The NHL draft and the first day of free agency are behind us, and--aside from some internal book keeping and contracts to work out--the St. Louis Blues may be finished for the summer. We can now get a pretty clear picture of where the organization's at as Alex Steen takes over for Doug Armstrong, and take stock of why the Blues made the draft decisions they did. They were right to select a goalie later in the draft, shoring up a volatile position in the pipeline, but taking two centers in the first round--within just a few picks of each other--may be a little perplexing.
Taking two centers, however, is a good call: countless prospects can play center in juniors but, as pros in the NHL, they can't handle the heavier responsibility of the position. Many players drafted as centers end up playing predominantly on the wing within a few years--the Blues' own Dylan Holloway is just one such example. He can play center, to some degree, but is far more effective as a winger.
One of the reasons Tynan Lawrence was considered a fringe top-ten selection stems from the idea that he will stick down the middle in the NHL. There are concerns about his pace and offense (though I think that's overblown), but his habits and smarts should allow him to maintain his position once he turns pro. True centers are some of the most difficult players to acquire, and NHL general managers often leap at the opportunity to select prospects that project to remain so--even if it means taking them a little earlier in the order.
That's part of why Maddox Dagenais is more of a gamble than Lawrence. Dagenais has played center at lower levels, but the qualities of his game probably make him better suited to playing the wing. By selecting them both, the Blues are (hopefully) guaranteed one quality middle-six center in Lawrence, and in Dagenais a quality middle-six forward with the potential to play down the middle if he cleans up his game. Lawrence was the "safe" choice, and Dagenais is the bet on upside.
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