Why the St. Louis Blues need Dalibor Dvorsky sooner than later

Dalibor Dvorsky, the tenth overall selection in the 2023 draft, is perhaps the most intriguing prospect the St. Louis Blues have.

Spending the 2023-24 season with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL, Dvorsky recorded 45 goals and 43 assists, totaling 88 points in 52 games.

Impressive right? Skeptics will argue that the talent level is weak in the OHL, and he may be far from producing similar numbers in the NHL.

His other significant experience derives from the Swedish Junior leagues, where he had a notably impressive year in 2021-22, scoring 20 goals and recording 20 assists in 33 games.

St. Louis Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong is focused on Dvorsky

It's Doug Armstrong who is responsible for everything. Armstrong has publicly announced out of all prospects, Dvorsky has the best shot to earn an official roster spot heading into the 2024-25 season.

Such words must encourage Dvorsky, who has remained vocal about his intent to play in St. Louis as soon as possible.

Why the St. Louis Blues need Dvorsky now

It's uncertain if Dvorsky will make an immediate impact in the NHL, or ever.

However, his potential as a scoring threat is the sole reason Armstrong and head coach Drew Bannister should attempt to incorporate him into the current squad.

The top three goal scorers for the Blues this year were:

Jordan Kyrou: 31 goals
Pavel Buchnevich: 27 goals
Jake Neighbours: 27 goals

Brandon Saad and Robert Thomas tied for fourth with 26 goals.

Using fellow Central Division rival Dallas Stars as a comparison, their three leaders were:

Wyatt Johnston: 32 goals
Roope Hintz: 30 goals
Jason Robertson: 29 goals

There is a slight advantage here to the Dallas Stars.

However, when examining the numbers, the Blues need more consistent scoring.

Dvorsky is a potential star, and even if he contributed 20 goals in his first year, this would be a monumental advantage and asset for the Blues.

A 20-goal expectation might be unfair and even unreasonable, but not according to most hockey pundits.

Dvorsky is explosive and could immediately team with youngster Jake Neighbours to form a young duo.

Dvorsky's arrival could offer the Blues an immediate boost and a skill set to compensate for the uncertainty surrounding Jordan Kyrou's future.

Although no one is advocating for him to become the leader or one of the top five players, his unique abilities are necessary and could have a significant impact on the Blues.

It wouldn't be completely surprising if we catch a glimpse of Dvorsky in 2024-25.