Younghopp1991 wrote: ↑28 Dec 2025 11:51 am
Hagel lightning 6th rd 8th pick drafted by buffalo
Geekie boston 3rd round 5th pick
Brayden point lightning rd3 19th pick
Even kuckerov was a late 2nd prolly for his size.
Aliaksei protas caps 3rd rd 29th pick
Just a few from a quick search.
Parayko 3rd round pick
Although i appreciate what parry does and his role to the team he is not the type of player im talking about. And i dont consider him a actual reach as far as draft pedigree. A 6ft 6 defender who can skate and has a bomb isnt exactly stepping out on the ledge in the 3rd round.
I don't think he was 6ft 6 when drafted
My intention isnt to be rude but what is your point? 6ft 4 nearly 200lb rhd who skates well and has a hard slapper.
Parayko has been EXTREMELY solid. But that is not the same comparison as numerous 40+goal seasons, a 50 goal season. Geekie is going for back 2 back 30+ goal seasons and has 25 at almost mid point. Protas put up 30 last year and trending the same way this year. Not calling protas a star but at 24 hes trending that way. The guy put up 30 last year even with ovi getting all the ice time and shooting opportunities to take over gretz.
Thats ok my friend. You can think or feel however you want. I just dont agree that finding a parayko in the 3rd is the same comparison as a guentzel or point. Just sayin
danno wrote: ↑28 Dec 2025 13:48 pm
To formulate some strange criteria that excludes parayko, makes me think that you have an agenda with this thread.
Just sayin'
Also not sure what i formulated.
The entire point of the thread was to see what you guys think our later round strategy is. Draft for games in the nhl or if they are taking boom or bust shots. I only supplied examples to show i did some homework.
I dont think its about "swinging for the fences" - the late round picks that blossom in this day and more often just late bloomers (as opposed to Russians that nobody else was able to scout or high ceiling, low probability players with talent but red flags to overcome).
So, if anything, to find more late round gems, the organizational strategy shouldn't be to take big swings, but rather to focus on traits that these late bloomers have in common: emotional maturity, work ethic, character.
I'd be surprised if they didn't have a list of things they check off, That was of importance Like skills, attitude, potential, maybe age, and other criteria. That would come before player position, or best player available.
I'd also think it would be different for each rd.
For example. First rd. I think lottery.(elite or bust) I wouldn't want to draft defense, or a power forward. But then I'd go down the list of other criteria like bpa, ext.
Second rd. I'd think power forward/bottom six.(Not that I wouldn't take either in the first) But it's more likely to find a ROR in the second, then it is to find a C. Keller.
Third and beyond. I'd look at things other then skill first. This is where I'd want to pick YBPA.Youngest Bestest Player Available. or Biggest Bestest defender Available. This is when I'd also start looking at goaltending.
Thank you guys for the feedback. And thank you for your individual character lists. One thing those guys have in common is some of the talent they play with currently and who they broke into the league with. No doubt playing with sid and kuch can make life easy and you get great opportunities. The problem is probably less about our draft theory and more about not having the guys that can elevate others around them.
danno wrote: ↑28 Dec 2025 13:48 pm
To formulate some strange criteria that excludes parayko, makes me think that you have an agenda with this thread.
Just sayin'
Also not sure what i formulated.
The entire point of the thread was to see what you guys think our later round strategy is. Draft for games in the nhl or if they are taking boom or bust shots. I only supplied examples to show i did some homework.
I think they've stayed their goal after the 3rd round goes from BPA to find players that can fit into their organizational depth and play in some NHL games. They usually look for one highly translatable NHL skill (like scoring, skating, hockey sense, etc ..) and raw skills that can potentially be developed.
Most people consider a team's draft a success if they find 1 consistent top 6 / top 4 / Starting goalie or 2 players that play in 500 or more games.
People will say anything after the first round is like throwing darts at a dartboard from 10 yards out and anything after the 3rd round is like throwing darts with a blindfold at a moving dartboard from 10 yards out.
Younghopp1991 wrote: ↑28 Dec 2025 11:33 am
First off i want to start by saying i understand that hitting on some late picks is mostly a crapshoot. My question is this… what is the blues philosophy on 3rd round picks and later?
There are other organizations that have 4th, 5th and 6th round picks who turn into productive staples in the line up.
Just one example off the top of my head is hagel. He was a 6th tound pick i believe and put up 90 pts last year, 75 the year before and is a ppg this season.
I will include more examples soon but do we not swing for the fences ever? Do we only draft to potentially make the nhl? Or do we just not have the players that elevate 6th rounders?
Any info is appreciated.
Elite centers and defenseman can very very rarely be found in late rounds, and that is what the Blues are lacking. The question that everyone should be asking is "How are the Blues going to land an elite Center and RHD?" Thomas and Mailloux are not going to cut it.
I think Blues have had plenty of hits in the later rounds especially in the last 10 years. You picked what 6 guys all drafted by different teams to make up your list-that's hardly fair. We have a lot of guys in the lineup now who fit your criteria and define what you say we have been unable to do in the draft.
In the NHL, the percentages by round that a drafted player plays more than 200 games,
• 1st round: about 40–60% (higher for top‑10 picks, lower late in the round).
• 2nd round: about 20–30%.
• 3rd round: roughly 10–15%.
• 4th round: roughly 5–10%.
• 5th round: roughly 5–10%.
• 6th round: roughly 5–10%.
• 7th round: roughly 5–10%.
The Blues are like every other team when it comes to finding late round gems. The few random players you name are outliers. As for Parayko, he was not on anyone’s radar before the draft. He was a fantastic find.
historically there have been a lot of late round foreign born players where teams struck lightning. Zetterberg and Datsyuk of Detroit come to mind. Panarin wasn't even drafted- though Tarasenko told the Blues to draft him. I guess the proximity and difference in style make it tougher to judge, though it seems they are getting more focused on analyzing them correctly around the league.
