Blues prospect Otto Stenberg shined in Team Sweden's loss to Team Finland today at the world juniors. Stenberg scored two goals and is on the long list of up-and-coming prospects Blues fans should be excited about.
Stenberg, 19, was drafted 25th overall by the Blues back in 2023. The Blues made three selections in the draft that year, and the picks that were selected are leading to excitement.
My thoughts on Stenberg's performance
The one thing that stood out to me with Stenberg was his shot. The first goal he scored was from mid-range, and once the puck was on his stick, he ripped it. His shot selection and preciseness on the first goal, in particular, were impressive.
He also possesses a lot of speed. On the first goal, he was all alone in the offensive zone, and no one could stop him. It seems like he has the speed to completely change a hockey game.
The Blues have a lot of exciting prospects coming up
None of us know if any of the Blues up and coming prospects will be a hit, but historically the Blues have drafted very well. Dalibor Dvorsky and Jimmy Snuggerud are the two prospects that are closest to the NHL.
The Swedes Stenberg and Theo Lindstein are probably two seasons away from the league. There's no reason to rush these guys. This is back-to-back years now that Stenberg and Lindstein have looked good at the world juniors.
The Blues found a way to reset their prospect pool after just one horrid season in 2022-2023. Doug Armstrong said all along that he wanted this team to go into a competitive retool, and so far, that's exactly what has happened.
For those who don't know, a competitive retool is when a hockey team takes a step back to reset their prospect pool while also staying competitive on the ice. The Blues have remained competitive both years this was the stated goal.