
Chase Reid: RHD, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Viggo Björck: C/W, Djurgårdens (J20)
McKenna
Belchetz
Verhoeff
Stenberg
Lawrence
Reid
Carels
Villenueve
Lin
Rudolph
Kimzey has been discussing Malhotra a bit - that is a rising player, and there will be others that's why it's too early to rank. In a month the WJC will be under our belts and then it'll be "on" for making lists.
I hope BPA isn't Villenueve, that only works if he's Hutson/Hughes which I am not sure of. See a lot of him on Carbo's team though