Will Dvorsky make the roster? – Blues Top Prospects Season Preview | 109
Well, the NHL regular season is now only one week away. And so with one week to go until the regular season begins, we got some some big questions surrounding some of the St. Louis Blues top prospects. Will Dala Devavorski crack the roster and start the season in St. Louis? How will Otto Stenberg perform through the rest of the preseason and in the AHL if that’s where he begins his season? Can Adam Yurichek finally put together a full healthy season and put together a solid season in the OHL? How will Justin Carbono perform in the QMJHL? Might we see him sometime in St. Louis? When could we see any of these guys with the blues? We’re going to be talking about all that and more on this episode of Note News. [Music] Welcome into another episode of Note News. We’re a St. Louis Blues podcast. We go live twice a week talking all things blues. And here as we ramp up to the regular season, we’re we’re getting, you know, excited for the season to start. We’re wrapping up our preseason coverage and shifting into pretty soon here, regular season uh content, which we’re really excited for. Um, so if you want to follow along with us, the best way to do that, you can find us on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. You can watch or listen on all those platforms. We’d appreciate if you would subscribe on YouTube, follow, rate, review on audio, and then follow us on socials, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok at no pod. Um, but Alec, we got, like I said, one week until the Blues are playing regular season hockey. How you feeling about it? And what is getting you through this last stretch of the of the preseason here? I mean, it feels like we’re pretty much at the end, which is just so exciting that we’ve made it basically to regular season hockey. Um, to be honest, what’s getting me through it is I’ve been tuning in to some of the playoff baseball and it’s been pretty fun. Unfortunately, no Cardinals this year. Uh, I’ve been doing my due diligence. Hate watching the Cubs. So, um, but I I’ve been also tuning into these preseason games and despite the fact that the Blues are winless in the preseason, first of all, it’s preseason, so it doesn’t matter and you can always play that card. Um, but what what really is getting me excited about is seeing some of the chemistry come out of the preseason that’s been like, yeah, hard to define, but easily v visible on the ice. They are really developing some really good chemistry and maybe some of these players are a part of that. So, let’s get into the discussion today. This should be a fun one. Yeah, for sure. If you really like St. Louis Blu’s prospects this preseason has probably be probably been pretty fun to watch because we’ve gotten to see a lot of them, you know, kind of, you know, performing, but also just getting some significant uh some significant looks and opportunities, which has been really cool. Um, I feel like the, you know, D’Vorski, I mean, obviously Snugroot is going to start the season in St. Lewis and um you know for for all that Jim Montgomery can say about he still has to earn his spot. I’m like I think we we all think this guy is going to be a top liner to start the season. So um we won’t talk as much about him today, but like how exciting is that? You know, Jimmy Snugrude is in our minds not really a prospect anymore. Um D’vorski I think is is getting really close. Carbono is is obviously uh doesn’t have a at least in my mind a ton to do to until he’s ready for the NHL. So, until we’re seeing some of these first rounders break into the NHL, it it feels like we’re pretty close. Like we’re we don’t have long to go, I think, for a lot of these guys, which is super exciting. Um yeah, why don’t we go ahead and get into it. We’re going to be talking about not every uh name in the Blues prospect system today, but some of the the ones at the top. I think obviously D’Vorski, we’ll we’ll probably talk a little bit of Carbono as well and we’ll work in Adam Urchek, Otto Stinberg, uh potentially others if we have time, but we’ll just sort of stick with those four for now. Um Alec, where do you want to start the conversation? Because with a couple of these guys, right, Adam Yek and Justin Carbono, they have already been assigned to their junior teams, whereas Dela Devorski um and Otto Stinberg are still playing, you know, preseason hockey with the Blues. So, do you want to start with those guys that have been already sort of trimmed from the preseason roster? Yeah, I think that makes sense to start. Cool. So, why don’t we start with Adam Yurichek just in in terms of of you know going chronologically and I feel like we’ve we’ve talked a lot about Justin Carbono lately. So, let’s um let’s start the conversation on on Yurichek here, who obviously was the Blues first round draft pick uh last year in 2024, picked at number uh number 16 overall. And I mean, this is he was taken as sort of the second tier of defenseman, I feel like, in that draft, right? There were those it was like five, I think, uh defensemen that were were sort of taken before him. um in last year’s draft that were all pretty pretty high level um and sort of he he he was he sort of started the next tier of defenseman um and obviously was a big need in the blue system when he was drafted and I think what’s what’s especially um exciting about him um I mean he he’s got great compete and he’s a great skater I feel like those are um those are some of the the highlights of Adam Urek’s game but he’s had some some issues right? Like he was injured for almost the entirety or maybe was it was it his whole draft year? Um I want to say or or maybe most of it nasty injury towards the end of the year. Yeah. So he didn’t get to play a lot before being drafted. If he had, he he maybe could have gone earlier. Um but obviously ran into some injury trouble last year as well. He was playing in the in the OHL with the Brford Bulldogs. um ended the season putting up and you know playing playing 27 games and putting up four goals and eight assists. So got got into the lineup a little bit, stayed healthy enough to play around 30 games and then played some playoff games as well. Uh tallying in a goal and an assist in nine games. Um he also played some international hockey as well. But what do you like what have we been seeing out of out of year um last season and then in this preseason as well? Has your thinking changed on him since uh since we sort of talked about him postdraft a year ago? Um and yeah, like what are you thinking about at this point? So, my thinking on Neurotch actually has changed since he