1 00:00:03,759 --> 00:00:13,439 Welcome to Fantasy Hockey Life, presented by fan Tracks, your source of information 2 00:00:13,439 --> 00:00:17,120 and analysis to help you win your fantasy hockey league. Fuck up, that's 3 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:23,320 a step hit on stay lots. Here's your hosts, Jesse Souvire and Victor 4 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:29,160 Nuno Fantasy Hockey Live. Jesse Severe from Pan Tracks here joining me. It 5 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:35,479 is Victor Nuno of Dabber Prospects. Victor, how you doing today? I'm 6 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,000 doing great, Jesse. How are you doing? I'm doing great. I'm 7 00:00:39,039 --> 00:00:43,320 doing great, man. It is good times for following hockey. Yeah, 8 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,479 free agencies all done, the drafts all done. In that lull in the 9 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:51,799 middle of the summer, I'm trying to figure out there's arbitration going on, 10 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,359 Victor, and suddenly because of our Dynasty salary league, that has become relevant 11 00:00:56,359 --> 00:01:00,560 to my life. What's happening in arbitration? But it's not being coverage because 12 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:04,239 I think all the major NHL reporters are in summer cabins. Is that your 13 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:08,040 impression too, that none of them are sitting at home right now and twittering 14 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:12,760 all the time about the different NHL moves going on. I think so, 15 00:01:14,079 --> 00:01:17,359 especially because when I reached out to them, usually to come on the show, 16 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:21,040 they're like, oh, cottage. Sorry, I can't do it at 17 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,079 that time. It's like the whole month of July after the draft. They're 18 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,200 just like, cottage. Yes, I guess that's what you do. I 19 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,680 think a lot of folks are in Canada or probably the northern United States. 20 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,359 Look in Wisconsin. Everybody goes to a lake up north. That's what people 21 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:38,439 do. I don't have a lake up north or a cabin up north, 22 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,560 so I don't do that. But almost everybody you talked to around here is 23 00:01:44,239 --> 00:01:46,920 going up north at some point, and that's exactly what they call it. 24 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,599 But not Victor, and I not Victor, and I'm sometimes Actually we take 25 00:01:49,599 --> 00:01:53,959 the week off, but we cover for it. We keep the episodes rolling. 26 00:01:53,359 --> 00:01:57,680 And so right now we're ready to talk to you about the Saint Louis 27 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,359 Blues. But before we do that, Victor, we got to tell the 28 00:02:01,439 --> 00:02:05,959 people out there a couple of things that they're going to need to know before 29 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,560 we get into the episode. One of them is, we are brought to 30 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:13,240 you by Dabber Hockey. We are brought to you by fan tracks on the 31 00:02:13,319 --> 00:02:19,000 podcast networks of those two wonderful entities. Today, our agenda as usual, 32 00:02:19,199 --> 00:02:22,800 We're going to have our preview of the pro team of the St. Louis 33 00:02:22,879 --> 00:02:27,919 Blues. We're gonna have Cat's instincts on some Blues rookie or prospect goalies. 34 00:02:28,439 --> 00:02:31,560 And we're going to have the Dynasty dig about a couple of our top prospects 35 00:02:31,599 --> 00:02:38,000 that we're following, a couple of Victors most watched prospects in the prospect pool 36 00:02:38,199 --> 00:02:40,960 of the Blues. You can join us. You can hang out with us 37 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,759 and a whole bunch of other crazies, hundreds and hundreds of crazies at this 38 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:50,439 point who like to talk fantasy hockey, like to talk hockey in our discord. 39 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,840 Twitter's dying, it seems to be dying. The place to go and 40 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:59,639 hang out and have civil conversations with people who are actually having a pretty good 41 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,919 time talking and you don't get shouted down every time is on a discord and 42 00:03:04,039 --> 00:03:07,080 ours is free to join to talk about hockey. So just hit up Victor 43 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:12,159 of myself. You can email us Fantasy Hockey Life all one word at gmail 44 00:03:12,199 --> 00:03:16,520 dot com or check us on Twitter. I just said Twitter, Fan Hockey 45 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:22,199 Life is how to get me Victor Newno. Twelve is how to get Victor, 46 00:03:22,759 --> 00:03:24,560 and you can do a lot of things. If you decide to do 47 00:03:24,599 --> 00:03:30,360 that, you can ask us questions. You can also there's other cool things 48 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:32,680 that you can do, Victor. There's more than just the discord. There's 49 00:03:32,719 --> 00:03:36,639 some deeper levels. You can go deeper inside the matrix. Tell people what 50 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,080 they can do the matrix. Yes, to come inside the matrix. What 51 00:03:40,159 --> 00:03:44,680 you need to do. Or one thing you could do is you could help 52 00:03:44,759 --> 00:03:49,840 us out by contributing to the Average Draft Position project that we're taking over. 53 00:03:49,879 --> 00:03:53,479 A mentioned on the last episode, and that is that we are trying to 54 00:03:53,560 --> 00:04:00,879 revive with Tyler Matson started and collect people's draft twenty twenty three drafts and collate 55 00:04:00,919 --> 00:04:04,000 them and give it gives you an idea of like where guys are going, 56 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,719 and so when you're doing your draft, you can see, huh, can 57 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:12,439 I wait on Matthew Wood at pick twelve or is he going in that area? 58 00:04:12,719 --> 00:04:15,439 Maybe I can wait until pick fifteen if that's what his average draft position 59 00:04:15,639 --> 00:04:18,519 is. Those kinds of things are really helpful. So if you want to 60 00:04:18,519 --> 00:04:23,920 contribute to that and you've done your rookie draft, then go to the draft 61 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:28,680 results on fan tracks, download the CSV and send that to us, that 62 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:30,519 would be really great. You can send it ideally, I think by email 63 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,920 my emails in my Twitter Victoria at gmail dot com, or you can send 64 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,759 it to Fantasy Hockey Life at gmail dot com. And if you could include 65 00:04:36,759 --> 00:04:42,680 some settings like how many teams, categories, points, seller, kappany information 66 00:04:42,759 --> 00:04:45,720 you have, that would be great and we're going to collate that data. 67 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,879 We've got some really smart patrons Brandon and Jason that are working on this project 68 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:53,480 to help, and Jessie as well, who's not a smart patron, put 69 00:04:53,480 --> 00:05:00,199 a smart post and I'm supervising Victor, I'm supervising, and we're going to 70 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,759 have that information available to our patrons. Can be really great stuff. And 71 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:08,199 speaking of patrons, we have the Patreon, so if you want to come 72 00:05:08,759 --> 00:05:12,120 contribute to the show, help out and get all the great stuff that we 73 00:05:12,199 --> 00:05:15,680 have through Patreon, we have the patron Cast, which we're going to have 74 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:18,519 a July one one every month. Then we have a bunch of patron priority 75 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,839 channels you can if you really want to, if you really want to be 76 00:05:21,879 --> 00:05:26,279 a top tier patron, I'll be happy to copilot your rookie draft with you 77 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:29,319 and you can ask me like who do you think it should take here. 78 00:05:29,519 --> 00:05:32,959 That's a really great service that we provide. We also have the rank list, 79 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,639 like if you want to see where your guys where, you know who 80 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:42,600 you should take based on my ranks including block shots and hits information, it's 81 00:05:42,639 --> 00:05:44,959 all right there. So you've got some great stuff there if you want to 82 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,160 contribute to the show or participate. And then the other thing to participate in 83 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,600 is Tidy the Tier Dynasty, So if you want to be a part of 84 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:56,000 that, it's a really great fun league where you can work your way up 85 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,519 to the top tier. We had a bunch of really great patrons last year 86 00:06:00,519 --> 00:06:02,560 start that league and it's going strong. We got a bunch of guys promoted 87 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:06,120 to the top division. Jessine and I did not earn our promotion. It's 88 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:11,279 a really tough league, so freaking clothes too, Yeah you were, I 89 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,759 was in this close. But it's really fun and so we got we have 90 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:17,959 some space open because we promoted those guys and we're gonna have some promotion relegation. 91 00:06:18,079 --> 00:06:20,240 It's a good time. If you want to look at the rules, 92 00:06:20,639 --> 00:06:24,160 just let me know. I sent out a tweet a few days ago too, 93 00:06:24,639 --> 00:06:26,879 but yeah, those are all the great things you can check out at 94 00:06:26,879 --> 00:06:31,639 Patreon dot com slash Fantasy hockey life tremendous. It's time to get into the 95 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:43,759 blues. Let's go Blues. Here we go. Right after this, we 96 00:06:43,759 --> 00:06:46,959 welcome our next guest, who's ready to talk St. Louis Blues with us 97 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,480 from the Hockey News and to NHL dot com. It is Luke Korak. 98 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:55,720 How are you doing there, sir good? How are you guys? Very 99 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:59,079 good? Ready to talk some blues. Let's go Blues here. And that's 100 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:03,279 an interesting team to talk about. They're definitely at a crossroads in one sense. 101 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:08,839 It you would have to say the Blue season meant some expectations because they 102 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:12,720 were projected in the middle of the row team. But I'm sure preseason optimists 103 00:07:12,759 --> 00:07:16,040 weren't real pleased with the drop from a six sixty five point percentage to a 104 00:07:16,079 --> 00:07:20,000 four ninety four. This time last year we could talk about Ryan O'Riley, 105 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:26,199 I'm Barbaschev, Vlad Teryshenko. All those guys are gone, even Clym Constant, 106 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,160 a guy who hadn't really met expectations. And St. Louis moved up 107 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,879 to Edmonton and had he had a moment there. I guess we'll talk about 108 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,480 the long term contracts with this team on the books throughout the show. And 109 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,879 there seems to be a winner's curse hangover still from the Cup Champ squad, 110 00:07:41,319 --> 00:07:45,279 and in terms of team stats, penal to kill was third worst. They 111 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,680 took the six few of shots, had a bottom five safe percentage. But 112 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,360 you got to consider Doug Armstrong probably wisely through in the towel late in the 113 00:07:51,439 --> 00:07:56,480 year, cleared some valuable cap space, got a lot of draft capital for 114 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:59,560 this year, and that's going to impact the stats too, because towards the 115 00:07:59,639 --> 00:08:01,800 end of the season, that's where things were going. How does the team 116 00:08:01,839 --> 00:08:07,240 perceive their competitive status coming into this year, Lewin, do you expect more 117 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:11,600 teardown moves or the status quote from what we saw last year? No, 118 00:08:11,839 --> 00:08:18,079 I wouldn't say I see anything of the kind as far as tearing down as 119 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:24,360 concerned, that's just not in Doug Armstrong's nature. I think you can see 120 00:08:24,399 --> 00:08:28,759 that by him going out and maybe it wasn't one of those splashy trades, 121 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:35,639 but bringing into Kevin Hayes, he definitely wanted to replenish fortify the center ice 122 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:39,039 position. When you lose Ryan O'Reilly, You're not only losing a locker room 123 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:43,279 guy, you're losing a guy that brought a lot to you as far as 