Doug Armstrong, Alex Steen, and the Blues have a very important decision to make this coming Friday night on who to target in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft. Their selection could become a critical depth piece of the roster during this new window of contention, or could close that window a year early if the pipeline of young support stops flowing.
Doug Armstrong has a very impressive track record in the NHL draft, including in the back half of the first round. The Blues will hopefully be picking in this range for a long time to come, so this year's selection could be a great learning opportunity for future GM Alex Steen.
Let's take a look at some options the Blues could target among forwards at 19th overall.
Braeden Cootes (Center)
The Blues have a lack of organizational depth at center, so there is a theme to what I would suggest the team targets among the options at forward. Center is never a good position to punt on depth for, as it both symbolically and literally builds the spine of a team.
Braeden Cootes is a fun center prospect who is expected to be taken anywhere in the 14-24 range of picks. Cootes is a heavy skater with enough size that he puts to great use.
Cootes is listed at 6'0" and 183 lbs, but he loves to play physical and dominate on the forecheck. He is notable for his remarkable body control and ability to play harder and more physically than bigger opponents, giving some deception to his game as well. Cootes is better as a facilitator of the game when the puck isn't on his stick, but he is capable of making plays when he does carry the puck.
This season, Cootes put up 63 points in 60 games in the WHL (26G 37A), a fine mark for his age and ability. He plays a very classic power forward game of hanging around in front of the net or down low in the play, trying to establish a strong zone for his team by playing physical on the forecheck.
Cootes would be a pretty low-upside but safe selection for the Blues to make at 19th overall. Given how their center depth is currently constructed, adding a player like Braeden Cootes to the mix could be exactly the cure to feeling better about the options waiting in the wings at center.
Jack Nesbitt (Center)
Another safe selection at center could be Jack Nesbitt. Nesbitt is a massive 6'4" and 183 lbs and uses his size very effectively, especially as a defender. He is projected to be selected in the back half of the first round.
Nesbitt loves to get involved on defense, positioning his body in between passing lanes well and forcing dump-ins and easy turnovers with his positioning. He is not afraid to get physical either, using his long reach to steal pucks and bump puck carriers out of the play.
Offensively, Nesbitt's upside is admittedly limited. He tallied 64 points in 65 OHL games (25G 39A), proving that he can do enough to be a productive depth center, but not showing much in terms of exciting upside.
Nesbitt brings a physical and big game with him that's easily projectable to the NHL, making him a very high-floor prospect. His upside is pretty limited as probably a bottom-6 center, but his selection at 19th overall would make the Blues system stronger and would be a very decent pick.
Cole Reschny (Center)
The final center I would target is Canadian forward Cole Reschny. Reschny had an impressive season in his draft year and could be a steal with the 19th pick.
Reschny put up 92 points in 62 games in the WHL this season (26G 66A), a very impressive mark. Reschny showed off his deep toolkit and ability with the puck on his stick and even registered 25 points (9G 16A) in 11 playoff games in the WHL.
Reschny is listed at 5'10" and 187 lbs, meaning he's got some heft despite his slightly smaller size. This allows him to play a strong game and not get overwhelmed by bigger and stronger opponents.
The most developed and exciting skill at his disposal, however, is his impressive hockey IQ. Reschny is a playmaker who can be a physical presence too, serving some terrific passes and creating scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Reschny has an incredibly developed hockey mind with real offensive upside to make it in the NHL. He is an excellent passer and manipulates the spacing on the ice terrifically well with the puck on his stick, creating quick offensive opportunities.
Reschny is not much of a goal scorer himself, but his style of play creates openings in the ice that can allow for some high-danger opportunities to find the back of the net. He is also an effective player in transition skating out of the defensive zone and creating rush opportunities on offense.
Reschny could go anywhere between 12-21, meaning there is a possibility he will not be available by the time the Blues are selecting. This means that if Reschny is on the board at 19, I would be running that pick-up to the podium myself.
Fortunately for the Blues, there are a lot of options available at forward and specifically at center around the range of the 19th overall pick. There is always a chance the rest of the NHL values center too much and poaches every option for Doug Armstrong and Alex Steen, but that outcome is not yet determined.
For more information on these prospects as well as other names, check out the latest episode of my podcast, the Note News podcast, where I broke down some of the Blues' options at 19th overall:
With what could potentially be his final NHL draft as the general manager, Doug Armstrong has the chance to leave an even more impressive legacy with another draft hit in the first round this year. These were some of the options I'd bet he's considering selecting a