was drafted pretty significantly. I coming out was not the biggest fan of the draft pick. I didn’t think it was a terrible pick. I could see why the Blues shot for the upside, but I thought the floor was just too low and and I honestly didn’t think it was going to work out. Uh, and and I think from what I’ve seen so far, I’m kind of walking that back and I’m starting to become a little bit of a year check truther just because I think the level that he plays at is so far advanced for what he should be. He can and he as a defenseman he can kind of do it all. He can score goals. He can get those primary assists and defensively he’s pretty solid. So with year I’ve seen a lot of of development and growth in his game. um that needed to happen. Like definitely a a big part of of his story was that he was a very raw prospect. His skating, like you said, was pretty good, but outside and his offensive tools were there, but even then they were more flashing rather than consistently showing up on tape. But Yurjack’s been making the most of his opportunities and I think has looked really good in in all phases. Like I said, I think defensively he’s been really impressing me just how he loves to use his stick uh and how he loves to to hit too. Um so I I am definitely pretty impressed with what I’ve seen out of your check and I think he like a lot of these guys, this might be a theme for this episode, are going to be in St. Louis a lot sooner than I would have initially thought. I think he’s not far off at all. And that’s pretty shocking for me to say that. Yeah, I think um I think with Uric he feels like a player of the of this the players that we’re going to talk about today, he I think has one of the highest ceilings um but not necessarily one of the highest floors. Like I I feel like there is some risk with this type of of prospect profile. Um overall when we’ve seen him healthy uh in in the past year and a half or so I’ I’ve really liked what we’ve seen it it it feels pretty promising um for a prospect like like your but it’s just the the staying healthy part right and it’s and it’s can he you know can he reach that ceiling that that is that is promising. Um I think he can definitely be a a top four pairing defenseman eventually. Uh, but it is going to take some growth for sure. It’s going to take, you know, it’s it’s gonna take, again, I hate to harp on this, but it’s just staying healthy, it feels like, is is the biggest thing. And so, for me, I think that’s that’s what I really want to see out of him this year is staying put together long enough uh to play most of the season, if not all of it. Um, and and putting up some solid numbers. I think this one of the um the big, you know, points of appeal for uh for Uricch in his draft year, I personally think was mostly offensive. I think I was pretty excited uh about his passing ability, uh about sort of his his offensive vision, um and sort of his ability to create openings and things like that. So, I think I’d also like to see him go ahead and maybe develop more as an all-around player. Um, and then I’m I’m looking for his uh his pre-season stats now. So, he played two games for a total of 31 minutes. Uh, he took a shot and uh other than that, I don’t think he did he get an assist? I don’t think he did. Um, I’m looking at natural stat trick and so, uh, I’m not sure how, um, how accurate their their preseason coverage is, but, um, he created a rebound. I mean, he he really didn’t get a lot of a lot of time. Uh, blocked a couple shots. That’s sort of, you know, it was just kind of a a standard prospect preseason, I feel like. Um, but yeah, I mean, what do you want to see out of out of Adam for this upcoming season? I mean, like you said, the health is a big thing. I actually have reason to be hopeful about that, though. I think that his injury that he suffered last season where he reinjured on a just like on a a gross looking fall um reinjured his I believe it was his same knee and it wasn’t one of those where it’s just like a hockey play that he got up slow from. It was like a oh that that could put you out for a year. And honestly, like for him to already be back skating and be pretty fine doing so, I think actually speaks to his work ethic and to like you said, his compete and just his drive for wanting to make this roster uh or or make the roster in the future, I should say. I think everyone knows your check’s a little bit further off than that, but um the way that he bounced back from injury and showed up, you know, to training camp ready to go and and did everything that was asked of him, I think is the biggest green flag that he could have shown in preseason. And like you said, he didn’t really get very many opportunities and he still made something out of basically nothing. So I think there’s a lot to to like with ear in terms of what I’m looking for this year. Um I mean it is just definitely to see the the health stick around and have him play a full season cuz it’s now starting to get a little bit into dicey territory uh if he has another injury season. However, like I said, I think I I’m not as worried about that. And then I’m also looking for him to show off some of I I think I want to see consistency on the offensive side of things. I think we’ve seen now a pretty good level of um a pretty good level of consistency for him in terms of uh def defensively, especially this preseason. He’s looked excellent defensively. Um, but I want to see that come out a little bit more on the offensive side that we know he has the talent. Um, we know he has the talent for it’s all on display. He just has to like con continually show that more than just flashes. So, I want to see some consistency in his game beyond just the uh beyond just another healthy season. Yeah, I think that’s fair. And I can get a little bit more specific here and and Jimmy in the chat made a great point that um you know, Monty has has talked about wanting him to learn to take fewer hits. Um, and I mean to that point, I mean, he he he’s tied for the most hits taken in the preseason so far. So, he’s played two games and he’s taken eight hits total. Uh, which is tied for for the lead um on the Blues with believe Logan Mayu and Leo Lof. Uh, yeah. And then Corey Corey Schwin took uh seventh. So, um I think for a guy who a is as injuryprone as he has been, b is as good a skater as he is, um and c who has some decent hockey vision, he should be able to take fewer hits. And so I I think to to focus on one one small thing in addition to to all the stuff that you mentioned, that’s something that I want to see out of him. Uh it’s just a better sense of of where you are on the ice and and