124 00:08:43,639 --> 00:08:48,679 intangibles on the ice, So they really felt like they needed to address that. 125 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:54,000 I think that bringing back recently here Oscar Sunkwist, part of that Stanley 126 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:58,480 Cup team in twenty nineteen again fortifies the center position more so in the bottom 127 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:03,799 six. So I think you can see that they definitely didn't take too kindly 128 00:09:03,879 --> 00:09:07,080 to such a drop off. But you're right, Doug Armstrong's not one of 129 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:13,159 those guys that's gonna sit back and allow the ship to sink without trying to 130 00:09:13,919 --> 00:09:18,279 make some sort of I don't want to say, salvageable move to try to 131 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:22,759 get the boat back up afloat. But you could definitely see that when things 132 00:09:22,759 --> 00:09:26,720 aren't going in the direction that they feel like they should be going, they're 133 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:28,840 going to pivot into a different direction. And that's what they've done here. 134 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,720 So I think it's more of a retool rather than a proverbial rebuild, and 135 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:39,519 I think this is a group that expects to get back into the playoff hold 136 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:43,080 next year or at least fight for it, because I don't think they took 137 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:48,759 what happened last year. Lying down, they shouldn't because all things considered, 138 00:09:48,759 --> 00:09:52,840 this has been a perennial playoff team, albeit they did not make it in 139 00:09:52,879 --> 00:09:56,919 twenty seventeen eighteen, and we all know what happened the year after they wound 140 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,600 up winning the Stanley Cup. I think that's where they expect to be, 141 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:01,960 and I think that's where they're going to expect to be again next year. 142 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,960 It's not going to be easy, but that's certainly when you have a cap 143 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:11,559 ceiling squad and a cap ceiling team, that's where ownership expects you to be, 144 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:15,919 and that's where they're wanting them to be. Yeah. Heck, halfway 145 00:10:15,919 --> 00:10:18,000 through the twenty eighteen nineteen season, the cap winning season, it seemed like 146 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:22,360 they were having a rough time and then they really kicked it in for that 147 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:24,639 second half. Let's move on to some of the players here. Jordan Cairo 148 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:30,519 up First played seventy nine games this season, thirty seven goals thirty six sussists, 149 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,720 led the team. The second place guy in goals, he had a 150 00:10:33,799 --> 00:10:37,559 lead of thirty seven to twenty six over He had minimal hits, half a 151 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,840 block, well over three shots a game, trying to get a sense of 152 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:45,799 the vibe at Saint Louis about Cairou. It seems his less robust defensive game 153 00:10:45,919 --> 00:10:50,279 is not necessarily that that popular with some that said, he's definitely the offensive 154 00:10:50,279 --> 00:10:54,039 star of this team now, especially with O'Reilly and Taraschenko gone, his role 155 00:10:54,159 --> 00:10:58,039 is only growing. Cairo and a guy will get to in a few minutes, 156 00:10:58,039 --> 00:11:01,840 are about to have eight by eight contract extensions kicking in, so they're 157 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:03,879 gonna be fixtures for a long time. Some of the quotes that came out 158 00:11:03,919 --> 00:11:07,000 from the end of the season presser from the Blues amaze me. The GM 159 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:11,720 and the coach seem pretty frank about Cairo and others that they really need to 160 00:11:11,799 --> 00:11:16,159 put in the work going into next year. What do you think about Cairo? 161 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:20,159 Is this a ninety point player next year? And if he is, 162 00:11:20,639 --> 00:11:24,600 will the team be satisfied? If he doesn't make progress in his defensive game? 163 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:28,559 Can he be a ninety point guy? I certainly think that the potential 164 00:11:28,639 --> 00:11:31,960 is there. He brings those intangibles at that end of the ice. I 165 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:37,320 don't think that's ever been in question. But if you're gonna play for the 166 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,799 Saint Louis Blues, if you're gonna play within a Craig Ruby system and just 167 00:11:41,919 --> 00:11:46,879 him take it. Even back before that, I gather there wasn't as big 168 00:11:46,879 --> 00:11:48,639 of a window there with Mike Yo, but even before that, with Ken 169 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:54,840 Hitchcock and some of the other coaches that they've had in this franchise's history. 170 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:58,000 You're gonna have to be You're gonna have to be a two hundred foot player. 171 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,679 I know you hear that it's a cliche, but and in a lot 172 00:12:01,759 --> 00:12:05,759 of sense, that's where the game goes. And if you don't have you 173 00:12:05,759 --> 00:12:09,600 don't have as many of the poachers out there as you used to back in 174 00:12:09,639 --> 00:12:13,679 the day when scores were what seven to six, eight to seven, back 175 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:16,000 in the eighties and in the early nineties, you just don't have that anymore. 176 00:12:16,039 --> 00:12:20,960 And I think they want him to be a little a little bit more 177 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:26,080 responsible away from the puck. I think that that's gonna be natural, and 178 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:30,440 that's just gonna be one of those progressive steps he's gonna have to take because, 179 00:12:31,039 --> 00:12:35,320 like you had mentioned now, when you're talking about he and Robert Thomas, 180 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:39,240 you're the highest paid players on this team. You're gonna have to You're 181 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:41,840 gonna be expected to bring the highest amount of results. That's just the way 182 00:12:41,879 --> 00:12:46,519 it is. Those guys were followers. Now they're gonna be at the top, 183 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:50,519 and you're gonna have veterans there that are looking at that. I don't 184 00:12:50,519 --> 00:12:54,000 care who you are, but you're gonna have veterans there that are there's I 185 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:58,600 don't I'm not gonna say there's gonna be some animosity there, but they're gonna 186 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,559 be looking at it going. You guys are carrying the boatload of the money. 187 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:05,080 Now you're gonna have to carry your share of the work here. And 188 00:13:05,759 --> 00:13:11,080 if until these guys start to grasp that, it's going to be a challenge 189 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:16,480 because you've got Braden Shens, you've got the Bochevitch's and Brandon Sods up fronts, 190 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:20,679 and you've got your you've got your veteran blue Liners. Now that the 191 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:24,960 Paracos, the Crews, the folks, the nic Letties, these are guys 192 00:13:24,039 --> 00:13:28,639 that have been warriors in this league and guys that have bought into that system 193 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:31,919 and that concept, and they're going to expect that from these guys. So 194 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:37,120 when did answer here for you? But Kiro does certainly have the capabilities of 195 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:39,440 producing and producing at a high rate. I don't think that's going to go 196 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,840 away, but I think more of his production is going to come. If 197 00:13:43,879 --> 00:13:48,559 he's going to be able to do some of those things that maybe he's uncomfortable 198 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:50,240 doing on the other side of the puck, and if he can get to 199 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,200 that point, I think that's going to make him a more complete player. 200 00:13:56,879 --> 00:14:01,200 That was an awesome rundown on Cairo and the next guy we've got to talk 201 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:05,720 about also pretty exciting for fantasy. Pavlo Buchnievitch, he a second year in 202 00:14:05,759 --> 00:14:11,399 Saint Louis, was similarly successful to his first season. He did great over 203 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:15,200 point per game in both stints, while having slightly better on paced stats. 204 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,360 This season only played sixty three games, had four different stretches of missing a 205 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:22,960 few games here and there, mostly lower body stuff which put him monitored reserve 206 00:14:22,039 --> 00:14:26,679 for the All Star Break. Twenty six goals, forty one assists. We've 207 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,639 been pretty decent. A little light on hits and blocks and shots, but 208 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:35,480 overall most of that production really good for fantasy, and he's at years left 209 00:14:35,519 --> 00:14:37,559 at five point eight million. I think the Blues are pretty happy with his 210 00:14:37,759 --> 00:14:41,600 production. In terms of future production, he did shoot a little high at 211 00:14:41,639 --> 00:14:46,279 twenty one percent, not sure he's going to continue doing that, considering his 212 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,679 career average is closer to fifteen, his PDO was a bit high, and 213 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:52,759 his ice time went up. I think that a couple of those things might 214 00:14:52,759 --> 00:14:56,279 be able to continue. And looking at his underlying stats, he actually had 215 00:14:56,279 --> 00:15:00,200 a lot more actual goals than expected goals, so maybe there was a little 216 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,159 bit of luck there. But overall I think he's he's a really good player 217 00:15:03,159 --> 00:15:05,639 and probably can continue most of what he did. But what do you think, 218 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:09,559 Luke, should we expect point for game Buchnevik's moving forward. I don't 219 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:15,320 see why not, because I'll tell you what, guys, since the moment 220 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:18,559 he stepped into the organization here in Saint Louis, so he's been nothing short 221 00:15:18,559 --> 00:15:22,440 of fantastic. And I think that's one of those that's one of those trades 222 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:26,759 that I know people on the outside look at it and go man, did 223 00:15:26,799 --> 00:15:31,000 the Blues fleece the Rangers? And it sure looks like it because considering the 224 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:35,679 give up and the return going back the other way. But that was one 225 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:41,679 of those situations where Doug Armstrong was shrewd. He saw an opportunity and a 226 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,039 team in the New York Rangers, that simply couldn't afford to keep him, 227 00:15:45,279 --> 00:15:48,720 and they knew he was going to be due a raise, a substantial raise 228 00:15:48,799 --> 00:15:52,960 over what he was making in New York, and the Rangers just simply didn't 229 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:56,000 have the cap space in order to keep all of their top end guys. 230 00:15:56,039 --> 00:16:00,200 And it was one of those situations where it wasn't going to cost them a 231 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,240 lot in order to get him. And since he's been here, he's been 232 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:08,759 that complete player that Craig Bruby just absolutely covets. He does it at both 233 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:12,120 ends of the ice. Not only that, not only does he produce points, 234 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:18,080 but boy, he's physical. He's a pepa guy, very responsible defensively, 235 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:22,039 and just a great all around game. And they were even toying and 236 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:27,600 teetering using him if they didn't replenish their center ice position. They were even 237 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,799 considering they were playing him as a center down the stretch. He had his 238 00:16:30,919 --> 00:16:34,480 challenges, there are no doubt about it, but that was certainly an option 239 00:16:34,519 --> 00:16:38,039 that was on the table. It hasn't officially been pulled off the table, 240 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:42,399 but I would think with the acquisitions that they've made here recently, that he's 241 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:45,879 going to go back and play his more natural position. Whether it be left 242 00:16:45,879 --> 00:16:48,679 wing or right wing. But he's