Well, folks, it's draft day! For teams that didn't win the Stanley Cup, this may be the most exciting day of the year (outside the trade deadline, which is a different brand of fun). At the time of writing, the St. Louis Blues still hold the 19th overall pick--which means it's time for one last compilation of mock drafts from the experts. If you want to see what's changed in the last couple of weeks, take a look at our previous collection of who the experts had mocked to the Blues.
We'll start with The Athletic's mocks, because there are three of them to review.
The Athletic - Corey Pronman: Cameron Reid, LHD, Kitchener
Reid is a player we've mentioned before as an option for the Blues. He's a great skater and solid puck mover, and would be a nice player on the Blues' blue line--even if he is a tad undersized by NHL standards at six feet tall.
The Athletic - Scott Wheeler: Cole Reschny, C, Victoria
Another player that we've written about as an option at 19th overall, Wheeler, has him falling to the Blues. A slightly undersized forward, Reschy has outstanding hockey IQ and, if he can stick at center at the NHL, would be a great add behind Dalibor Dvorsky.
The Athletic Hockey Show: Cameron Reid, LHD, Kitchener
Chalk up another one for Reid! Truth be told, you can never have enough prospects who project as top-four defensemen in the NHL.
Elite Prospects: Logan Hensler, RHD, Wisconsin
Speaking of defensemen, Cam Robinson at EP has the Blues taking right-shot defenseman Logan Hensler. Hensler has a lot of upside, and EP describes him as "a toolsy playkiller" with "an easy projection to the NHL." It'd be a little surprising if Hensler is there at 19, but what a get he would be.
ESPN - Rachel Doerrie: Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor
Finally, a different prospect! The Blues have used a lot of premium draft capital on defensemen of late, so experts see them going with a forward. Nesbitt is a center who probably tops out as a third-line player, but he's big and plays hard--classic high floor/low ceiling prospect.
NHL.com - Adam Kimelman & Mike Morreale: Cole Reschny (Kimelman) & Lynden Lakovic (Morreale)
Reschny pops up again here, and while Lakovic makes his first appearance in this round of mock drafts, he has been mocked to the Blues before. A big winger, Lakovic would bring a different element to the Blues' top-nine forward group.
SportsNet - Jason Bukala: Ben Kindel, C, Calgary Hitmen
Some may see drafting 5-foot-10 center Kindel at 19th as a bit of a reach, but Elite Prospects has him as their 20th-ranked prospect. There's a lot to like about Kindel: he's relentless, detailed, and can score; his stock's been trending upward, and when all's said and done, he may be selected right where he's supposed to be.
Will the GM Doug Armstrong select any of these players tonight? We'll all find out together!