who’s coming in hot. Um, but why don’t we close out our year check discussion with when do you think we might see him in the NHL? Um, you can be as vague or as specific as you want. Um, it can be for a cup of coffee or whenever you think he’s going to establish himself. What are your thoughts on Adam Yek and his, you know, his jump to to the big leagues or to varsity or whatever you want to say? I think it’s still going to take, you know, a year at least um to get there. I think with with year, you know, there he just hasn’t played a lot of hockey and this isn’t like a Logan Mayu to where he showed everything that he could at the AHL level or the OHL level in your check case. Um, so I think it’s still probably going to be, you know, next season at the earliest, but I mean I think that next season if you know the if there’s an opening on the defense which could be coming down the pipeline, I think that there’s every reason to think that year could take that spot as just a 20-year-old skater and as a 20-year-old defenseman. That’s such a rare thing for a defenseman to get to play so young, but I think I think he’s got the talent to do it. And I think if he has a good good to great year this season, I think he should be heavily favored to um take that spot and prove himself on the right side. Yeah, I think the Blues have been pretty willing to let some of their young players and prospects earn a spot um and earn a look at the NHL level with year. I feel like it it’s probably going to take a solid season and maybe then some, you know, a solid season on top of another solid season or another solid half season or something like that. I personally think it’s probably going to be closer to two years. Um, just with the injury concern and sort of the lack of of consistency in in sort of his his track record. Um, and then I’m I’m thinking about, you know, who’s blocking him. And obviously Colton Fco sticking around. You’ve got Logan Mayu now as as a sort of, you know, upandcoming young right-handed offensive defenseman. And so I think it sort of depends on what he can be as well. And then I’m looking also at at Justin Faulk who is signed for another couple seasons. So um I’m sort of penciling in not next season but the season after as when we might see might see Uricek uh come up. I think by that point if he hasn’t had a taste of the NHL that would be a pretty disappointing outcome for your check. So I like that. Sure. All right, let’s pivot on to uh over to Justin Carbono. The other player who was sent down to his junior team. Carbono, on the other hand, um is playing in the QMJHL, right? So, he is uh playing for the the Blandville Armada. I can I can rarely get that exactly right. I think I did okay this time. Um, but we were we were having conversations very recently here on this podcast about his performance in the preseason and, you know, his the potential of him like making St. Louis uh making the Blues already. So, I mean, he he’s been really impressive uh this summer. He he is someone that we’ve talked a lot about, right? I mean, he he he was drafted at 19th overall this earlier this summer. And the story with him is is just his his compete again, like this is something that I love that we that we’re getting out of Carbono is just how competitive he is, how physical he is. That’s something you can’t always coach into players. So, it’s great that he’s got it. And he’s got it, I think, at an above average level for sure. Um he’s got a great shot and he’s got um you know some some decent skill as well. I think Sam came on and and you know said it’s it’s great that the Blues finally have a skiller like him in their system. So um super excited that that he’s here. Um but what what have you seen out of him in in his preseason games? I mean he he was uh he scored a goal, he assisted another almost had had a goal on that shot. um it was it was deflected in. So, he has been really impressive and and I think he’s he’s turned a lot of heads and gotten a lot of Blues fans excited, but he has been sent back down to his junior team. So, um you know, knowing that, what are you thinking about Justin Carbono and just looking at his preseason as a whole? Has your thinking changed on this player like relative to to after the draft? My thinking hasn’t changed at all since the last time we talked. I still think he’s probably one of the 12 best forwards that they could have gone with and they decided not to go uh with Carbono, which is fine. You know, sometimes decisions get made and they want to keep him in the back pocket as it were. But I think that Carbono showed more than I ever would have expected him to uh and absolutely made the most of his opportunity to try and make the team. Excuse me. Um, and I think that, yeah, with with Carbo, like just the the level that he is already playing at relative, you know, I’m not I’m not going to come out and say that I think Carbono could make the team and hit like an 80 point season or something absurd and like be one of the best players. He’s still a rookie, but the level that he was playing at for being a rookie was just so advanced and so much more than I would have expected of any player his age, let alone someone who just got drafted. He just looks so hungry and ready for the moment. Like, it’s never been too big for him. Uh, and that’s just not something that you can often find in in players at his age or at any age really. So, I really like Carbono’s chances of making the roster this season still. I’m going to stick with it. I’m going to stick with my guns. I I think that we see Justin Carbono play in the NHL this season. And I’m also sticking with my bold prediction that I think he outplays Divore D’vorski, at least in terms of games played. Um, which is definitely looking bold given how the preseason has gone out, but hey, that’s why we do it. Uh, but yeah, I I’m sticking with my guns that I think Carbono is one of the better forwards on the roster already. Already has that physical edge to his game that’s so hard to teach and so hard to find that makes him a worthwhile candidate. And uh, yeah, I’m just I’m so high on this kid. I’m so excited to watch him play in St. Louis. Yeah, I am as well. I’m going to agree with you in terms of of when we see him get a taste of the NHL. I think it comes this year. I think it’s probably going to be something similar to what Daworski and Jimmy Snugarude did this most recent season. Um I don’t know that I expect him to um get an extended look, but I don’t I don’t know that it will really be his fault. I think it’ll kind of be a development type thing. Uh maybe it’ll be he plays the last few games of the regular season or