NAME: Ludvig Byström
POSITION: Defenseman
SHOOTS: Left
HEIGHT: 6' 1"
WEIGHT: 208
BORN: July 20, 1994
BORN IN: Orskoldsvik, SWE
European Skater - Modo Jr., SWE-JR., SEL http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=27493
I'd like to see the Blues draft Ludvig Byström. Could be a sleeper pick IMO and is expected to go late 1st-early 2nd round. Also, according to some Swedish HF members he has great vision, two-way ability, strong shot from the point, and very well may be the best defensive prospect coming out of Sweden this draft. His one area of concern is his skating(like most Euro players), but he is one of the youngest players in his draft class and is considered a long-term high potential prospect. He also was recently promoted to the SEL, and by all accounts is playing very well.
I'm intrigued with Radek Faksa. He's jumped up in prospect rankings and is projected to go around 15-20. If he falls to us, I think we should definitely jump on him. He's a big center, tremendous at protecting the puck, and can both pass and score.
NAME: Ludvig Byström
POSITION: Defenseman
SHOOTS: Left
HEIGHT: 6' 1"
WEIGHT: 208
BORN: July 20, 1994
BORN IN: Orskoldsvik, SWE
European Skater - Modo Jr., SWE-JR., SEL http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=27493
I'd like to see the Blues draft Ludvig Byström. Could be a sleeper pick IMO and is expected to go late 1st-early 2nd round. Also, according to some Swedish HF members he has great vision, two-way ability, strong shot from the point, and very well may be the best defensive prospect coming out of Sweden this draft. His one area of concern is his skating(like most Euro players), but he is one of the youngest players in his draft class and is considered a long-term high potential prospect. He also was recently promoted to the SEL, and by all accounts is playing very well.
I think that there are better defenseman available. This draft is amazingly stocked with defenseman, and the fact that bystrom might not go until the 2nd is insane.
I think that there are better defenseman available. This draft is amazingly stocked with defenseman, and the fact that bystrom might not go until the 2nd is insane.
This does seem to be a very deep draft year. It would be great to package Bishop with something to get an extra second round pick.
There are quite a few players I like, some are unrealistic though. Galchenyuk and Reinhardt have already been mentioned, but there is now way I see them dropping too much. I'll be shocked if Galchenyuk is still on the board after the first 7 or 8 picks, if he is then I hope we take the risk and pay the price to move up.
Totally agree about Hertl being another guy we should be targeting, but having watched him for Slavia this season I wouldn't be surprised if someone takes him more towards the mid-first rather than late first.
Of the defenseman that I like that could realistically fall to us, all are left handed by chance; Skjei, Määttä and Byström in that order. Skjei and Byström probably have the higher ceilings, but I think that Määttä is about as safe a bet as being a solid NHL player as you can get when you draft a defenseman.
Later round Euros that could be worth a gamble on are Nikita Jevpalovs, Mikko Vainonen and Kalle Torniainen.
We need to give a good look at Miami of Ohio's Austin Czarnik. He is an extremely fast skater with gifted playmaking abilities and possesses good defensive instincts. He also plays the body well for his small stature. I think he's one of those players Hitch would love. He needs a couple more years to develop and grow his body but there's no reason this kid can't take the next step. I project him to go somewhere in the second round.
Because we are stacked with right-handed young NHL d-men, I would lean to left-handed d-men.
Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk.
That's a nice one-two punch, but I think it's hardly "stacked" with right-handed defensemen.
There are just three right-handed d-men in the organization below the NHL level right now -- Shields in Peoria, Beukeboom in the OHL, and Hakanpää in Finland. Shields isn't NHL-ready yet by a long shot; Beukeboom has had injury issues; and Hakanpää is out right now with a knee injury.
Both Beukeboom and Hakanpää may turn pro with Peoria next season. If so, that leaves the Blues with a grand total of zero right-handed defensemen below the pro ranks.
Drafting at least one right-hander would seem to be a no-brainer... and if the Blues could get a shot at a guy like Cody Ceci if he falls to the Blues' end of the first round, so much the better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by execwrite
But I also agree that our pipeline is full enough so that BPA is the way to go. There is no glaring need to fill.
I agree with that. Personally, I'd like to see the Blues draft Stefan Matteau (USNTDP, will play in the QMJHL next year) to eventually put at center on a new French Connection line between Perron and Yannick Veilleux.
I like Hertl a lot as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by execwrite
Also would like to see Army trade for some extra picks. I think we have Tampa's (?) third pick.
Anaheim's third-rounder belongs to the Blues, thanks to the Brad F. Winchester trade last year.
On the right-side - I think you are forgetting one of my favorite Czechs - Roman Polak.
