The St. Louis Blues have a solid pipeline of stars waiting to make their big leap to the NHL. One of those players is 2023 first-round selection, center Dalibor Dvorsky. After a historic junior hockey career, he has taken his talents to the Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League and flourished nicely.
Could it be time to give him a shot in the NHL with the Blues?
Is it the right time?
The Blues have turned their season around over the past few weeks. The time for winning is set to now, not later, when the roster is developed after a rebuild. Should they look to tie up some loose ends by calling up some young guns from the minors.
I recently wrote about getting some draft help from Blues center Radek Faksa, as his $3 million AAV salary is expiring at the end of this season. If that comes to fruition, depending on if the Blues can get a replacement via free agency or trade, they are without a fourth-line center. Enter Dvorsky.
After being an absolute monster in the Ontario Hockey League, Dvorsky was selected with the 10th overall pick of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues. This season, he leads the Thunderbirds in goals with 10, and total points with 18 in 22 games played. Sure, he needs time to develop down in the minors, but a few games in the show can't hurt right... right?
Dvorsky is a valuable asset, and he is widely considered a key piece of the Blues future. He has the makings of a superstar. But, with that said, he should be brought up for a few games at some point this season just to give him a taste of the action. Every time he has been promoted up a level, he has adapted well. Let's see if he can take the final promotion to the highest level of pro hockey.
Should Dvorsky get called up this season?