something like that if they’ve already secured a spot or something, you know, something like that. I think I think he cracks the roster next year though, honestly. I I think he probably has a a spot in St. Louis to start the season next year. Um assuming assuming he continues on the path he’s already on. So yeah, I’m with you. I’m I’m really excited about this player and he he feels like one of those those rare prospects that I am I’m pretty comfortable with if we dropped him into the NHL today. You know, if if we dropped him in on the Blues roster today, yeah, like he he he’s still young. He’s still a prospect. He isn’t he isn’t fully developed. so that there would be some holes to his game, but I think like you said, he would be one of the the the better options on the wing that the Blues have already. And so to feel that way about a prospect after, you know, several years of either guys that like Jimmy Snuger who who just weren’t available because they were committed to their current situation or guys like, you know, Daborski, uh, who we were really excited about, but, you know, very obviously needed some time to develop. Um, Carbono feels a little bit different. He he and not that not that either is is better or worse or has a higher or lower ceiling or anything like that. I just think it’s just they’re on different parts of the timeline I feel like. And so to have a guy like Carbo that um feels like he’s very close to ready um just a few months after he was drafted is super exciting and I think is a is a really refreshing change of pace in the in the loose prospect system. Yeah, Carbono and D’Vorski coming out were very different prospects. D’vorski was a very raw, offensively talented player with a lot of upside versus Carbono did come out more as like closer to a I don’t want to say a finished product because he’s still not a finished product, but closer to something like that than a D’vorki. Uh, I would say Stenberg is another guy who we’ll get to, but came out more like didn’t have a lot of development in terms or wasn’t as much like a a raw player. Still had like the fundamentals of his game pretty solidly locked up and just need to produce and show. And so anyways, I’m getting too much into Stenberg now. Um, I think that D’vorski and Carbono, while they may draw a lot of comparisons, I think they’re just such different players that I I think comparisons could be a little bit I don’t know if harmful is the word I’m looking for, but I I just don’t want to set expectations uh in accordingly to where like, well, D’Vorski and Carbono are are top prospects, so they’re both going to be really great. And while I think that’s true, I think they’re going to be great in different ways because different things make them who they are. And Carbono as a skater is just a lot more refined than a guy like D’Vorski who might take a little bit more time. So I don’t want one to like I think they’re going to draw comparisons. I don’t want one to necessarily downplay the other because D’Vorski is still awesome who also will get two. Yeah, for sure. Um, and just to to sort of pivot here to like what we want to see out of him for this upcoming season. Um, this is a quote uh from Jeremy Rutherford. It’s a quote from Montgomery on Carbono being sent back down to his junior team. So he said, “I want him to gain that next play speed when the puck transitions from offense to defense that he gets above it. Anyone that’s been a scorer, they hang on and and hope for a turnover so they’re in a in a better offensive position.” That’s kind of what we talked to him about. Watch McDavid, watch McKinnon, watch Crosby. Aaho. When he was on the ice with our players, he naturally was the last guy coming back into our end every time. That’s just next play speed. So, it sounds like Carbono’s offensive style obviously being being high in the offensive zone um has sort of Monty wants him to work on that on that transition game and it sounds like transitioning back to defense and I I think that’s that’s feels valid and and I think it’s really cool to have a head coach uh like Monty who um sort of provides provides some of that um that insight. But what do you want to see out of out of Justin Carbono in the queue this upcoming season? because I mean he had a fantastic season in the queue last year. Um 62 games played, 46 goals, 43 assists, 89 points. I’m pretty sure he was second in points in the queue. Um he was up there. Yeah, he was top 10, top five, I want to say. Yeah. Um so while I’m pulling that up, what do you want to see out of out of Carbo in the queue this year? I mean, to respond to that Monty quote a little bit, I I think that that’s totally fair to expect. You know, even going back to when I did my film breakdown of Carbono, I noted that the defense was pretty lacking. Um, I think that’s just not really his game to be honest. I think he just plays a different style of hockey uh than Jim Montgomery coaches and I think that that’s going to come along, but it’ll take some time. him, you know, he’s still a rookie. So, um, in terms of what I want to see out of him, I want to see him continue to dominate the queue and I want to see him play his way out of there because I still think he’s good enough to play on this roster. I still think he has the offensive upside to be one of the better forwards on the roster and I kind of want him to like I don’t want him to be a liability defensively, but I think if you’re making Justin Carbono this elite two-way skater, I don’t think that’s Justin Carbono at his theoretical best. I kind of want to see him lean into his offense more and just be an absolute demonic weapon on offense who can take over a game script and be like a a just a a hockey playing force. Sort of like that Nathan McKinnon style of hockey. Not saying he’s going to get there. I’m just throwing out an example. um versus like, you know, watching and the best players are the best players because they’re good at everything. But I think the path for Carbono to to really make the NHL is to lean into what he’s already good at and show that he is one of the best of his age at doing that, which would be his offensive style. So, I want to see him score. I don’t know. You said he had how many goals? Like Yeah. So, I just I just pulled it up. He had 46 goals, which is tied for second in the queue. I was gonna say, I want to see 40 goals, but he already did that. And he had 89 points, which was second in the queue as well. Um, and it it feels hard to ask for much more out of him offensively. Um, but let’s get let’s get to the century mark. How about that? If he stays in the queue the whole year, which there was one player to