going to be a guy that's probably going 243 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:53,320 to play with Robert Thomas and Jordan Cairou. So I certainly see the point 244 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:57,159 production being up, considering that's going to be your top line going into next 245 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:02,440 year's I just see his stock continuing to rise. He's getting into into those 246 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:07,039 prime, prime years of his playing career. He hasn't shown any regression in 247 00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:11,680 his game, not in the two years that I've seen there, and if 248 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:15,440 there's a dip in his play, I would certainly be surprised. Let's talk 249 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:21,599 about Robert Thomas played seventy three games last year, eighteen goals in forty seven 250 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:26,759 says twenty two power play points. I remember last year in our preview we 251 00:17:26,839 --> 00:17:30,319 talked about coaches saying maybe it would be great if he shot the puck more. 252 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,079 That has not happened. But Thomas is not about shooting the puck. 253 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,759 He's a playmaker. He's the other big forward commitment for this team. We 254 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:41,160 talked about eight by eight contract kicking in does seem to be settling into that 255 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:44,839 center one role, though the team scores well when he is out on the 256 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:48,680 ice. His individual point participation in other words, how often he gets a 257 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:52,319 point when the Blues score a goal with him on the ice is only sixty 258 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:56,400 percent, which is pretty low. So you would think with a little bit 259 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:00,119 of luck, he actually could just regress up to at more points than Matt, 260 00:18:00,519 --> 00:18:03,559 maybe flip over a point per game. I would think, though the 261 00:18:03,599 --> 00:18:07,839 talent around him has definitely declined too, maybe not in his line. You 262 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:11,960 talked about the guys up there, he's definitely still on the most solid part 263 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:15,599 of that offense. Is Robert Thomas' contract going to keep him in those top 264 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:21,119 roles long term? And what kind of production should we expect from him next 265 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:26,640 year? It's certainly going to Again, you're talking about one of the two 266 00:18:26,759 --> 00:18:30,079 top end paying guys on the team now, and I think maybe the different 267 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:34,160 production last year it wasn't much. It was I think he lost what twelve 268 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:40,680 points compared to his previous season, if I remember correctly, And I think 269 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:42,799 what happened with him was is he had to take a little bit more of 270 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:48,119 Ryan O'Reilly's role. And when you're talking about Ryan O'Reilly, you're talking about 271 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:52,519 being on the ice in those crunch situations at the end, being the guy 272 00:18:52,599 --> 00:18:56,160 that's going to have to win that important face off, being a guy that's 273 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,359 going to be on your top end PK unit, being guy, hey, 274 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,920 that's going to be on your top ENDPP unit. So he's starting to take 275 00:19:04,039 --> 00:19:07,160 on a lot of the things that Ryan O'Reilly had when he was here. 276 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:14,160 And I'm not going to say that some of the responsibilities were a burden on 277 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,599 him. I certainly don't think so. I just think that his play was 278 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:22,599 a reflection on the team's game, and I think everybody dipped they had. 279 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:26,599 They had such lofty expectations going in because you're talking about a team from the 280 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,680 previous season that had nine twenty goal scorers. It just doesn't happen very often. 281 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,559 They were such a good team offensively, it was going to be very 282 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:37,759 difficult for them to replicate what they did the previous year. But I certainly 283 00:19:37,759 --> 00:19:41,759 expect Robert Thomas's numbers to continue to climb. He's a victor, He's a 284 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:48,079 very pinpoint passer. His assists I expect him to I could certainly see him 285 00:19:48,079 --> 00:19:52,119 being in the fifties, maybe even pushing in that sixty assist range. That's 286 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,519 just how good he is when the puck is on his stick. Now, 287 00:19:55,559 --> 00:19:59,119 you had mentioned shooting the puck more. I'm always one of those guys during 288 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:03,279 games where I've got to tweet deck open and you're picking and shoes in the 289 00:20:03,319 --> 00:20:07,200 spots where Thomas has to shoot the puck and there is either a hesitation or 290 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,400 he misses the neck. Because I think he's a very underrated shooter. I 291 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:12,119 really do, because there have been some goals that he scored or you're just 292 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:15,720 like, wow, it's pretty eye opening and it's eye popping, it's impressive. 293 00:20:17,279 --> 00:20:21,039 So I think that's where a lot of the I don't want to say 294 00:20:21,079 --> 00:20:25,240 criticism, but a lot of the comments that you hear about him shooting the 295 00:20:25,279 --> 00:20:29,039 puck more because the coaching Steph trusts him when he shoots the puck. They 296 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,720 liked his shot. That's just one of those where he's gonna have to embed 297 00:20:32,799 --> 00:20:36,599 that into his game. It's gonna have to it's gonna have to increase from 298 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:38,640 within himself because those are just things you don't teach. But no, I 299 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:41,960 really think his production is going to stay up there. He's gonna get his 300 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:47,240 opportunities because he's gonna be playing upwards of twenty minutes a night, maybe even 301 00:20:47,279 --> 00:20:52,559 more than that. So He's certainly gonna get his opportunities. Braden Shin after 302 00:20:52,599 --> 00:20:56,799 I believe what I believe was the career high twenty games missed the year before 303 00:20:56,519 --> 00:21:03,359 the very reliable Historically Shin played all eighty two games last year, twenty one 304 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:07,079 goals, forty four assists, second highest scoring year of his career. And 305 00:21:07,279 --> 00:21:11,119 he also throws a lot of hits and takes a lot of shots. Even 306 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:15,400 at thirty one, he will hit on the opposition. He's not afraid of 307 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:19,519 being physical. He had the third most power play time on ice for the 308 00:21:19,559 --> 00:21:23,319 team. I've been worried for years, this thirty one year old, how 309 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,079 the number of hits he's given out over the years of what age. But 310 00:21:27,279 --> 00:21:32,240 he really seems to be holding up. But his linemates really were crossed up 311 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:36,000 a lot last year, especially with allll of the movement with this team. 312 00:21:36,759 --> 00:21:41,000 Is he I'm just maybe, is he the second line center for this team 313 00:21:41,039 --> 00:21:44,400 next year? And does he have another sixty five point season in him? 314 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:48,519 With the talent he will be surrounded with wherever he plays. Yeah, I 315 00:21:48,559 --> 00:21:52,480 think he and Kevin Hayes are going to kind of interchange depending on who's going 316 00:21:52,559 --> 00:21:56,880 and who's not. And I think from a Blues perspective, they like him 317 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,519 both to be going at the same time. But I think they're going to 318 00:21:59,599 --> 00:22:03,640 interchange in that two three center position. And I think at the start of 319 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:08,039 the year anyway, that Sheen's gonna be flanked by the two guys that have 320 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:14,559 a lot to prove. And I'm talking about Yakubrana and I'm talking about Kesberry 321 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:19,480 Kappenan. Those are gonna be guys that have that high end talent that just 322 00:22:19,559 --> 00:22:25,759 simply it hasn't come. It hasn't come too in a full bloomage, especially 323 00:22:25,799 --> 00:22:27,559 a guy like Kappenen. He saw what happened to him when you get put 324 00:22:27,559 --> 00:22:32,400 on waivers. That's basically a team saying we don't want you anymore. And 325 00:22:32,759 --> 00:22:36,079 the Blues were willing to take him on. And I think guys like that 326 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:40,480 blank with the Braden Sheen, it's really gonna help Shen's point production. And 327 00:22:40,559 --> 00:22:44,519 you saw that last year, because yeah, I don't know if anybody expected 328 00:22:44,599 --> 00:22:48,319 him to be in that mid sixties point range. Again a considering a guy 329 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:51,920 that's now getting into his thirties, but the way he plays, he's just 330 00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:55,960 a physical player. Teammates love him because he puts his body on the line 331 00:22:56,039 --> 00:22:59,119 night in and night out. Now can he continue to do that? That's 332 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:02,000 gonna be one of the big questions coming into the year for me, is 333 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:03,880 are you going to be able to get that kind of production from Braden Shan 334 00:23:04,039 --> 00:23:08,640 I certainly think he's capable of doing it again, But that being said, 335 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:14,519 visit from a physical standpoint, I think you'd like to maybe see him scale 336 00:23:14,519 --> 00:23:18,359 it back just a little bit because you want to preserve some of his high 337 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:22,160 end skill that he still has in his game. But that's just not in 338 00:23:22,319 --> 00:23:26,160 his DNA. I'm gonna I'm gonna have a hard time thinking that somebody's gonna 339 00:23:26,279 --> 00:23:27,720 put a lasso around him and say, hey, buddy, pull it back 340 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,000 a little bit. It's just gonna be tough. That's just not the way 341 00:23:30,039 --> 00:23:33,839 he plays. He's gonna be counted on. He's gonna be counted on quite 342 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:37,720 a bit. And barring anything where they don't name a captain, this could 343 00:23:37,799 --> 00:23:41,440 very well be the next captain of the Saint Louis Blues should they name one. 344 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,920 Yeah, that's it's a good point. Let's move on to the next 345 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:52,440 player, and that is Kevin Hayes and so Hayes recently acquired from Philly for 346 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:56,640 a sixth round pick, and lucky for Saint Louis that Philly eight half the 347 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:00,799 salary. Hayes has been consistently around a fifty point pace player in Philly, 348 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:03,880 arguably playing higher in the lineup than maybe he should have. I assume he's 349 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,279 more of a depth role in Saint Louis, but I don't know. Maybe 350 00:24:07,319 --> 00:24:11,160 I'm wrong on that. His defensive impacts have been a little bit underwhelming the 351 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:15,559 last several years. And so where do you think that hay slots in the 352 00:24:15,599 --> 00:24:18,680 lineup blue in Saint Louis? And if I put the fifty, if I 353 00:24:18,799 --> 00:24:22,279 put the point pace line at fifty, would you take the over under there? 