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St. Louis Blues: Early Season Check-in On Prospects

By Todd Panula

LONDON, ON - OCTOBER 29: Jordan Kyrou
LONDON, ON - OCTOBER 29: Jordan Kyrou /
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St. Louis Blues
ST CATHARINES, ON – OCTOBER 13: Jordan Kyrou /

Jordan Kyrou

Jordan Kyrou played well enough in the late summer to have potentially earned a spot in the AHL. However, the Blues did the smart thing by keeping him cost controlled and under their own umbrella.

Kyrou got sent back to the Sarnia Sting in Canadian junior hockey. That way his pro contract has not yet begun and he is still on an entry-level deal. Also, with the Blues minor league situation in flux this year, it made sense for the team to not put his development in jeopardy.

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Kyrou was not deterred by missing out on pro hockey for another year though. He has gotten off to a fast start in the OHL.

In seven games, Kyrou is averaging two points per game. He has a total of four goals and 14 points.

That’s right about on the average for goals he scored last year. Kyrou had 30 goals in 66 games, so with four in seven he’s right on pace.

Kyrou still has to become stronger, but he might be reaching the point where there is nothing more junior hockey can teach him other than patience.

St. Louis Blues
KELOWNA, CANADA – DECEMBER 3: Tanner Kaspick /

Tanner Kaspick

Tanner Kaspick does not get the hype or publicity that other guys get, but he’s off to a fast start. The 19 year old was selected in the 2016 draft.

He is on the Brandon Wheat Kings and only trails Kyrou by two points. Kaspick has played two more games, with nine under his belt.

He currently has two goals and 12 points. Still, that’s a pretty good start especially considering the WHL is not quite as high flying as the OHL.

Kaspick is also taking on extra responsibility this season. He served as the alternate captain last year and put up 19 goals and 45 points.

This season he is the team’s captain. They will look to him for both production and leadership and so far, he has produced both.

LONDON, ON – MARCH 9: Head coach Jarrod Skalde of the Guelph Storm goes over a play during a timeout against the London Knights in an OHL game at Budweiser Gardens on March 9, 2017 in London, Ontario, Canada. The Knights defeated the Storm 8-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
LONDON, ON – MARCH 9: Head coach Jarrod Skalde of the Guelph Storm goes over a play during a timeout against the London Knights in an OHL game at Budweiser Gardens on March 9, 2017 in London, Ontario, Canada. The Knights defeated the Storm 8-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

Alexei Toropchenko

Alexei Toropchenko is a very interesting prospect. He’s come from Russia, so how his talents translate to the North American game are anyone’s guess.

The 18 year old made the smart play to come west to continue his development though. He currently plays for the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League.

So, he gets the benefits of learning the game and the culture with guys his own age. There is also the perk of less pressure to perform.

Still, he has jumped out to a decent lead. In nine games he has four goals and eight points. The main fault in his game might not even fall at his feet alone.

He is currently minus-11 in the plus/minus category. Again, that stat is misleading in some cases, but the fact that his line has not been defensively responsible is not the best reflection.

Considering the cultural barriers though, it is good to see him get off on the right skate so to speak.

Overview

It is really early in the season even for the junior teams that have almost twice as many games under their belts as their professional counterparts. Still, there have been some good starts all around.

Next: Sammy Blais Gets His NHL Chance

Kyrou still jumps off the page when looking at his skill and scoring ability. I still would not count on him being in the NHL for a couple more years, but he’s going to make the choices difficult.

As the season goes on and more games are played, we’ll go deeper into the talent pool. There are plenty more guys that have the potential to shine and just have not seen the ice enough yet to discuss.

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