do that last year. Um, he got 103. uh that was the the league leader and so yeah, tack on at least 11 points, break the century mark. That that that would be a cool accomplishment and sort of another feather in his cap before um making the jump because I I don’t think I don’t think it’s it’s far off. Um, yeah. I think I would also like to see him, while yes, he could be that offensive weapon like that offensive, what did you say? Demonic force on on offense, um, I think that is that is a real possibility. Uh, and and something he can definitely do. And the Blues have a have a pretty good supply of defensively sound forwards. Um, so he doesn’t have to be like a sulky kind of guy or anything like that, but I think I would like to see him improve like around the peripherals, you know? Um, maybe maybe just like hockey sense type stuff. Um, how you think the game rather than how you play it because I think the way he plays it is he he’s kind of figured it out. But maybe maybe the way you think about the game um is sort of how how I’m um rationalizing it rationalizing it in my mind. But um yeah, super excited for this kid and I I don’t think he’s far off. Why don’t we pivot now to uh to the the prospects that are still on the preseason roster. We’ll do Otto Stenberg and Dal Bordski. Let’s start with uh with Stinberg, though. Uh, I feel like the the conversation might be a little bit quicker with him, but um, so Stinberg, I’m pulling up some of the uh, the stats and information on him. So, apologies for the delay, but Stinberg um, so far this preseason has had, let’s see, where’s he at? While I am finding that, Alec, what are you thinking about Stinberg? Uh, former first round pick, of course, and was I think has has sort of been bumped down the the prospect pipeline rankings a little bit over the years as as we’ve gotten and and uh now Carbono, but he’s still a pretty exciting young player. So, what are you thinking about Stinberg um as he continues to develop? and he obviously made the jump last year over to the AHL. Um he he played pretty much half and half between the SHL and the AHL. So in the SHL 25 games played, three goals, three assists, six points, came over to the AHL, 38 games played, five goals, 12 assists, so 17 points. Um so yeah, what are your thoughts on Stinberg and his development so far? I thought he had a good solid year in the AHL. In the SHL, it just wasn’t really the right fit. he wasn’t getting deployed when he uh like needed to be and there just wasn’t really opportunity for him in the SHL um as a league playing amongst grown men as a uh what would you have been a 19-year-old at that time. Um, so when he came over to the AHL, I thought he showed a lot better of his skill set and showed off uh more in into like American hockey. Um, and that’s where we saw Otto Sinberg sort of grow. Now, like you said, he was kind of dropping and I think I am kind of guilty of this to where I just thought that once I once he came over to the AHL, what he showed I thought was like good, but it wasn’t necessarily incredible. Like, you know, it wasn’t Dabbor D’vorski, for example, who just tore it up in the AHL. He Stenberg didn’t exactly tear it up in the AHL. And I saw that and I thought, okay, well, I suppose, you know, he still is going to be a good player, but probably realistically more of like a fourthlininer. Um, however, this prospect camp, Stenberg has come out and looks like one of the best players on the ice. I mean, still on the the roster as as things stand in terms of like remaining players trying to make the team. Stenberg is still an option for the team and I think he’s earned that. I think he’s really impressed in his looks so far this uh end of summer, I guess. Um Stenberg really seems to have great chemistry with a lot of these guys and it’s just such a plugandplay piece of an offensive weapon. He can really go up and down the lineup and fit in pretty much anywhere. Uh, and I think that’s a really underrated part of his game is how versatile and flexible he lets the team be. Um, because he can sort of service as a lot of different roles. He can be a passer who can enable his teammates. He can be a shooter who can score goals occasionally. And he can still do enough uh otherwise. you know, he’s defensively responsible enough to um not be a liability and and to he’s I think like he is what uh Jim Montgomery wants Carbono to become is like he’s defensively good enough to where he what he’s showing is is pretty not impressive, but is is very solid. Um, and I think he’s had a a terrific showing in the preseason so far. Despite only having such limited looks still, I think he’s still putting on display that he is this like perfect mix and match plugandplay kind of piece to where he can uh prove himself with any kind of linemates. And he’s got he’s he’s kind of shifty like he’s got some creativity. with this passing that’s really impressed me in this preeason is that he’s able to make some of these passes and looks that you wouldn’t expect from a guy like Stenberg who’s sort of down the lineup, but he’s got some real like intrigue to his game that I just love watching. So, I’ve grown a lot higher on Stenberg because of this preseason, and I’m I’m really intrigued to see what he what happens with the Blues this coming season. Yeah, for sure. I think I think he’s really raised his stock uh this this preseason, uh which I think is is great for him and his development because to be honest, I don’t think it was really going well for him over in the SHL. Um he had played I think if I’m if my math is correct in the past few years he’s played around let’s see like 70 80 games in the SHL and really hasn’t put together much in the way of offense. Um so I think I think he was just kind of having like a very similar season over and over again. So coming over to the AHL, coming over to North America where the Blues can kind of focus a little bit more on him as a player, focus on his development. I think it’s going to be really good for him. And like you said, I think we’ve really started to see some signs of that in the in the in the preseason. Um I finally found those stats. He was towards the bottom of the list, but he’s played a couple of games, played about 30 minutes so far. Uh he’s taken a few shots, and while he hasn’t gotten on the stat sheet yet, I think what we’ve seen out of the chances that he’s been able to generate, uh that’s been really exciting. He is one of the the right leaders so far in sort of individual expected goals. Just the quality of the the shots that he’s taken have been really good. Um he’s generated some high danger chances and and some decent scoring chances. Um