354 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:29,079 I think I'm gonna go over because I think they're going to utilize him 355 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:36,839 in more situations than perhaps the Flyers did. And I say that because he's 356 00:24:36,839 --> 00:24:38,960 gonna be playing it. They're gonna be using him more in his natural position 357 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:41,839 as a center, and I think he got rubbed the wrong way a little 358 00:24:41,839 --> 00:24:47,119 bit last year when the Flyers moved him out to the wing. I think 359 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:49,559 he's more effective as a center. He's going to take up some of that 360 00:24:49,599 --> 00:24:52,519 slack when it comes to taking face offs. Now, is he as good 361 00:24:52,519 --> 00:24:56,559 as a Ryan O'Reilly is. Statistic wise, he's a little bit under him, 362 00:24:56,599 --> 00:25:02,200 but we all know how good O'Reilly is in the clutch situations when it 363 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:04,400 comes to winning a draw. But I would definitely put that number at the 364 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:10,720 over because he's going to be part of their power plays and he's gonna get 365 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:12,920 the top end minutes that that's just the bottom line. There's a lot of 366 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:18,839 situations where Craig Bruby likes to utilize, especially Layton games, where he'll have 367 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,440 two center iceman on the ice. He'll mix up his lines and there could 368 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:26,960 be situations where you see Kevin Hayes playing in the middle and Braden Shen playing 369 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:30,839 on the wing, and that's because Braden Shen's been that kind of a versatile 370 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:33,799 player for Craig Bruby throughout his career. Just depends on the situations. But 371 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:37,440 he's gonna get more ice time and I think that's going to provide him with 372 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:41,240 more opportunity, especially with some of those high end guys that they do have 373 00:25:41,319 --> 00:25:47,200 out there, because there could be situations as well where you see Greig Ruby's 374 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:49,880 not afraid of mixing his lines up. You could see him playing with a 375 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:56,119 Pavo, So he's definitely gonna get his opportunities. And don't forget, guys, 376 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:57,759 those guys were teammates with the New York Rangers back in the day, 377 00:25:57,799 --> 00:26:03,640 so there's some familiarity there between Hayes and a Buchnevich. Greg Ruby could get 378 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:07,160 creative there and you never know. I told you guys earlier that Buchenevich is 379 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:11,400 probably going to start out playing with a Thomas and a Cairo. Don't be 380 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:14,839 surprised if you see him playing with the Kevin Hayes as well. And if 381 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:18,160 that's the case, those guys seeing those guys did have some previous chemistry together 382 00:26:18,519 --> 00:26:26,799 in at Madison Square Garden. You mentioned Jaka vRNA earlier, and he certainly 383 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:33,000 did have a Star Cross season. He went into the NHL Players Assistance Program 384 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,279 for most of the season. The Red Wings didn't seem to want him to 385 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:38,559 come back. After that, he was waived and ended up with the Saint 386 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:44,079 Louis Blues, and then he had a pretty good little run fourteen points in 387 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:47,440 the twenty games that he played with the Blues, and he took a lot 388 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:51,720 of shots he's back for next year. Do you see him as having a 389 00:26:51,799 --> 00:26:55,880 significant role with the Blues or is just a mystery at this point or are 390 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:59,759 they counting on him to do something? No, I think they're counting on 391 00:26:59,839 --> 00:27:03,160 him to do something because again, he's one of those guys like Kevin Hayes. 392 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:07,839 You're only paying half of his salary and he's going into the last year 393 00:27:07,839 --> 00:27:12,440 of his contracts. So those three, I put those three in a triangle 394 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:18,039 and I say those three, I'm talking Vrona, I'm talking Kappanan, I'm 395 00:27:18,079 --> 00:27:22,160 talking Kevin Hayes. Those are three players that were cast off by their previous 396 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:25,160 teams, and these guys are gonna be coming in here with a chip on 397 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:29,960 their shoulder. Rona was pretty successful in his short stint with the Blues and 398 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:33,319 they acquired him last year. He brought an element to the team that I 399 00:27:33,359 --> 00:27:38,400 think compliments that of a Jordan Cairu, where he's got that explosive step and 400 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:42,119 he's not afraid to shoot the puck, and I think that's something that they 401 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,039 need more of on this team as guys that are willing to do that. 402 00:27:45,519 --> 00:27:48,799 So again, he's gonna be one of those guys that's going to be He's 403 00:27:48,839 --> 00:27:53,680 definitely gonna be a top nine guy for you. But I just going into 404 00:27:53,720 --> 00:28:00,599 the season, I can certainly see this being a Vana shin Hap and type 405 00:28:00,599 --> 00:28:04,240 of a line that at least starts things off. And obviously if it the 406 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:08,200 well runs dry or if they start running cold, then you know, again, 407 00:28:08,279 --> 00:28:12,319 Craig Bruby's not afraid to mix and match his players. But no, 408 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:17,720 he's going to get his opportunities. And they know, and I've even heard 409 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:21,880 this from coaches and from management, they feel like, in the right situation, 410 00:28:22,279 --> 00:28:25,559 if he's going well, that this is a guy that's capable of getting 411 00:28:25,599 --> 00:28:29,279 you, if not thirty goals or close to thirty goals, and if they 412 00:28:29,279 --> 00:28:33,559 can get anywhere, I would almost say anywhere in the twenty five ish range, 413 00:28:33,599 --> 00:28:36,960 twenty five to thirty goals. Man, you're talking about a heck of 414 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:40,519 a bargain of a player at what a two point six million dollar cap hit 415 00:28:40,599 --> 00:28:44,400 and somebody that's looking to catch in next summer. So I think you're going 416 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:48,839 to be seeing a guy that's going to have a lot to prove and given 417 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:52,799 the opportunity here, he's gonna want to perform well with the Blues because they 418 00:28:52,799 --> 00:28:56,079 were certainly one of those teams that were willing to give him that chance. 419 00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:02,319 I'll set it up for you a couple of more guys. You've talked about 420 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:06,880 Caspinen or a kapin In a couple of times, and we got Brandon side 421 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:08,799 writing a little bit lower in the lineup, but somebody who's been around for 422 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:12,200 quite a while with these Blues. He was fourth on the team with nineteen 423 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:17,400 goals last year. But these are both depths options. I'm curious which one 424 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:21,960 of these two you think will be more productive for the team next year. 425 00:29:22,039 --> 00:29:26,480 Who's going to score more points? Kappenin or Side That's a good question. 426 00:29:26,559 --> 00:29:32,640 I think that depends. It depends on who's given the more prominent roles in 427 00:29:32,759 --> 00:29:37,599 situations. I would tend to go maybe with Brandon sad just because he's been 428 00:29:37,599 --> 00:29:41,200 there and done that. He's been here for two years now and he said 429 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:45,039 two pretty productive seasons. No matter who he's played with. He seems to 430 00:29:45,079 --> 00:29:48,519 be one of those guys that no matter what line you drop him on, 431 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:52,599 he seems to fit in well. So he's not one of those guys where 432 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:56,079 you go he's gonna have to play with such and such in order to be 433 00:29:56,119 --> 00:30:00,000 able to put up points. And he's another guy that Craig Bruby likes, 434 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:06,319 He trusts him, puts him in all situations special teams as well. Where 435 00:30:06,359 --> 00:30:11,200 he really impressed me was his ability to penalty kill and he scored some shorthanded 436 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:15,599 goals last year. I don't think people understand the deceptive speed this guy has 437 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:19,039 in the open ice, and there were a couple of situations where he scored 438 00:30:19,039 --> 00:30:23,799 shorthanded goals where he was able to make really good reads and he's off to 439 00:30:23,839 --> 00:30:27,799 the races and he's not going to be and he wasn't caught at a couple 440 00:30:27,799 --> 00:30:30,599 of eye opening moments for me where I'm like, wow, I just didn't 441 00:30:30,599 --> 00:30:34,599 see that in his game. And I think that's where the trust factor comes 442 00:30:34,599 --> 00:30:38,240 in with the coaching staff. So I'll probably go with Brandon sod on that 443 00:30:38,279 --> 00:30:41,799 one. But again, when it comes to a guy like Kappanan, don't 444 00:30:41,839 --> 00:30:47,319 be surprised if you see him put up some points for the Blues this year, 445 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:51,880 because again they were one of those teams that took a chance on him, 446 00:30:52,319 --> 00:30:56,319 knowing that he's going into a contract year as well, trying to set 447 00:30:56,400 --> 00:31:02,200 himself up for the future. Moving forward. That's great stuff on the forwards. 448 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:04,599 We're gonna switch over to the defense now and we're gonna start with Justin 449 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:10,759 Falk. Another great season for Falk, another fifty point pace. He has 450 00:31:10,759 --> 00:31:14,039 become their number one D. I think without question, with all his hits 451 00:31:14,039 --> 00:31:17,839 and blocks, he's definitely the most valuable defenseman on the team. In terms 452 00:31:17,839 --> 00:31:22,039 of Fantasy he ranked eleventh in bash, block, shots, and hits as 453 00:31:22,079 --> 00:31:26,279 we track h eleven goals thirty nine is sists. Really great for hits, 454 00:31:26,319 --> 00:31:29,000 blocks and shots. As I mentioned, ten power play points. So a 455 00:31:29,039 --> 00:31:32,720 little bit lower there in terms of what you expect from your top fantasy D, 456 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:36,839 but really great all around. Four years left at six point five million 457 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:41,559 in terms of what he brings in all situations, his underlying defensive numbers are 458 00:31:41,599 --> 00:31:45,920 actually a bit quite a bit low, but I guess he does play against 459 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,359 the best of the best around the league, and the team as a whole 460 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:52,359 wasn't so good. So there's that. But Lou, what do you think 461 00:31:52,359 --> 00:31:56,279 we can expect from this upcoming season similar to what he done in the past, 462 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:59,920 or is there's another gear or maybe some regression coming? What do you 463 00:32:00,079 --> 00:32:02,920 think? No, I think you can expect a little bit of the same. 464 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:07,519 But from a defensive standpoint, I think all of these guys, and 465 00:32:07,759 --> 00:32:12,799 looking at a broader view in general, I don't think the Blues is a 466 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:15,240 defensive unit, could be any worse than they were last year. The goals 467 00:32:15,279 --> 00:32:19,640 that they allowed last year were the most since the nineteen eighty three eighty four 468 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:22,799 season when they gave up three hundred and sixteen that they gave up three hundred 469 00:32:22,799 --> 00:32:27,359 one goals last year. Falk was one of the guys at the end of 470 00:32:27,359 --> 00:32:30,440 our season exit interviews that they had with the media, was one of the 471 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:34,799 more critical guys, and he wasn't going to shy away from his play as 472 00:32:34,799 --> 00:32:38,640 well, it has to be better. It wasn't good enough last year and 473 00:32:38,799 --> 00:32:43,880 was probably the primary reason why this wasn't a playoff team last year, because 474 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:46,440 I don't think offensively it was an issue. It was more or less just 475 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:51,480 a team game keeping pucks out of their net. And he would be the 476 00:32:51,519 --> 00:32:53,400 first one to tell you that his defensive game has got to get better, 477 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:57,839 and I understand that. Yeah, he does play against the top end guys. 478 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:01,680 He's also paired out there most nice with either a Nicolette or a Tory 479 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:07,519 Krug. So you've got a defensive pairing there that maybe, depending on who 480 00:33:07,519 --> 00:33:10,200 it is, maybe they are a little bit undersized when it comes to your 481 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:15,000 physical stature. But I think when you look back the season before it was 482 00:33:15,039 --> 00:33:19,079 one hundred and nine point team, you're talking about pretty much