Top St. Louis Blues prospects to get excited for in 2024

2 - Zach Dean, C

Zach Dean was one player I was excited to see get his first taste of NHL experience this year, and he is one of two frontrunners in the prospects pool to end up with the big club for all of 2024-25. While Dean never scored nor recorded an assist, he still won 50 percent of his faceoffs, landed 10 body checks, and stole the puck five times, indicating that he will be a remarkable lower-liner in 2024-25, assuming he makes the cut. 

There were some caveats, as not only did he register zero points, Dean was never on the ice for a single goal this season. That said, he was out there for four goals against at even strength, which was 0.9 fewer than his xGA. 

Dean was never a scorer in Springfield, having put up just 14 points and nine goals in 45 contests, further indicating he may be no more than a third or fourth-liner in the NHL. But hey, just because those players don’t score, they’re pivotal to winning championships, especially when you consider how badly the Blues need players like him to help out in the defensive zone. 

Dean may not bring an exciting game, but he’s already proving himself as a hitter who also has a penchant for getting a stick on opponents’ pucks.