so yeah, I I think I think your assessment is right that he has displayed a little bit more creativity and and sort of hockey sense than maybe we thought um was in there. I I think he’s got a great shot. uh which is something that we’ve we’ve known for a little while. But um yeah, I think I’m feeling better better about Stinberg now than I have in a while. Not that I was ever really worried about him, but it just like I said, kind of felt like he was doing the same thing year after year over in Sweden. So, I’m really glad he’s he’s come over and uh starts to feel like there’s some some traction there, which I think is really exciting. Yeah, traction is a good word for that. Yeah, for sure. probably projects as like a middle six, top nine type of guy. Um, so do you think he’ll he’ll stick at center or do you think we’ll see him over on the wing? See, previously I would have thought that he was exclusively a winger, but seeing some of these passes that he’s able to make, I I think he could potentially be a candidate to stick at center, especially with how thin the Blues are down the lineup and uh with their prospect center depth. I think he’s better than a guy I think he’s more exciting than a guy like Adam Yecko. Um, so I think there’s I think he could I I I it’s tough for me to say, you know, I’m not a coach with the players and everything, but I think that could be a a possibility is that he does stick at center. Yeah, for sure. Um, if I had to guess right now, I would say it’s possible, but I would still lean on the side of winger. Uh, but if if he continues, you know, to to display that playmaking ability and maybe develop a little bit more of a of a two-way quality to his game, then I I could see it for sure. Um, and then do do we think he is one of those guys who’s still a couple years away or do you think we might see him in any sooner get a get a cup of coffee up in St. Louis or anything like that? Yeah. Um, sorry, cut out there for a second. I’m sorry. I was just saying, do you think do you think he’s another one of those guys that’s a couple years away or do you think we might see him get a cup of coffee up in St. Louis sooner than that? Well, I thought he was again everything with about Stenberg has been sort of stock on the rise. I thought he was a guy who was a few years away. Um, but honestly, like I could see him getting the D’vorski treatment from last year to where they play him like two or three games um at the end of the season and just see what they’ve got in them. So, I think I think we could see Stenberg in St. Louis this year depending on how the season plays out. Yeah. Yeah. Depending on how the season plays out for sure. Depending on how well he does in the AHL for sure. There’s a lot of There’s a lot of ifs. I would probably lean next year, gets a cup of coffee. Um, but yeah, it feels like he is finally starting to get get a little bit closer. All right, let’s uh let’s move on to the main event, the main course, Dallas. Um, who is still in uh in preseason camp. And I think of the of the prospects that we were looking at, I think probably this time last week or or maybe a week and a half or so ago, we were leaning if we were leaning towards Carbono as the guy who could crack the roster if one of these prospects were, you know, were to make the jump uh and surprise some folks. But obviously Carvo has been assigned back to the queue and D.Vo Evo is sticking around and just like it just feels like the the little things that we’ve seen out of out of um out of preseason and training camp. Like maybe there’s a shot that that he makes makes the roster. And and by little things, I mean some of the stuff like media coverage and some of what the the Blues themselves are putting out there. Um, you know, the way coaches are talking about him and and things like that, the way his teammates are talking about him, I think it was it was something that we talked about last preseason as maybe maybe he could do it. Maybe he could crack the roster this time last year. It would have been crazy and obviously he’s he was pretty young and and probably not ready. Um, but here we are again and and maybe he has a maybe he has a chance. So, former, you know, former 10th overall pick, first round pick in in 2023. Um, and in the in this preeason, um, he, let’s see, has played three games so far and and has gotten a lot of minutes. He’s gotten 50 minutes on the ice. He’s got he’s got a goal and an assist. Um, and yeah, I think it’s just playing some solid hockey all the way around, which is um, R like more so than than the results he’s getting. I think what’s promising is the Blues keep going to him and they they keep deploying him and they keep playing him and giving him that opportunity. So, that’s really exciting for me uh, to see him sort of starting to get those looks. Um, and just, you know, to look at his his history, I guess, um, the year after he was drafted, you know, he he had that big year in the OHL, 45 goals and 88 points. Came over to the AHL last season, uh, this most recent season. Played 61 games and had a pretty solid year, right? 21 goals, 24 assists. Got a cup of coffee, like I said, in in St. Louis. played a couple of games and didn’t get on the score sheet, but you know, showed some flashes of promise out there. Um, but yeah, so D’vorski feels like a prospect that has been pretty up and down as the years go on. Um, whether it’s and I think most of that comes from people outside of like the Blues fan base. I think they’re I think Blues fans are still pretty high in the sky, but I think opinions have swung back and forth on him. Uh when you when you sort of read articles on him or or whatever else. So, where do you stand, Alec, after after a couple years of him being in the system and after seeing him this preseason? How are you feeling about DVO? Um and before we get to his chances of cracking the roster, how you feeling about feeling about him as just a prospect and and his development? I think he’s right online. like I think he’s on track to still be doing the right thing. Um I don’t think he’s necessarily excelled in this preseason or even like well past last season was really really good for him. Um but I don’t think he like has gone above and beyond for example for this preseason. However, I still think he’s done very a nice job. I think he’s shown what he had to show. Um, you know, I asked him to get on the score sheet and he scores two points in two games with just a a nasty goal and a nice setup too, showing his his playmaking. Um, so I think he’s showing all the right things to show that he’s still on track and should be developing into a nice player. With