the same defensive 483 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:22,759 unit that was much much better than it showed last year's. Offensively, you 484 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:25,799 love what he gave you, and you'll take fifty points from a demon, 485 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:30,720 especially a guy that didn't produce as much on the power play because he simply 486 00:33:30,839 --> 00:33:36,480 didn't have all the ice time as being that powerplay quarterback. If they utilize 487 00:33:36,559 --> 00:33:38,480 him a little bit more on the powerplay this year, I actually think his 488 00:33:38,559 --> 00:33:42,440 offensive numbers could go up. And he's not afraid to shoot the puck. 489 00:33:42,519 --> 00:33:46,160 So you love everything from an offensive standpoint, But when we talk about any 490 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:50,319 of these guys on their blue line, fellas that it just simply has to 491 00:33:50,359 --> 00:33:55,640 be better. All right, let's talk about Tory Crug. He played sixty 492 00:33:55,720 --> 00:34:00,359 three games last year, missing a month through the lower body injury. Was 493 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:01,839 good for half a point per game when he was on the ice, a 494 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:05,519 bit under a hit, bit under a block, two shots a game, 495 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:09,320 of course, Krug's Breton bretter is not to be a bruiser at five nine, 496 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:13,760 but to be some version of an offensive power play for us who put 497 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:16,440 up the point paces in the sixties and even seventy per eighty two late in 498 00:34:16,519 --> 00:34:22,559 his Boston years. Among Saint Louis's Big four defenseman, Krug was second to 499 00:34:22,639 --> 00:34:27,719 Falk in power playtime on ice and had an average power time on ice that 500 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:30,239 was greater, of course, because he played fewer games. Fourteen of his 501 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:34,719 thirty two points on the season came at man advantage. He signed up for 502 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:37,960 several more years at six point five million a year because Saint Louis likes their 503 00:34:38,039 --> 00:34:42,880 long contracts. At six point five million dollars a year for defenseman. There 504 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,599 was druma in the offseason when there was some talk that his salary might be 505 00:34:45,679 --> 00:34:51,440 part of the long trade negotiations with Philly, which didn't come to pass and 506 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:54,840 hopefully haven't damaged his relationship with the team. You think Krug is going to 507 00:34:54,880 --> 00:35:00,199 be the power play quarterback next year and could it be a fifty point point 508 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:06,960 the season for the veteran defenseman When you look at over the course of an 509 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:10,760 eight over eighty two games during his Blues tenure. Yeah, he's averaged about 510 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:15,679 what he has averaged throughout his career, which is right around that fifty point 511 00:35:15,719 --> 00:35:21,079 plateau. So his numbers have never been a question mark here. What's been 512 00:35:21,119 --> 00:35:25,239 a question mark is unfortunately he just hasn't been able to play a full year. 513 00:35:25,559 --> 00:35:29,960 He's been injury prone and has taken him out of the lineup. But 514 00:35:30,599 --> 00:35:34,440 yeah, when he's in the lineup, he's counted on, especially as that 515 00:35:34,519 --> 00:35:37,360 power play quarterback. And I don't think that's gonna change moving forward. And 516 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:44,039 you're right as far as they have what four no trade clauses with their top 517 00:35:44,119 --> 00:35:47,039 four d men, And if Doug Armstrong was going to make a change, 518 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:52,800 he was gonna have to ask one of these guys, if not multiples of 519 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:58,199 these guys, to waive their no trade clause. And Tory krue gets And 520 00:35:58,599 --> 00:36:01,400 I can't say that I blame him because it's well within his right to do 521 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:05,960 that when he negotiated his contract, if you think about it, he did 522 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,280 it in good faith. Actually, he took less money on his contract here 523 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:15,039 in Saint Louis to negotiate in a nold trade clause. Now you can look 524 00:36:15,039 --> 00:36:17,199 at that a couple of different ways. You can look at that as is 525 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:20,880 this a guy that wants to be a part of the solution. That's the 526 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:23,039 way I choose to look at it. I don't choose to look at this 527 00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:27,920 as no, he just didn't want to go to Philadelphia, which there's got 528 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:30,159 to be something to it there, because you don't want to go to a 529 00:36:30,239 --> 00:36:34,519 rebuild. But I choose to believe that if he walks through those doors in 530 00:36:34,519 --> 00:36:37,280 September when training camp opens, and initially I thought that was going to be 531 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:40,679 a little tough, considering when somebody's asking you to wave an old trade, 532 00:36:42,159 --> 00:36:45,360 that's one of those situations again they're telling you almost that we don't want you 533 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:51,320 here anymore. But I choose to think that he decided not to wave is 534 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:53,159 because he wants to be a part of the solution here. When he's on 535 00:36:53,199 --> 00:36:57,960 the ice, he could be very effective. Again, he falls in line 536 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:00,960 with the other guys on the blue line. They have to be better in 537 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:04,920 their own zone. That's just no if sans or butts about it. Because 538 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:08,320 these guys have produced on the offensive end. Can he come back here and 539 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:12,880 be a better defender than he has? I think he has to be in 540 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,719 order for him to be even more effective. But guys, look at it 541 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:19,719 again. I mentioned it earlier, over an eighty two game average. If 542 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:23,079 he plays, he's giving them roughly fifty points, which you can't complain with 543 00:37:23,119 --> 00:37:30,199 those numbers. Fulton Parako seventy nine games, twenty seven points last year. 544 00:37:30,320 --> 00:37:32,960 He is a guy who will rack up some hits, blocks and shots. 545 00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:37,280 He seems to fill the role of St. Louis's top defensive defenseman and got 546 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:40,760 a whole lot of minutes second only to Falk on this team. St. 547 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:44,719 Louis will be relying on him for another seven years. As we said, 548 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:50,039 long term contracts. His real adjusted plus minus, which is one of those 549 00:37:50,079 --> 00:37:53,000 stats that's out there, shows he does really well at suppressing goals, but 550 00:37:53,519 --> 00:37:58,639 doesn't necessarily help a whole lot with the scoring for the team. This defensive 551 00:37:58,679 --> 00:38:02,639 corps is all very able in terms of their They've all in these long contracts, 552 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:07,119 they're all thirty plus more or less. Do you expect that the roles 553 00:38:07,159 --> 00:38:12,280 are going to remain very stable and we're going to see a very similar season 554 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:17,280 from Parco next year as we did this year. When it comes to him, 555 00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:22,480 I think overall, I think you need more from Colton Parreco. I 556 00:38:22,559 --> 00:38:28,559 just don't think that offensively he has provided enough for them, and I think 557 00:38:28,599 --> 00:38:31,239 he's capable of providing more offense for them. He's another one of those guys 558 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:36,559 where we talked about Robert Thomas and not shooting enough pucks. I'll tell you 559 00:38:36,599 --> 00:38:39,400 what, this guy's got a howitzer. When he unloads that shot and it 560 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:44,159 gets on targets, it could be pretty lethal. But to me, in 561 00:38:44,199 --> 00:38:46,840 my opinion, I just don't think he utilizes it enough. Now, again, 562 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:52,559 it's cyclical and we can go through this with every one of the defensemen. 563 00:38:52,599 --> 00:38:54,239 I think he needs to be better in his own end, and I 564 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:59,440 think that's just from a physical stature. To me, he doesn't play physical 565 00:38:59,559 --> 00:39:02,280 enough. You talk about a guy that's six five, two thirty, that 566 00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:07,239 should be a guy that posing forwards are afraid to go after, but they 567 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:12,039 don't seem to be because to me, I just don't think he utilizes his 568 00:39:12,159 --> 00:39:16,599 physicality enough. Now does that go back to when he injured his back a 569 00:39:16,639 --> 00:39:21,920 couple of seasons ago. It could be something that maybe he's a little bit 570 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:28,239 tentative with and doesn't want to put himself in that situation again. But if 571 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:30,320 I can, there's an example in a game last year early in the year 572 00:39:30,360 --> 00:39:34,159 when they played against the Colorado Avalanche, right at the end of a game 573 00:39:34,159 --> 00:39:38,679 where they won three to two and Colton Parako just absolutely obliterated Nathan McKinnon. 574 00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:44,320 Wow, you could take that clip and you can show it on every highlight 575 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:46,960 reel, imaginable and people are going to be like, wow, it was 576 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:52,599 just it was one of those plays where you would just like to freeze frame 577 00:39:52,679 --> 00:39:54,719 that and show that to Colton Parako and say, this is what you have 578 00:39:54,800 --> 00:40:00,239 the capability to do to every player in this league. And I know Mike 579 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:05,039 Van Ryan, who was an assistant coach last year who had been let go, 580 00:40:05,599 --> 00:40:07,880 is one of those guys. It's talked to Colton Parako about being more 581 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:13,159 physical and used that play as an example. Is it still a work in 582 00:40:13,239 --> 00:40:15,840 progress? Yeah, But you know what, Colton Parako is what thirty years 583 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:21,360 old now, I think that's an area of his game where you'd like to 584 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,079 think that he would have a little bit more well rounded out. You remember, 585 00:40:24,239 --> 00:40:27,199 you guys, remember what he was like when he played with j. 586 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:30,320 Bomeaster on a twenty nineteen team that was as good of a shutdown pair as 587 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:34,639 you were going to find, and that was a pair that was always on 588 00:40:34,679 --> 00:40:38,440 the ice against Boston's top line, and they didn't allow a five on five 589 00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:44,000 goal in the Stanley Cup Final, which speaks volumes in itself. So if 590 00:40:44,039 --> 00:40:46,719 the Blues can get that Colton Pereko back, I think they would be tickled 591 00:40:46,719 --> 00:40:52,159 to death because they're gonna have to because they're invested in him for what another 592 00:40:52,360 --> 00:40:55,239 seven years. They've got a heavy investment as much just of an investment as 593 00:40:55,239 --> 00:40:59,760 they have on their guys on the blue line. This is the one guy 594 00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:02,280 that they put most of their marbles in and are going to need him to 595 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:08,440 perform like a number one defenseman. A couple more quick d wanted to mention 596 00:41:08,679 --> 00:41:13,079 Callie Rosen and Scott prunevinch you want to get your quick take on them. 597 00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:16,519 Rosen older at twenty nine, played the most games this season he ever has 598 00:41:16,760 --> 00:41:20,800 forty nine, put up a forty nine games play put up a thirty point 599 00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:22,960 in pace. He's definitely not the best defensively, but has some pretty good 600 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:29,599 offensive prowess. Prunovich is someone prospect followers have been waiting for a long time. 601 00:41:29,679 --> 00:41:32,199 He's been great in the HL the last two seasons and the NCAA before 602 00:41:32,239 --> 00:41:37,280 that. But he's a smaller guy, seems to get injured often, and 603 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:40,960 we haven't really seen him be able to play a significant role in the NHL. 604 00:41:42,119 --> 00:41:45,519 So what do you think between these two what can we expect this season? 