Post Lottery Athletic Mock

[Army's Mom]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/724184 ... roid-share

11. St. Louis Blues: Viggo Björck, C, Djurgården (SHL)
The Blues are ushering in new general manager Alexander Steen, who is Swedish, and reporters have already joked with him about the club adding several of his countrymen to the roster. But all kidding aside, the Blues wouldn’t have to justify taking Björck with the No. 11 pick. Yes, he’s on the smaller side (5-9, 177 pounds), but he’s a fast, competitive and intelligent playmaking center who can win faceoffs and help on both ends of special teams. The Blues need more high-end talent up the middle in their prospect pool, and colleague Scott Wheeler believes Björck is the second-best option behind Malhotra. — Jeremy Rutherford

15. St. Louis Blues: Malte Gustafsson, LHD, HV71 (SHL)
The hope was that Lin or Cullen would fall to No. 15 when the Blues made their second of three first-round picks. But Gustafsson — Steen will like this, another Swede — is still a solid pick. The 6-4, 200-pound blueliner moves well and plays physical, according to Wheeler, and can be a two-way D-man in the NHL. The Blues are loaded up with young blueliners in their system, with Logan Mailloux, Theo Lindstein and Adam Jiricek (all under 23) potentially in the top six next season. Mailloux brings some toughness on the right side, and Gustafsson could bring that on the left side in the future. — Rutherford

[Army's Mom]

1. IMO it just seems real lazy to assume Steen means we're picking Swedes. I get there may be an affinity, and that was the story after the Stenberg and Lindstein picks, but come on!

2. If it breaks like they have it - McKenna, Stenberg, Malhotra, Carels, Reid, Verhoeff, Rudolph, Smits, Belchetz, Lawrence - I would rather try to trade up for Rudolph or Belchetz, or pick Cullen (who goes 12).