Two Blues prospects named top performers at World Juniors

The St. Louis Blues pipeline is strong after a fantastic outing by two of their prospects at the World Junior Championships in Minnesota over the past two weeks. Sweden Goaltender Love Harenstam and Czechia forward Adam Jiricek were named the top two performers from the tournament via the IIHF.

It was an incredible tournament for all nations involved. Upsets, surprises, and a strong future for the NHL. The Blues should be thankful that two of their brightest stars really put on a show in these games.

It's all Love

Harenstam was a stone wall in this tournament. He was a perfect 6-0, with a 2.43 Goals Against Average and a save percentage of .911 for Team Sweden. Ultimately, he helped give his home country its third World Junior Championship in the history of this tournament.

Looking at the current goaltending situation, it looks like General Manager Doug Armstrong might have found a diamond in the rough with Harenstam. He was selected in the sixth-round of this most recent draft, and is flashing some same vibes as another late-round draft pick from Sweden, back in 2000. That was New York Rangers franchise goaltender, Henrik Lundqvist.

Could Harenstam continue to make a splash and become a 1-2 punch with Joel Hofer as the future of the Blues' goaltending core?

Jiricek is the future

It is clear that the Blues are in need of some assistance on the defensive end. With key pieces like Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko, and Cam Fowler getting older, the youth must grow into their roles quickly. Enter Jiricek, and his high ceiling just got even higher. This kid is the future of the Blues blueline.

Jiricek potted that beauty of a goal, and finished the tournament with five goals and an assist for six points in six games. This kid has proven himself to be something special in the making. Could we see a future duo of Jiricek and Philip Broberg on the top line of the Blues' future?