605 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:50,480 I think Callie Rosen's going to be He's gonna be one of those depth 606 00:41:50,519 --> 00:41:54,199 guys because I think you're almost gonna have to put him behind not only a 607 00:41:54,559 --> 00:41:58,960 Scott Prunovich, but Tyler Tucker as well, who they just signed to a 608 00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:02,559 two year, one way contract and definitely earned it because of his play last 609 00:42:02,599 --> 00:42:07,079 year. It was a small sample size, but somebody that they really like 610 00:42:07,199 --> 00:42:10,360 in the organization. But yeah, Kelly Rosen's just he's a good depth guy 611 00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:15,440 and that's just what he is. When you're talking about last year when things 612 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:17,920 were going the way they were going too often for me, and this is 613 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:21,840 not a knock on Kelly Rosen, when you're talking about him being the best 614 00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:24,480 defenseman on the ice. To me, you have some problems because you have 615 00:42:24,559 --> 00:42:30,039 other guys that are getting more significant time than he is. But yet he's 616 00:42:30,079 --> 00:42:32,400 performing at a higher rate than some of your top end guys. So I 617 00:42:32,440 --> 00:42:37,079 think he comes into this as you're I don't know, I would say, 618 00:42:37,119 --> 00:42:42,280 you're eight nine defenseman. So he's on a two way contract, and I 619 00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:45,360 think that's how they're going to continue to view him unless they, for whatever 620 00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:50,239 reason decide to maybe try and move him. Now it Scott Perunovic, they're 621 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:52,000 finally I think the thing with him is, first of all, he's a 622 00:42:52,039 --> 00:42:57,039 Tory Crude clone, and I think that's why he was one of the guys, 623 00:42:57,199 --> 00:43:00,400 or he was the guy that they were willing to ask if he wanted 624 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:04,159 to wave his no trade clause because if for some reason they were able to 625 00:43:04,199 --> 00:43:07,320 move Tory Krug, I think you got the same kind of a player, 626 00:43:07,599 --> 00:43:12,239 especially as a quarterback on your power play in Scott Perunavich. It's for him, 627 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:15,360 it's just a question again of staying healthy. I mean he's only since 628 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:19,320 they've drafted him, he's only played nineteen regular season games, and he didn't 629 00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:22,559 even play in the NHL last year. Whenever he finally was healthy, they 630 00:43:22,599 --> 00:43:24,960 send him down to the HL and just wanted him to get games in it. 631 00:43:24,960 --> 00:43:28,840 And that's pretty much what it's been like for him, is they just 632 00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:31,679 wanted him to get games and get as much experience as he can. Now 633 00:43:31,719 --> 00:43:37,320 he's on a one way contract again, but he's waiver exempts, so he's 634 00:43:37,320 --> 00:43:39,360 gonna have to earn a job coming into camp this year. It's gonna be 635 00:43:39,400 --> 00:43:45,960 pretty difficult considering who he has in front of him and the veterans that he 636 00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:49,320 has in front of him. You all still got guys like Marco Scandella, 637 00:43:49,440 --> 00:43:52,159 Robert Bortuzo, guys that he's gonna have to try to beat out. So 638 00:43:52,559 --> 00:43:55,920 if peruvit's gonna stay healthy, he can be one of those quarterback type of 639 00:43:55,960 --> 00:44:00,960 guys on your power play and offensive defenseman knew that they certainly would like to 640 00:44:01,039 --> 00:44:05,400 have. But again, it's just going to be a question of staying healthy 641 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:09,599 for him. Perfect. Yeah, that's great stuff. Let's move over to 642 00:44:09,599 --> 00:44:15,480 the goalies now. The Blues had the eighth expected goals for sixty in terms 643 00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:22,920 of defensive protection for their goalies, conceded the sixth actual goals and Bennington he's 644 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:27,800 struggled since winning the Cup in twenty nineteen. He's had this downward trajectory of 645 00:44:27,920 --> 00:44:31,280 his raw numbers. He still plays a lot, but his raw numbers have 646 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:36,800 been slowly going down and last season he had negative six point five goals save 647 00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:40,920 above expected, negative two point two five delta Fenwick and he's got four years 648 00:44:40,960 --> 00:44:45,239 left at six million. So I guess the question is on Bennington is do 649 00:44:45,280 --> 00:44:50,280 you think he's like the next cam Ward who really peaked in his rookie season, 650 00:44:50,440 --> 00:44:52,559 won the Cup, looked great and then never really lived up to that 651 00:44:52,639 --> 00:44:57,360 potential after that, And what do you expect from him moving into next season. 652 00:44:59,039 --> 00:45:02,400 It's an understand question to ask, because, like you said, the 653 00:45:02,559 --> 00:45:07,719 numbers have trended in that direction. But I'm going to tell you something. 654 00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:12,920 I've watched this guy closely since he came to Saint Louis and a few years 655 00:45:12,920 --> 00:45:15,880 ago against Colorado Avalanche, I think the Blues, I think they have a 656 00:45:15,880 --> 00:45:20,920 really good shot at winning that series if he didn't get hurt, because he 657 00:45:21,000 --> 00:45:23,960 came into that playoff and I'm telling you what, he was playing absolutely lights 658 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:30,960 out and probably the biggest reason, if not the primary reason, why the 659 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:35,320 Blues gave the Avalanche two years ago, probably the most fits during that Stanley 660 00:45:35,320 --> 00:45:38,480 Cup run that they had, and that was a sample size again of it's 661 00:45:38,519 --> 00:45:43,480 a byproduct of the guys in front of him are playing well, He's gonna 662 00:45:43,519 --> 00:45:45,599 give you what you need, and I just think the two went hand in 663 00:45:45,639 --> 00:45:52,679 hand last year. That's why I tend to overlook the numbers and just how 664 00:45:52,719 --> 00:45:55,920 poor they were last year from his perspective, because I'm telling you, when 665 00:45:55,920 --> 00:46:01,760 you're giving up constant grit, when you're facing so many high danger chances and 666 00:46:01,960 --> 00:46:07,000 backdoor tap in goals that he was allowing last year, because your defensive structure 667 00:46:07,079 --> 00:46:13,000 was just that poor, it's really hard for me to put blame on your 668 00:46:13,039 --> 00:46:17,239 goaltending as much as some that maybe didn't watch the Blues on a regular basis 669 00:46:17,239 --> 00:46:22,519 did last year. So I'd like to I'd like to give him the benefit 670 00:46:22,559 --> 00:46:27,280 of the doubt and see if he can go into a season where a defensive 671 00:46:27,280 --> 00:46:30,239 structure is probably gonna look a little bit different, maybe not from a personnel 672 00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:34,960 standpoint, but because you got a lot of the same guys back, but 673 00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:37,400 they brought into Mike Webber, who's going to bring a different voice. He's 674 00:46:37,400 --> 00:46:42,239 going to bring some different schemes there, and let's see if that helps improve 675 00:46:42,280 --> 00:46:45,679 their defensive structure. Now, if it doesn't, you're probably going to see 676 00:46:45,679 --> 00:46:49,239 a lot of the same again. But I'd like to think that if those 677 00:46:49,239 --> 00:46:52,320 guys in front of him play well, I think he's going to give them 678 00:46:52,400 --> 00:46:57,400 the saves that's going to be required for this team to be successful. And 679 00:46:57,599 --> 00:47:00,360 last guy, Joel Hoper mainly played in the HL this past season, where 680 00:47:00,400 --> 00:47:04,599 he was really good. He had a short stint in the NHL, looked 681 00:47:04,639 --> 00:47:08,000 really good at times, looked like he struggled at times. Two years left 682 00:47:08,039 --> 00:47:14,000 at seven seventy five k RFA in twenty twenty five, I don't know what 683 00:47:14,119 --> 00:47:17,760 he'd be with Bennington struggling a lot, and I know you just said that 684 00:47:17,840 --> 00:47:21,800 you really believe in him, and beyond the numbers, he looks really good. 685 00:47:22,159 --> 00:47:25,480 But Hopefor seems to be capable, and we know we've seen Lou's goalies 686 00:47:25,519 --> 00:47:29,840 come out of nowhere and steal jobs. I don't know that Hope we can 687 00:47:29,840 --> 00:47:31,679 do that to Bennington, especially with that contract. But what do you expect 688 00:47:31,679 --> 00:47:34,760 from Hope for this season? Do you think he can get up to twenty 689 00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:38,079 thirty games or so? I think that's what they're hoping. They feel like 690 00:47:38,159 --> 00:47:42,800 that he's ready to take that next step. And he had a he had 691 00:47:42,800 --> 00:47:46,320 a sample size last year where things weren't going really well, and they threw 692 00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:50,480 him into the fire and I thought he played really well. Thomas Grins was 693 00:47:50,519 --> 00:47:53,320 just the stop gap. Let's let's call it what it is. It was 694 00:47:53,360 --> 00:47:59,239 a one year thing where they just wanted to have a veteran in there because 695 00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:04,440 they lost Charlie Lindgren to Washington. They needed somebody just to give Hofer enough 696 00:48:04,480 --> 00:48:09,159 time and enough games down in the HL in Springfield in order for him to 697 00:48:09,199 --> 00:48:14,320 make that jump. And he had a really good year in Springfield and they 698 00:48:14,320 --> 00:48:16,119 feel like he's ready to take the job now. And they've got a couple 699 00:48:16,159 --> 00:48:19,920 of young goalies in the system that they really have their eye on. I 700 00:48:19,960 --> 00:48:22,480 know Vadim Jurenko, the Russian who's probably going to be the number one guy 701 00:48:22,559 --> 00:48:27,599 now in Springfield, is going to be as a guy that they're pretty high 702 00:48:27,639 --> 00:48:30,440 on here and have some hopes for. He was at prospect camp here recently. 703 00:48:30,519 --> 00:48:34,360 But yeah, they just think Hofer is ready to take that next step 704 00:48:34,400 --> 00:48:37,599 in and they're really impressed with his progression so far. And as a backup, 705 00:48:37,840 --> 00:48:43,360 if you can give the Blues that twenty five thirty game range, I 706 00:48:43,400 --> 00:48:45,639 think they would be pleased with that, and you never know if he plays 707 00:48:45,719 --> 00:48:50,840 well and if he plays above expectations, don't be surprised if he gets more 708 00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:57,360 than thirty games. Excellent. You've given us some great information on this team, 709 00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:00,639 lou Why don't you let people know where they can follow all your work. 710 00:49:01,119 --> 00:49:06,239 Hockey News everybody's got everybody's got their own team site now, so you 711 00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:09,079 can go just click on the Blues team page at the Hockey News and also 712 00:49:09,119 --> 00:49:15,119 at NHL dot com and the social wise. I'm on Twitter at first initial 713 00:49:15,360 --> 00:49:19,840 L, last named korak k O r A C one zero and I'll interact 714 00:49:19,840 --> 00:49:22,079 with people as as often and as much as I can, especially on game 715 00:49:22,199 --> 00:49:25,119 nights. That's probably the best place where you can catch me. There plenty 716 00:49:25,159 --> 00:49:29,280 of stuff that'll be there throughout the summer, and before you know, a 717 00:49:29,320 --> 00:49:31,000 guy's training camp is going to be right around the corner. I can't believe 718 00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:36,559 we're what two months away? It's coming up fast and I love it. 719 00:49:36,639 --> 00:49:38,800 Thank you so much for coming on, Lou. Absolutely, guys, take 720 00:49:38,840 --> 00:49:58,239 care of Wolfson and let's get fired quick. Grab now, it's your weekly 721 00:49:58,280 --> 00:50:04,360 goalie talk with Cat Silverman, Cats Instincts ready to talk, Kat's instincts for 722 00:50:04,440 --> 00:50:07,760 the Saint Louis Blues goalies, and I think we have a good one here, 723 00:50:07,760 --> 00:50:09,960 and he's already playing in the NHL. That's of coolers. Joel Hoefer 724 00:50:10,079 --> 00:50:15,039 twenty eighteen, fourth round pick, big guy, six five hund eighty pounds. 