Round 2B: Veeti Vaisanen, D/KooKoo
There’s no rush to bring either players like Matvei Shuravin or Veeti Vaisanen over any time soon if they both fell to the Blues in the actual draft. But you couldn’t ask for many more high-potential players, as Vaisanen has a 6’0 frame that he can grow into as he works his way toward making his pro debut in North America a few seasons down the road.
Vaisanen has more two-way upside, so he makes for a sensational complement to Shuravin. He’s competed well in his age group, but if he can improve upon the 10-point season he recorded during his first full year in Liiga, Vaisanen will lay the foundation for his eventual trek to North America.
Round 3A: Jakub Fibigr, D/Mississauga
Jakub Fibigr is one of the younger players in the 2024 draft class, but like many in this mock draft simulation, he’s got a 6’0-plus frame that will fill out in time. Fibigr has spent just one season in North America, playing for the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads, but wow, 36 assists and 43 points in 61 regular season games made for an incredible debut season in North America for the blueliner.
Oh, did I mention he has a later birthday? Fibigr will turn 18 toward the end of July, so it’s more than fair to ask what the alternate captain for Team Czechia has in store for the OHL next season. If you’re a Blues fan, he’s a player you will want in the system, as he’s more than shown the potential to make the North American game look easy.