D’Vorski, it probably will take some time. It will take a few years for him to really become the player we think he can be. the, you know, appro I would say approaching point per game is probably in the cards for him. Um, but yeah, with with D’vorski, like I said, I think it’s going to just take time to get there. I think, you know, like what we saw out of a guy like Robert Thomas was it took time to get there. He wasn’t really the player we all knew he was until 2022 or so, three years after his his first cup of coffee. So for D’Vorski, that would put him at 2028 as the potential big season incoming. So I don’t think this is going to be a I don’t think this is going to be like a standout campaign for D’Vorski. I think he’s still developing at a pretty slow but linear pace, but I think he’s doing all the right things to put himself in the conversation for making the roster. and he just has the raw talent to be good enough to be on the team anyways. Like he’s just that good that he’s able to make this roster because he’s Dbor D’vorski. So, I like that they’re keeping him around. I like that he’s getting the practice reps more than anything. I think that’s a super underrated part of keeping him around is keeping him with the same coaches and everything. Um, I think that’s a huge huge part of of what’s going on. Um, and yeah, I think with D’vorski, I I am liking what I’m seeing. I’m not going crazy over it like a guy like Carbono or even what Stenberg has shown. Yeah, that makes sense for sure. Um, it does feel like I I agree with you. It does feel like his development has been a little bit slow, but I think it’s been pretty consistently positive, right? I I I don’t think we’ve seen Yes. anything out of him that is super concerning like like something going wrong or anything like that. Um but yeah, I mean it like these things do take time for some players for sure and it feels that way with D’Vorski. Um one of one of the one of the knocks on on his sort of style of hockey or or really just just his ability in general um has been his skating for a while. He’s just a bit of a slower player and not as good of a skater as some of his, you know, his peers. Um, but I’ve seen some reports, you know, and just just watching him watching him this preseason, it feels like that like that is something he’s working on. It feels like he’s got a little bit more a little bit more of a of a pep in his step or whatever you want to say. Um, which is a good sign. I I think I think being in the AHL, similar to similar to Stinberg, being in the AHL, being sort of um within the Blues system is going to be good for his development, going to be good. Uh and and I I think the Blues are are a really great team at at developing uh their prospects and NHLers. So, you know, we we’ve seen it for a long time. And I think as is the case with a lot of the a lot of the prospects that have moved through the blue system, they’re not going to want to rush a guy like D’vorki, they’re going to want to make sure they get it right before uh you know they they throw him to the Wolves up at the NHL level. Um so yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if it if it took a little bit of time before we saw him um getting a a serious look. But I mean, what do you want to see him work on um this year? And well, before we get there, like what are your thoughts on his chances to make the opening night roster. Um, like you said, you you weren’t you weren’t you you haven’t been super impressed with him on the ice uh during games and things like that, but he’s still sticking around and so maybe the maybe the Blues are seeing something that we’re not. But yeah, what are your thoughts on his his odds of playing in St. Louis uh to start the season? I think he could. Um, I think there’s there’s reason to to trust in D’vorski and to hope in his talent and believe in his talent, I should say. Um, I I suppose it’s it’s a question of like what do you prefer on the roster and who do you want to give that runway to? You know, D’Vorski is already had it his cup of coffee. So, me personally, I might be looking to give him more of an extended run. And I don’t know if that would be the right thing to do at the start of the season when you’re trying to have a hot start and come out being the best team possible uh that you can be. Maybe D’Vorski is a part of that, but there’s also a chance that maybe he’s still a 20-year-old skater and needs time to develop. So, I almost might be more in the stick him in the AHL and call him up mid-season camp and give him like 40 games then. Um, but I think he’s got a chance. I think he’s got a real chance of of filling that last spot. It seems like they want to go with a young guy, which is good, over a guy like, you know, Milan Luchich who has just had a atrocious preseason. Um, so I I think that they want to give runway to either D’vorski or Stenberg, it feels like. And if that’s the competition Dvorski has to beat out, then there’s there’s a good chance of of him making the roster. Yeah, I think there’s definitely a chance. And I I think um I think you pointed to it. There’s there’s a very specific roster spot that he’s competing for. Uh, and if I had to guess, I would say it was a it was a third line winger spot. Um, and I think he’s in competition with with Luchich, as you said. I think he’s in competition with Alexander Texier and Matthew Joseph. Now, now Justin Carbono is out of the picture. So, I think it’s probably going to be one of those four. Um, the reason why I think maybe um maybe he doesn’t do it is I kind of want that spot to go to Matthew Joseph. And the reason I say that is the, you know, the the strong areas of Matthew Joseph’s game are his defense and his speed. And that’s that’s two things that Da Bordski just doesn’t have. Um, and you know, where Matthew Joseph might not be as strong as as Daworski in some areas. He’s at least like NHL levelish, decently competent, you know, uh where there are some aspects of D’Vorski’s game where we might not be able to say that quite yet. So, it feels like, as you pointed out, they want to get off to a great start. We saw how helpful that was for Winnipeg and Washington’s uh their their regular seasons, and that’s something that the Blues have pointed to again and again as a goal. They want to get out to a hot start. So, I think if that’s the goal, I would be surprised if we saw DVO start the season in St. Louis. But honestly, like I wouldn’t hate it, you know? I I I don’t think it would be a mistake because truthfully, you wouldn’t be playing him in a in a pivotal role, you know. Um that fourth line is the identity line. The the third line though, you