Can't predict the future, but in theory the Blues don't need a right-hand defenseman until about 2020. That's why I would load up on the left side.
The path to St. Louis is blocked for RHD - just like in goal. We were lucky to get something for Bishop because there is no need for goalies in the foreseeable future. But I do think that Hakanpaa, Buekeboom and Shields are all potential NHLers. That's six deep on the right side. And Edmundson makes seven.
If this kid falls to us in the second round, could be a real steal.
Jaynen Rissling, defence, Calgary Hitmen — He is tough to miss at 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, but Rissling went unaccounted for on Thursday.
The hulking defenceman has played a shutdown role for the Hitmen. He's logged big minutes against opponents' top talents on the penalty kill and even strength. This hard nosed style has made Rissling a well-known blueliner in the Dub. As Future Considerations' columnist Cody Nickolet put it, "He's big, he can skate, he can move the puck, and he plays with toughness. If he gets lost in the shuffle, he could be one of the draft's sleepers."
If this kid falls to us in the second round, could be a real steal.
Jaynen Rissling, defence, Calgary Hitmen — He is tough to miss at 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, but Rissling went unaccounted for on Thursday.
The hulking defenceman has played a shutdown role for the Hitmen. He's logged big minutes against opponents' top talents on the penalty kill and even strength. This hard nosed style has made Rissling a well-known blueliner in the Dub. As Future Considerations' columnist Cody Nickolet put it, "He's big, he can skate, he can move the puck, and he plays with toughness. If he gets lost in the shuffle, he could be one of the draft's sleepers."
From what I have heard about him, he won't fall as low as us. He is the type of player that most teams will have as an early-mid 3 round pick, but that someone will take a chance on in the 35-45 range because of his size.
BUT, all things being equal, would you rather the Blues draft a center or a defenseman in the first round? Seems like those are the two biggest weaknesses in the talent pipeline.
BUT, all things being equal, would you rather the Blues draft a center or a defenseman in the first round? Seems like those are the two biggest weaknesses in the talent pipeline.
IMO, center in the 1st and defense in the 2nd.
Pietrangelo is an elite defenseman and Shattenkirk has proven that he can play the big minutes as well. We have plenty of 2nd and 3rd pairing defensive prospects, so unless there is a stud that drops to us in the 1st round, I don't don't think we need to draft a defenseman in the 1st.
We have 0 potential top 6 centers in the pipeline IMO. We desperately need to have a top 6 center developing in case Berglund never gets more consistent.
My preference would be to grab someone who projects to be a NHL center in the 1st.
BUT, all things being equal, would you rather the Blues draft a center or a defenseman in the first round? Seems like those are the two biggest weaknesses in the talent pipeline.
BPA-But defencemen develop later, so a centre with all the skills is a safer bet in the First.
NAME: Ludvig Byström
POSITION: Defenseman
SHOOTS: Left
HEIGHT: 6' 1"
WEIGHT: 208
BORN: July 20, 1994
BORN IN: Orskoldsvik, SWE
European Skater - Modo Jr., SWE-JR., SEL http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=27493
I'd like to see the Blues draft Ludvig Byström. Could be a sleeper pick IMO and is expected to go late 1st-early 2nd round. Also, according to some Swedish HF members he has great vision, two-way ability, strong shot from the point, and very well may be the best defensive prospect coming out of Sweden this draft. His one area of concern is his skating(like most Euro players), but he is one of the youngest players in his draft class and is considered a long-term high potential prospect. He also was recently promoted to the SEL, and by all accounts is playing very well.
Bystrom had a tremendous start to the year in the SuperElit as one of the top scoring defensemen in the league and since a call-up to the Modo senior team, has proven to be a steady defensemen. Like a number of Swedish defensive prospects in recent years, Bystrom has a very high hockey IQ and reads the play exceptionally well. He makes good decisions moving the puck and identifies opportunities to move the puck up the ice. Bystrom has seen limited action in the Elitserien, but he has been playing very steady in his role. He’s not afraid to lay the body out and has shown that he can handle playing against older players.
BUT, all things being equal, would you rather the Blues draft a center or a defenseman in the first round? Seems like those are the two biggest weaknesses in the talent pipeline.
With Jackman and coliacavo having the potential to leave this off-season, I think we need a good left handed dman, even if it takes longer for them to develop, Ian Cole is not a long term replacement IMO
With Jackman and coliacavo having the potential to leave this off-season, I think we need a good left handed dman, even if it takes longer for them to develop, Ian Cole is not a long term replacement IMO
Barrett Jackman is going nowhere. Barrett Jackman is a St. Louis Blue for life, and is this generation's Bobby Plager.
What prompts you to consider Ian Cole as "not a long-term replacement?"