725 00:50:15,119 --> 00:50:19,880 He will be twenty three this summer, and so he's definitely coming into 726 00:50:19,920 --> 00:50:22,519 that goalie prime, which is always nice. He was made in the HL 727 00:50:22,599 --> 00:50:27,920 springfield this past season where he looked good, and he got some NHL time 728 00:50:27,960 --> 00:50:31,360 where he looked good at times and then he also didn't look great at other 729 00:50:31,360 --> 00:50:36,480 times. But if you look at the goal save above expected numbers at even 730 00:50:36,519 --> 00:50:43,079 strength, hopeurs six games that he had outperformed Bennington's by about double So you 731 00:50:43,119 --> 00:50:45,880 know, very small sample size there, of course, but Hopefer looks like 732 00:50:45,960 --> 00:50:50,239 he might have some decent upside. So Cat, what do your instincts tell 733 00:50:50,320 --> 00:50:53,679 us about hopefor do you think he's a legitimate threat to being an NHL starter, 734 00:50:53,760 --> 00:51:02,119 potentially pulling a Bennington on Bennington? I honestly I think so it's Saint 735 00:51:02,199 --> 00:51:07,079 Louis is wacky. I no disrespect to the Blues, but what they've done 736 00:51:07,079 --> 00:51:13,320 with their goalies over the last what ten or twelve years now, it's like 737 00:51:13,400 --> 00:51:16,639 they it's like they put them in a slow cooker and then they bring them 738 00:51:16,679 --> 00:51:21,360 out, like they bring them up to the NHL level at a point where 739 00:51:22,039 --> 00:51:28,000 other teams have all but shed hope for these guys, and some of the 740 00:51:28,000 --> 00:51:31,440 other teams prospect out there. We have a couple of guys that are twenty 741 00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:36,960 two twenty three who teams are like, oh, this guy's a watch, 742 00:51:37,079 --> 00:51:39,760 We're done with him. And the Blues hold on to guys to the point 743 00:51:39,800 --> 00:51:45,039 where they wait until they are absolutely mature and ready for the NHL, and 744 00:51:45,039 --> 00:51:47,400 then they bring them up. And I don't know if that has burned them 745 00:51:47,440 --> 00:51:53,400 a couple times by bringing them up without that bottom half of their essentially career 746 00:51:53,480 --> 00:51:58,840 curve trajectory available in the NHL, so they almost end up with a shorter 747 00:51:58,880 --> 00:52:02,400 lifespan before they start to see that statistical decline. But we saw with Bennington 748 00:52:02,599 --> 00:52:06,440 they almost waited to the point where I thought that he was awash, and 749 00:52:06,480 --> 00:52:08,159 then they brought him up and he did just fine. They did the same 750 00:52:08,199 --> 00:52:12,840 thing with Billy Husso, who they ended up ultimately, I believe they traded 751 00:52:12,920 --> 00:52:15,639 him to Detroit or let him go in free agency, and they've got Joel 752 00:52:15,679 --> 00:52:20,840 Hooper, who I think is he's fun. It was a little nervous watching 753 00:52:20,880 --> 00:52:24,000 him play for a couple of years there because it seemed like he almost got 754 00:52:24,000 --> 00:52:28,480 too timid for a guy who, like you mentioned these six foot five, 755 00:52:28,719 --> 00:52:32,559 he's not little, and sometimes he would retreat, almost do the Mike Smith 756 00:52:32,559 --> 00:52:37,000 who just gets so far into his crease that he was sitting on the goal 757 00:52:37,079 --> 00:52:42,079 line with half his body backed into the net and made himself look smaller. 758 00:52:42,119 --> 00:52:45,440 And he does stand uniquely. He has a very low upper body stance where 759 00:52:45,440 --> 00:52:51,760 almost pulled himself over, and I was worried that he just didn't have the 760 00:52:51,840 --> 00:52:55,280 confidence because statistically he'd do really well. And then you have a stretch where 761 00:52:55,280 --> 00:53:01,960 he just absolutely tanked, and I looking at his HL numbers and his ECHL 762 00:53:02,079 --> 00:53:07,360 numbers and just watching some of his overall performances, I didn't know if he 763 00:53:07,400 --> 00:53:10,159 was going to get it together, so to speak. And then it just 764 00:53:10,199 --> 00:53:14,760 seems like it clicked in the last year or so here and like you said, 765 00:53:14,800 --> 00:53:17,719 there have been a few hiccups, but I don't expect perfection. Over 766 00:53:17,880 --> 00:53:22,639 All, his consistency has looked really nice, and it looks like he's gotten 767 00:53:22,519 --> 00:53:28,440 a lot more confident. He's staying more patient and remaining in the blue paint. 768 00:53:28,599 --> 00:53:30,639 Usually when I say that, I'm talking about guys who we have to 769 00:53:30,800 --> 00:53:34,639 coax back into the blue paint. For him, we're having to push him 770 00:53:34,639 --> 00:53:39,239 out into it. When he found that confidence to stay pulled his edges without 771 00:53:39,320 --> 00:53:45,519 retreating too quickly. I do think that one of the aspects of his game 772 00:53:45,559 --> 00:53:49,960 that I really liked from the get go was his hands and his spatial awareness. 773 00:53:50,000 --> 00:53:52,239 He was really quick using his hands to stop pucks, which is nice 774 00:53:52,239 --> 00:53:57,880 seeing a bigger goaltender not just rely on his overall size. But I have 775 00:53:58,000 --> 00:54:01,519 been a little nervous that he was almost second guessing himself, and I think 776 00:54:02,119 --> 00:54:06,880 he learned that he has more time than he thought he did to do things, 777 00:54:06,920 --> 00:54:08,840 and it really showed this last year. And I don't know if he'll 778 00:54:09,079 --> 00:54:13,840 usurp Binnington just yet, and I don't know if he should because I don't 779 00:54:13,840 --> 00:54:15,679 know if we want to throw him to the Wolves. The Blues are no 780 00:54:15,840 --> 00:54:21,239 longer a powerhouse team in my opinion, so I think it would be doing 781 00:54:21,320 --> 00:54:25,880 him a disservice to make him their clear cut number one right now and throw 782 00:54:25,960 --> 00:54:30,280 him out there for seventy games a year, but I think he could probably 783 00:54:30,280 --> 00:54:36,559 move up to the NHL full time this year. For sure. That's exciting 784 00:54:36,599 --> 00:54:40,000 to hear because we really like those guys who have lower games play limit and 785 00:54:40,039 --> 00:54:44,280 maybe a little bit easier to acquire. I think there were big things from 786 00:54:44,320 --> 00:54:46,239 Hope for ahead, but as you said, they may not want to lean 787 00:54:46,320 --> 00:54:50,559 on him too heavily. They also didn't want to lean on Jordan had Bennington 788 00:54:50,599 --> 00:54:53,800 too heavily when he just they really didn't have any other options and he just 789 00:54:53,920 --> 00:54:58,280 kept doing well, so it could happen. Yeah, I think it would 790 00:54:58,280 --> 00:55:02,639 be fun to see him get one of those mad article seasons, But ultimately 791 00:55:02,679 --> 00:55:06,079 I'd like to see if he does have one of those where they rely on 792 00:55:06,159 --> 00:55:09,280 him a little too much and he just steps up to the plate. It 793 00:55:09,320 --> 00:55:13,199 would be nice if that season that he did it was in a playoff year 794 00:55:13,239 --> 00:55:15,760 for them. I don't know if that's next year, but the central is 795 00:55:15,760 --> 00:55:20,159 a little weak right now, so it could be. It certainly could be. 796 00:55:21,960 --> 00:55:24,639 There's a chance, And as we go through the rest of the system 797 00:55:24,679 --> 00:55:29,079 here, it's not like there's a I'm not sure you'll tell me, but 798 00:55:29,119 --> 00:55:30,760 it's not like there's a ton of great options either. The next guy that 799 00:55:30,800 --> 00:55:36,400 we're going to talk about is Vadim Zarenko, and he's a twenty nineteen seventh 800 00:55:36,440 --> 00:55:39,159 round pick, six foot four, two hundred pound, just turned twenty two, 801 00:55:39,519 --> 00:55:42,960 and he just came to North America this season. Before that, he 802 00:55:43,000 --> 00:55:46,800 was in the VHLMHL and Russia and then played at Ilvez in the league last 803 00:55:46,800 --> 00:55:52,719 season, twenty five games in Springfield for the Thunderbirds of the HL this past 804 00:55:52,719 --> 00:55:59,039 season, decent numbers, definitely ross a percentage. Numbers looked better in Russia 805 00:55:59,079 --> 00:56:02,760 and he transition to more difficult league and the league I was went down a 806 00:56:02,760 --> 00:56:08,079 little bit, but pretty strong in the HL. I'm looking at some comps 807 00:56:08,119 --> 00:56:12,480 here on hockey prospecting and they're pretty decent. A lot of kind of like 808 00:56:12,599 --> 00:56:16,800 backups like Kincaid and Josh Harding too much. Gryce is there. He does 809 00:56:16,880 --> 00:56:22,280 look a little like the equivalency of Peka Rene, who was obviously great, 810 00:56:22,559 --> 00:56:27,000 But I don't know anything about his style. So can you tell me a 811 00:56:27,039 --> 00:56:30,119 little bit more about Jurenko? What are your instincts? Tell us? I 812 00:56:30,159 --> 00:56:35,280 think it's very funny that Keith Kincaid comes up as a comp for him, 813 00:56:35,360 --> 00:56:43,280 because my biggest complaint with Keith Kincaid was always that I'd watch him and some 814 00:56:43,320 --> 00:56:45,159 guys you watch and you say what are they thinking? And with Keith Kincaid, 815 00:56:45,239 --> 00:56:49,320 sometimes I'd watch him and say is he thinking? Because he truly liked 816 00:56:49,360 --> 00:56:52,519 to go out there and just like turn his brain off and go on instinct 817 00:56:52,559 --> 00:56:57,039 only like he was. He's the epitome of like vibes only on the ice, 818 00:56:57,039 --> 00:57:01,880 and that's what Jurenko does too. I think he's athletically one of the 819 00:57:01,920 --> 00:57:08,320 top tier goaltenders in the prospect community right now. He's got really good agility, 820 00:57:08,360 --> 00:57:15,559 he's got good flexibility, has rebound ability when it comes to his lower 821 00:57:15,599 --> 00:57:21,159 body movements. It's fantastic. But sometimes it's a little bit of a red 822 00:57:21,199 --> 00:57:25,239 flag when I'm able to confidently say that because I've seen so many of those 823 00:57:27,199 --> 00:57:30,599 desperation recovery saves that I'm able to say, hey, I just watched a 824 00:57:30,639 --> 00:57:35,679 sample size of two hundred desperation saves and he's really good at those, because 825 00:57:36,320 --> 00:57:38,960 in a perfect world, he's not making two hundred desperation saves. So I 826 00:57:39,000 --> 00:57:44,199 think he sometimes guys rely on the vibes only, which I think once you 827 00:57:44,280 --> 00:57:51,480 reach the HL and the NHL, you have to find a better balance where 828 00:57:51,800 --> 00:57:57,039 eventually the shooters, they watch so much film nowadays, they sit there and 829 00:57:57,079 --> 00:58:00,599 they study and they learned habits and patterns, and they learn what goaltenders will 830 00:58:00,599 --> 00:58:06,599 instinctively do and try to outsmart that. And I think Juranco at the moment 831 00:58:06,719 --> 00:58:14,599 still looks like he's relying on those habits and might become predictable for guys if 832 00:58:14,639 --> 00:58:19,159 he doesn't figure out how to become a little more patient and keep him guessing 833 00:58:19,159 --> 00:58:22,760 just a little bit more. I do want to see what happens with another 834 00:58:22,880 --> 00:58:25,760 year of North American hockey under his belt. I think as far as playing 835 00:58:25,800 --> 00:58:31,519 overseas goes he lives, Temper is one of the best teams to prepare guys 836 00:58:31,599 --> 00:58:37,480 for playing in North America because they have a very flushed out development system. 837 00:58:37,480 --> 00:58:42,320 We've seen guys the Ducks, from the Coyotes, obviously from the Saint Louis 838 00:58:42,320 --> 00:58:45,320 Blues, and a lot of goaltenders will go and play there for a year 839 00:58:45,480 --> 00:58:49,400 sometimes too, and then come over to North America. So that's a team 840 00:58:49,480 --> 00:58:52,719 that system is set up to become almost like a transitionary period for these guys 841 00:58:52,800 --> 00:58:58,800 coming from the Czech Republic in Finland and Sweden and Russia, just to feed 842 00:58:58,840 --> 00:59:01,199 them in, get them prepare, and then move them over to North America. 843 00:59:01,280 --> 00:59:06,360 But I just based on I watched a couple of highlights from last year, 844 00:59:06,400 --> 00:59:10,760 and I think when we talk about those tiers, we've talked about it 845 00:59:10,800 --> 00:59:15,519 with a couple of teams. There's a guy who's a very clear cut era 846 00:59:15,559 --> 00:59:19,480 apparent to move into an NHL role, and then there's a guy who's a 847 00:59:19,519 --> 00:59:22,559 wild card, and we'll feel more confident about it once we see a larger 848 00:59:22,599 --> 00:59:25,679 sample size of North American hockey. And that's where I placed him right now. 849 00:59:27,760 --> 00:59:30,239 I love it. Yeah, absolutely, we have to wait and see, 850 00:59:30,239 --> 00:59:35,920 but that's some really good insight, especially talking about these other European teams 851 00:59:35,920 --> 00:59:37,480 and what their time there means. I love those kind of insights, and 852 00:59:37,559 --> 00:59:42,760 this is what we get. Thank you so much for giving us your instincts 853 00:59:42,760 --> 01:00:06,480 on the Saint Louis Blues goalies. We'll be back right after this dig good 854 01:00:06,639 --> 01:00:10,760 dynasty Dick talking Saint Louis Blues prospects. What do you need to know about 855 01:00:10,760 --> 01:00:15,559 this system? Victor's rankings have them ranked number fifteen Dalla board of Vorski, 856 01:00:15,639 --> 01:00:19,840 Otto, Stenberg and Theo Lynstein all went to them in the first round. 857 01:00:19,920 --> 01:00:22,360 We heard about some of the trades that they made to get some of that 858 01:00:22,480 --> 01:00:27,599 extra draft capital. So still the middle of the road, but an interesting 859 01:00:27,760 --> 01:00:32,719 no brainer, Victor, who is it? The no brainer for the Saint 860 01:00:32,760 --> 01:00:37,360 Louis Blues is Jimmy Snuggerud, which I just love that. I just love 861 01:00:37,400 --> 01:00:42,480 his name. He's it's a fantastic name, and he's also pretty fantastic player. 862 01:00:42,519 --> 01:00:47,079 I would say he was top line in the name of the in the 863 01:00:47,159 --> 01:00:53,159 NCAA, with Arizona's Logan Cooley and Toronto matthew n I's probably the best top 864 01:00:53,159 --> 01:00:59,400 line in college hockey. He had fifty points in forty games in the NCAA, 865 01:00:59,559 --> 01:01:04,840 which is great. He also looked fantastic at the World Juniors thirteen points 866 01:01:04,840 --> 01:01:08,800 in seven games. And remember this is all after a pretty okay USNTDP. 867 01:01:09,639 --> 01:01:13,760 He had sixty three points in fifty nine games in his draft year, which 868 01:01:13,840 --> 01:01:16,840 was like, okay, that's decent production. But it wasn't that amazing surprising 869 01:01:16,920 --> 01:01:22,360 or people weren't super excited about him. So this senior season really or this 870 01:01:22,480 --> 01:01:30,400 sorry freshman season, and the absolutely woke everybody up and really started to show 871 01:01:30,480 --> 01:01:34,360 that what he can really do. He and Cooley are both returning to Minnesota 872 01:01:34,400 --> 01:01:37,039 next season, which is going to be incredible for them, So I think 873 01:01:37,039 --> 01:01:42,760 he's gonna have a really fantastic year before he turns pro. For snug rued, 874 01:01:43,000 --> 01:01:47,800 his tracking data looks offensively amazing ninety seven percentile overall. His shots are 875 01:01:47,960 --> 01:01:52,079 good. He has like a one and a half above standard deviation there in 876 01:01:52,199 --> 01:01:55,760 terms of his peers, but his expected primary systs are nearly double that, 877 01:01:57,000 --> 01:02:00,280 so he's definitely more of a playmaker, making and really dangerous passes. His 878 01:02:00,400 --> 01:02:05,760 transition game is also really good, really effective. His defensive rates out at 879 01:02:05,800 --> 01:02:08,679 only fifty one percentile, which is strange because I also think he's a pretty 880 01:02:08,679 --> 01:02:12,679 good defensive for at least I think of him as that. Maybe I need 881 01:02:12,719 --> 01:02:15,480 to reevaluate that. So all that looks pretty good, but we're gonna hear 882 01:02:15,480 --> 01:02:20,920 a little bit more about him from our FHL scouts. He that's right. 