know, you you you want it to be a scoring line, but maybe maybe as a winger, D’vori can kind of just be that scorer. So, uh I wouldn’t hate it. I would be surprised at this point if if we did see him in St. Louis. But yeah, I mean, if he does make the roster, I’ll I’ll be really excited to see what he’s got. Um, if he does, I don’t think they’ll they’ll be afraid to send him back down. Uh, but it might be it might be best for his development if he if he did spend the season in the or at least started there, got his, you know, got his feet under him and and um put together a a solid start to the season before getting the call up and maybe seeing some more significant playing time later in the season. Um, yeah. any thoughts on that or or maybe what you want to see out of D’Vorski this uh this regular season? Um I want to see him continue to dominate at the AHL level and I want to see him come up and and show some playmaking again. I think his his behind the back pass still plays through my mind from the Predators game. Yeah. Um and I want to see more of that. I want to see more creativity. I want to see him really, you know, despite his flaws of not being the best skater, I want to see him show that that doesn’t matter, that he can still make it work. You know, there are plenty of outlier players in the NHL. One of the most talked about ones of this offseason, Marco Rossi, is super undersized and just doesn’t really play with a physical edge at all. The Wild thought that that made him a bad player and he showed up that and he he showed that that doesn’t matter at all and that he’s a great player. I want to see D’Vorski do a similar thing. I want to see him um just prove that it’s more than just the um it’s more than just his his talents on display. It’s that he’s a he’s a really good hockey player and I think he’s shown that in preseason so far. Uh and I I just want to see a continuation of that. Yeah. Yeah. I think that’s great. And for me, look, I I know I’m not alone in saying this, but I want him to pan out as a center so bad. I want him to be the Blues second line center long term behind Robert Thomas. I really want that for him and and I want that for the Blues. And so, you know, I want to see him, like you said, continue to continue to make some plays. I want to see him play some some tougher hockey. I think he has a tendency to stick around the perimeter and and rely on his shot. I want to see him like try to win some puck battles. I want to see him take on some center responsibilities, right? hitting back, playing defense a little bit more effectively, that kind of stuff. So, um I just want to see him sort of blossom into a more well-rounded center type player. I don’t I don’t think that should come at the cost of what he’s best at, you know? Um but I’d like to see you want your you want your centers, especially if you want them to be top six, you want them to be solid all-around players, right? And so that’s sort of what I what I want for D’vorski. uh provided he can sort of keep that that identity of what makes him great of his, you know, his shot obviously and and some of his skill as well. So, yeah, I think um I think wherever he goes, whether it’s whether it’s starting in the NHL or or um playing in the AHL, I think um I think I a like I I I trust the Blues to handle that situation, you know, in a way that’s best for D’Vorski, and B like I I think he can he can get some productive development out of either situation. um he really only played two I mean he he only played two minutes and he or two games sorry in the NHL uh this this past season. So while the stakes are still relatively low and while they do want to get out to a good start you know the start of the season stakes are are relatively low and so you know if if you feel like maybe he’s ready for another chance um that would be a good time to do it but again like you said starting the season in the wouldn’t be wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. It could be great uh for him to have some consistency there. So, yeah. Well, cool. Um just so we don’t um ruin our streak of talking about Philip Broberg, I just wanted to say his wraparound goal the other night was incredible. that preseason game. I know I know the Blues lost, but that uh that pre-season game where where Holloway scored twice and Roberg scored once, that was just so much fun to watch those goals. Uh my point is the Blues are playing again tonight um in about 30 minutes. They’re playing the Ottawa Senators, their last uh home preseason game. So hopefully uh some of those watching live will be able to either go to the game or uh or watch it from home. So, um, yeah, hopefully they can finally come out with a win. Um, but fingers crossed on that one. I’m not I’m not really sweating. I think I think last year where we didn’t really know who this team was, I was I was a little bit a little bit concerned about preseason results more than I should have been. This year, I feel like this team has a solid identity, a solid floor. Uh, and so I’m not sweating too much, but hopefully they can they can come out with a win. I think that would be uh best case scenario. But yeah, I think that about does it for us this time. Uh but really excited to see what what the season ahead is for all these prospects as well as the others. Uh we’ll probably continue throughout the season to check in on the prospects maybe with some special guests. We have Mike Meyer on to talk prospects a lot. We get Sam at STL Analytics to talk prospects a lot. So if you if you like prospect coverage, stay tuned for that for sure. We’ll try to provide some of that as we get going. Um, but I think that’ll do it for us this time. Thanks for tuning in to Note News. Um, if you haven’t already, we’d appreciate if you’d subscribe to our YouTube channel, like this video, follow, rate review wherever you listen on Spotify and Apple. Follow us on socials, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik Tok at Note NewsPod. We will see you next time, and of course, let’s go Blues. Beat the Let’s go Blues.
With 1 week to go until the NHL regular season begins, there are some big questions surrounding some of the St. Louis Blues’ top prospects. Will Dalibor Dvorsky crack the roster and start the season in St. Louis? How will Otto Stenberg perform through the preseason and in the AHL? Can Adam Jiricek stay healthy and put together a solid season? How will Justin Carbonneau perform in the QMJHL? When could we see these prospects with the Blues?
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1 comment
carbs season will last longer on the jrs team especially if that team makes the playoffs.