Prospect evaluation: Dalibor Dvorsky

In 2022-23, following their worst season in recent Blues history, the organization was gifted with one of the premier talents of the 2023 NHL draft: Dalibor Dvorsky.

Dvorsky was a big-time playmaker with an excellent shot, and the fact that he fell to 10th overall was a miracle for Doug Armstrong and the Blues. How did the former first-round draft pick do in this most recent season?

Promotion to the AHL

Dvorsky spent the majority of the 2023-24 season in the OHL for the Sudbury Wolves, but made quick work of the competition. He put up 88 points in 52 games, proving that more of a challenge would be needed for the young ascending star.

This resulted in a promotion to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, a much higher level of competition and one of the closest leagues to NHL play among all amateur leagues.

This season in the AHL, Dvorsky was a great contributor, showing both his wicked shot and impressive playmaking ability. He scored 45 points off 21 goals in 61 regular-season games. Dvorsky was a big part of the Thunderbirds' AHL playoff run, where he also netted two assists in three playoff games.

Dvorsky proved that he is the prospect we all thought he could be. He will likely need another season of development in the AHL, but the sky is still the limit for the young forward.

International competition

Dalibor Dvorsky played in both the J20 World Juniors Championships and the J20 IIHC World Championships for Team Slovakia and showed once again why he is one of the NHL's best prospects.

Dvorsky scored five goals and had nine points in five games of the World Juniors, showing that he is among the best of the best under-20 players in hockey. He also notched a goal and an assist in the one game Team Slovakia played in the IIHF World Championships, once again registering about two points per game in international competition.

Dvorsky has always been a big game producer in his career up to this point, and this season for Team Slovakia showed exactly why. He played with more fire and aggression in international competition, being more willing to shoot and play the puck as one of Slovakia's best players.

Showing off for the St. Louis Blues

Dvorsky's impressive play in the AHL earned him a promotion to the St. Louis roster down the stretch. He ended up playing in two games for the team with a chance to show off his playmaking ability, which he did not waste time on.

While Dvorsky did not officially register a point for the team, he did start an offensive play with an impressive no-look pass that only just missed the cutoff to score a point.

He definitely showed the offensive upside a player like him has, but also had some rookie moments of getting knocked off the puck easily, which could be expected for a 19-year-old playing against veteran NHLers.

Overall, Dvorsky had a very impressive year as a prospect and showed that he is right on track to become a major contributor at the NHL level eventually.

Dvorsky showed a spectacular hockey IQ level, arguably up there with a hockey mind like Robert Thomas, and real-deal offensive creativity. He did not get the chance to use his shot too much in the NHL, but it was a lethal and almost unstoppable weapon playing against his peers.

Dvorsky still has a ways to go as a prospect given his age. He will need to fill out his frame more and get comfortable skating with his body against bigger competition, so I think it will take some time before we see him truly reach his ceiling as a player. For more of my thoughts on Dvorsky's timeline, check out the most recent episode of the Note News Podcast:

Through his first two years in the Blues' system, Dvorsky showed that he still has the upside of one day becoming a real NHL star. Everything seems on track for him to reach his high-end potential at this point, even if it takes a few years. Blues fans should be very excited about the future of Dalibor Dvorsky in St. Louis, because everything is looking up for this young skater.