3 untouchable prospects the St. Louis Blues cannot move in the offseason
The St. Louis Blues can take quite a few different directions this offseason, but their recent surge might mean they make some moves to contend in 2024-25.
With the St. Louis Blues on pace to at least finish near the final wild card spot, if not outright sneak into it, they have some offseason flexibility. St. Louis has won enough this season that general manager Doug Armstrong may decide to try and make another big move or two that could turn the Blues into a more legitimate contender in the Central Division.
If he takes such a route, that’s fine, but he should also be warned that it should not come at the expense of a few A-prospects. Some of those names you may already be familiar with, as the likes of Zachary Bolduc and Zach Dean are already on the radar for potential full-time roles next season.
But these aren’t the only players who started the 2023-24 season in the prospects pool who should stick around the organization for 2024-25, regardless of what Armstrong decides to do.
The St. Louis Blues cannot afford to move a few high-potential prospects
While the Blues don’t have an outstanding prospects pool, they do have a few players who have been stellar in their respective organizations this season, whether in the NCAA, the junior leagues, or overseas. So, regardless of who Armstrong wants to bring in if he’s looking to maximize the Blues playoff chances next season, the following trio of prospects should be off-limits to any and all trade talks.
One player had an outstanding season last year, and he followed that up with yet another solid showing in 2023-24. Another prospect has been making plays since he arrived in North America, and that trend is showing zero signs of slowing as his first year in North America winds down. Finally, there is a prominent two-way defenseman in the system who hasn’t made the move yet, but you will know them soon enough.
Jimmy Snuggerud has been as-advertised over the past two years
Drafted 23rd overall in 2022, Jimmy Snuggerud has been a star at the University of Minnesota, matching his goal total of 21 from last season. While he didn’t reach a point-per-game threshold, don’t think too much about the overall statistics here. He overachieved with a 50-point season as a freshman, as he was part of a dynamic trio. That said, his 34 points in 37 contests mark is a more realistic and still an overall stellar stat line.
Snuggerud is already a top prospect, and he will keep evolving his overall game. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic currently has him ranked No. 1 in the Blues prospects pool, and you can expect Snuggerud to stay there once he gives fans an encore performance in 2024-25 should he remain with the Golden Gophers.
St. Louis has struggled to score consistently this season, and while we shouldn’t expect Snuggerud to join and improve the big club anytime soon, he’s the kind of player who will skate right in and help transform the Blues offensively once he’s NHL-ready.
Sure, Armstrong could package him into a trade for an established goal-scorer, but it’s also important to look at the overall window of success. As a young player, Snuggerud gives the Blues the potential to stick around the organization for over a decade as perhaps an elite scorer, but that won’t be the case with a player currently in their prime.
Dalibor Dvorsky has taken his game to another level
In the previous slide, I said you can expect Jimmy Snuggerud to be the top prospect in the Blues pool, but Dalibor Dvorsky’s actions may speak otherwise. The 10th overall pick in 2023 has been spectacular in his first (almost) full OHL season, scoring 82 points and 40 goals in 49 contests. Break that down into a point-per-game perspective, and Dvorsky put up 1.67 per.
That’s one incredible first season in North America, and it finally gave Dvorsky a chance to showcase his on-ice productivity. This was something we didn’t see much of during his time in Sweden except when he was playing in J20, even if we saw those skills on display quite a few times in international play when he represented Slovakia.
Given his high productivity, versatility (he can easily shift between center or winger), and incredible size for his age (6’1, 203 lbs), Dvorsky will be a lot of fun for Blues fans to follow. And can you imagine him, in time, on the same line as Snuggerud when they both inevitably make the NHL?
Once again, packaging a high-end prospect for an established talent to win now in a trade would be nice, but it doesn’t suit anyone long-term, especially if it may not result in another Stanley Cup. A player like Dvorsky is someone the Blues could potentially have in their lineup for a decade when they feel he’s ready to make the jump.
The Blues would do well to hold onto Theo Lindstein
We talked about two incredible forwards, so let’s add defenseman Theo Lindstein to the equation. Lindstein was yet another first-round pick, with the Blues taking him 29th overall last year, and while the 19-year-old has yet to play in North America, it won’t be long until he makes the permanent trip over.
His two-way productivity has been on full display on the international stage, indicating Lindstein will have such tendencies once he’s in North America, even if his statistics in the SHL and HockeyAllsvenskan don’t necessarily show that. But that’s normal for young players, and what’s more impressive is the fact that this blueliner has already played in 100 games at the aforementioned levels.
That’s an incredible feat when you think about it. And knowing what it’s like to play against older, more mature players will prepare him well for the North American game. If Lindstein can keep up his two-way play, this is the kind of defenseman who could be quarterbacking power plays and playing top-four minutes a few years from today.
Like Snuggerud and Dvorsky, Lindstein is one of those players who will benefit the Blues for years to come.
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(Statistics provided by Elite-Prospects)