883 01:02:21,039 --> 01:02:25,880 Victor Jacob did a scouting report on snug Rude skating average not necessarily the fastest 884 01:02:25,920 --> 01:02:30,920 skater, but as decent agility and enough quickness in his strides to keep up. 885 01:02:30,159 --> 01:02:35,679 Good cuts and edges allow him to stay effective along the boards For puck 886 01:02:35,719 --> 01:02:40,119 handling, Jacob says it's good his size and speed allow him to take allowing 887 01:02:40,119 --> 01:02:45,480 to maneuver his way around defenders and create scoring chances for himself and his teammates. 888 01:02:45,719 --> 01:02:51,280 Flashes of high end passing but not consistent yet shot excellent, lethal, 889 01:02:51,480 --> 01:02:54,800 lots of power, quick release off the blade, and high end shot should 890 01:02:54,840 --> 01:03:00,320 be no issue scoring at the next level. IQ the panic meter is just 891 01:03:00,480 --> 01:03:04,000 medium right now, very poised most of the time, but has a tendency 892 01:03:04,039 --> 01:03:07,239 to throw the puck away when under pressure defense. He plays a good two 893 01:03:07,320 --> 01:03:12,719 way game. He likes to use his size to advantage, especially along the 894 01:03:12,719 --> 01:03:15,480 boards where he will fight for loose pucks, primarily on the blue line, 895 01:03:15,519 --> 01:03:20,719 but he puts effort to block shots and take away shooting lanes. Best asset 896 01:03:20,800 --> 01:03:23,760 as we said, shooting biggest concern. As we said skating. It's not 897 01:03:23,840 --> 01:03:28,880 necessarily poor, but there's lots of room for improvement, so let's hope the 898 01:03:28,920 --> 01:03:32,360 Blues can help him do that. Top tier potential, Jacob sees he could 899 01:03:32,360 --> 01:03:36,880 be a top six winger. He's got the tools to become a dangerous scoring 900 01:03:36,880 --> 01:03:39,719 winger at the NHL level, but he's going to need to continue making strides, 901 01:03:39,760 --> 01:03:44,199 but most likely a middle six winger. That's the worst case scenario for 902 01:03:44,320 --> 01:03:47,960 Jacob. He could become a reliable middle six winger with average offense but a 903 01:03:49,039 --> 01:03:53,320 solid two hundred foot game. Stylistic comparable anders Lee. Both have heavy shots 904 01:03:53,320 --> 01:03:57,840 and good size to make plays in the zone. So in summary, Jacob 905 01:03:57,880 --> 01:04:01,119 says snugger Root is a big board, lethal shot, offensive awareness, uses 906 01:04:01,159 --> 01:04:04,639 his size and skill to create plays for himself, but he's going to need 907 01:04:04,679 --> 01:04:09,639 to keep working on that skating. Our guy, Mason Black and the NHL 908 01:04:09,800 --> 01:04:15,039 rank King did a comparison for us out on the internet as he is wont 909 01:04:15,119 --> 01:04:18,239 to for us, and we thank you for that. Jimmy snugger Roed versus 910 01:04:18,280 --> 01:04:24,679 Marco Casper, a guy who certainly was thought more and more well of I 911 01:04:24,719 --> 01:04:27,639 think over the course of the year, and it was neck and neck on 912 01:04:27,679 --> 01:04:30,800 this one. Snugger Rued came out just barely ahead of Casper fifty three to 913 01:04:30,880 --> 01:04:36,000 forty seven on the poll. If you look at snugger Rood's NHL equivalency score 914 01:04:36,599 --> 01:04:42,559 on Mason's model, the trend line is up and up. He's gone from 915 01:04:42,559 --> 01:04:46,360 looking more like a second liner to maybe a little bit above a second liner. 916 01:04:46,400 --> 01:04:49,880 In this past year, he looked like he had first line potential. 917 01:04:49,920 --> 01:04:55,400 He played in a pretty nice situation, as you may recall, and his 918 01:04:55,519 --> 01:05:00,119 top comp was Barrett Haydon, followed by Antoine Verment and more Frost on the 919 01:05:00,199 --> 01:05:06,960 p NHLI similarity score. Victor, what do you think Snuggerroued or Casper? 920 01:05:09,840 --> 01:05:13,239 Yeah, these are both guys that I really like. I think Snuggerued just 921 01:05:13,239 --> 01:05:16,880 shot up so much this year it's hard to it's hard to think that he 922 01:05:16,920 --> 01:05:20,639 doesn't have more upside right now than Casper. I think what Casper has done 923 01:05:20,679 --> 01:05:25,320 is very impressive. But I do think Casper is more of a middle six 924 01:05:26,119 --> 01:05:30,480 player who's more of a fifty point guy that probably has upside for a little 925 01:05:30,480 --> 01:05:32,760 bit more, but he's just so good two way. And snug Rowed is 926 01:05:32,800 --> 01:05:36,440 definitely more of an offensive winger, a little bit more in that power forward 927 01:05:36,480 --> 01:05:41,360 playmaking role. But I think it would takes Snugger Roued. I think these 928 01:05:41,400 --> 01:05:44,559 are good. They're both pretty close. Casper is more of a sure thing 929 01:05:44,599 --> 01:05:46,000 to just play a lot of minutes, but snuggered, I think it's a 930 01:05:46,000 --> 01:05:50,239 little bit more offensive inclination. So I think, yeah, I think this 931 01:05:50,320 --> 01:05:54,960 poll is I think very accurate where it should be pretty close, but I 932 01:05:54,960 --> 01:05:59,679 would lean slightly snugg rued. And when you look at the hockey prospecting comps, 933 01:06:00,119 --> 01:06:03,519 it's pretty interesting because Snuggerud, as I mentioned, he really shot up 934 01:06:03,559 --> 01:06:09,400 this year. It's really hard to increase your star potential on hockey prospecting after 935 01:06:09,440 --> 01:06:13,559 your draft here usually goes down down, as it did for Caspar even though 936 01:06:13,559 --> 01:06:15,159 he had a good DP plus one, he went from nineteen to eight percent 937 01:06:15,239 --> 01:06:18,400 chance of being a star, so he fell in more than half, and 938 01:06:18,480 --> 01:06:23,480 snug Rud started at fourteen percent and shot up to thirty five percent and his 939 01:06:23,599 --> 01:06:28,280 first D plus one season, So that stuff to do looks really good in 940 01:06:28,320 --> 01:06:32,119 that model. He also has some really good other comps, does snug Rude. 941 01:06:32,199 --> 01:06:35,880 He's got some pretty interesting guys. Jordan Stall is there a little bit 942 01:06:35,880 --> 01:06:40,760 of Jonathan Taves. Joe mcginla is a guy I think he looks a lot 943 01:06:40,760 --> 01:06:44,679 alike, which I think has some rhymes because he has a sort of more 944 01:06:44,719 --> 01:06:48,159 similar playing style to againla. Not that he's going to be that prolific. 945 01:06:48,239 --> 01:06:53,519 But he has similarities too in terms of how much he increased his production from 946 01:06:53,519 --> 01:06:58,519 his draft season to his DP plus one production. And people probably don't remember, 947 01:06:58,519 --> 01:07:01,079 but Jeroe mcginla was a very mode producer in his draft year, but 948 01:07:01,199 --> 01:07:05,840 he absolutely destroyed it after that. Surprising he went so early at eleventh overall 949 01:07:06,480 --> 01:07:12,039 based on his modest production. But yeah, so Snugger looking really good. 950 01:07:12,039 --> 01:07:15,199 The top down hockey model has him at just eleven percent chance of being a 951 01:07:15,239 --> 01:07:16,599 star, though, but he has increased it year by years, so that's 952 01:07:16,639 --> 01:07:19,639 pretty good and up to an eighty four percent chance of being a star. 953 01:07:19,760 --> 01:07:25,719 So, Jimmy snuggerard great name. You just want to snuggle him, and 954 01:07:25,960 --> 01:07:30,440 he's a scare hockey player. Can he take his linemates with him to Saint 955 01:07:30,519 --> 01:07:32,079 Louis? Is that something that would be allowed? I think Blues fans might 956 01:07:32,199 --> 01:07:36,159 like that his college linemates. He's just gonna hug him and take him with 957 01:07:36,239 --> 01:07:41,400 him. Just hug away, all right, Victor, We got to move 958 01:07:41,440 --> 01:07:45,039 on. Who is the need to know prospect for the Blues. They need 959 01:07:45,079 --> 01:07:51,639 to know prospect for the Blues is Michael Butchinger. He is a twenty twenty 960 01:07:51,639 --> 01:07:56,320 two third round pick by the Blues. He's a six foot, one hundred 961 01:07:56,320 --> 01:08:00,880 and eighty five pound left handed D and he had sixty seven points and sixty 962 01:08:00,880 --> 01:08:05,119 one games for the guelfh Storm of the OHL. He already signed his ELC 963 01:08:05,400 --> 01:08:10,559 back in March, so he that's great in terms of the confidence they have 964 01:08:10,639 --> 01:08:15,519 in him. He certainly will be in the at OHL one more year though, 965 01:08:15,519 --> 01:08:18,039 because he's an April twenty fifth birthdate, so we got one more year 966 01:08:18,039 --> 01:08:23,000 in Guelf to deal with. He was he had four to four points in 967 01:08:23,079 --> 01:08:26,279 sixty three games as a D minus one, so this was a really nice 968 01:08:26,319 --> 01:08:30,039 step up for him in terms of his production, and so you always like 969 01:08:30,079 --> 01:08:32,359 to see that. You like to see some really good year by year gains. 970 01:08:33,199 --> 01:08:36,640 In terms of the tracking data from Mitch Brown, it actually doesn't look 971 01:08:36,680 --> 01:08:42,199 that great overall. He's just at fiftieth percentile his defense rates out at twenty 972 01:08:42,279 --> 01:08:45,479 nine. That's going to be a big concern because for an offensive defenseman, 973 01:08:45,560 --> 01:08:47,680 that's great, but you still need to be able to play defense. And 974 01:08:47,720 --> 01:08:51,359 he's listed right at six zero, so he's not undersized, but he does. 975 01:08:51,520 --> 01:08:56,680 Size isn't the best thing his transition game rates out is the best part 976 01:08:56,680 --> 01:09:00,439 of his game actually a fifty ninth percentile. His offense just at four. 977 01:09:00,600 --> 01:09:05,319 So he is not that great defensively according to this, and it certainly not 978 01:09:05,399 --> 01:09:11,399 amazing offensively. So you got to see what's going to be his calling card 979 01:09:11,439 --> 01:09:13,479 here, and to learn more about that, we're going to have to hear 980 01:09:13,520 --> 01:09:17,159 from our FHL scout. That's right, Victor. Our scout in this case 981 01:09:17,399 --> 01:09:24,479 is Brandon Utinger shows an improvement in skating confidence through the year. Linear skating 982 01:09:24,520 --> 01:09:28,920 and sprinting is visually high effort, but his match with a lower speed than 983 01:09:28,960 --> 01:09:31,760 would be expected. It looks like it's not like his feet are heavy, 984 01:09:31,960 --> 01:09:36,399 but the whole leg is heavy and could benefit from training to generate some power 985 01:09:36,560 --> 01:09:42,279 edgework and curb. Linear skating shows flashes of brilliance in high levels of comfort, 986 01:09:42,720 --> 01:09:45,239 so a little bit of skill going on there. Passing and handling. 987 01:09:45,560 --> 01:09:51,039 Passing his primary operative as he moves the puck's head up and with authority, 988 01:09:51,159 --> 01:09:57,359 keen on moving the puck to the best possible place, and like a skating 989 01:09:57,520 --> 01:10:00,319 stick, handling at high speeds tend to lose a degree or two of slickness 990 01:10:00,319 --> 01:10:05,960 and maybe is a bit more choppy shooting Mukinger. He can unleash a powerful 991 01:10:05,960 --> 01:10:11,319 and heavy slapshot in one timer. Rist shot is multifaceted, as he can 992 01:10:11,399 --> 01:10:15,960 drip shots on goal or leaning to them with more force, wind up and 993 01:10:15,039 --> 01:10:23,680 releases crisp wastes little time. The IQ Bucher has great vision for the offensive 994 01:10:23,680 --> 01:10:28,239 side of the game anticipation leans in this direction. While defending, he can 995 01:10:28,279 --> 01:10:32,079 be too passive overly puck focus, which opens up space on the ice for 996 01:10:32,119 --> 01:10:38,079 opponents to jump into, but he doesn't panic. It just mutes his assertiveness 997 01:10:38,159 --> 01:10:45,560 in proactivity for checking defense, as mentioned above, Mukingert can be quite reserved 998 01:10:45,600 --> 01:10:50,199 and reactive when defending the rush. While not overly punishing or physical. He's 999 01:10:50,199 --> 01:10:55,520 willing to use his body. A sweeping poke check is his primary weapon, 1000 01:10:55,640 --> 01:10:59,000 and defended in his zone. Usually he's collapsing to the front of the net, 1001 01:10:59,039 --> 01:11:02,720 focusing on the without prioritizing taking and tying up an opponent. So the 1002 01:11:02,760 --> 01:11:09,039 best asset is passing. The biggest concern reactionary hockey sense on defense and lack 1003 01:11:09,039 --> 01:11:15,479 of urgency, along with that heavy legged linear stride top tier potential seeing Brandon 1004 01:11:15,520 --> 01:11:20,199 Season is a middle pairing guy support D approaching forty five points with some powerplay 1005 01:11:20,239 --> 01:11:25,239 development even strength, he'd need to be paired with a D partner that causes 1006 01:11:25,279 --> 01:11:30,640 turnovers and wingers that can get open fiftieth percentile role between HL star and NHL 1007 01:11:30,760 --> 01:11:35,960 journeyman. Of course, it feels like that's everybody's fifty percentile role that can 1008 01:11:36,000 --> 01:11:41,600 bounce around from club to club with hopes of finding the right chemistry to fully 1009 01:11:41,680 --> 01:11:46,960 unlocked puck moving potency and shot caliber stylistic comparable a timid Duncan Keith. Can 1010 01:11:47,000 --> 01:11:53,840 one imagine such a thing reduced aggression intensity mixed with shades of Justin Schultz's puck 1011 01:11:53,840 --> 01:11:58,760 focus and nose to activate. So let's look at the NHL rank King Mason 1012 01:11:58,800 --> 01:12:05,199 Black and the poll he proposed for us Michael Boukenger versus Ethan Sampson. Ethan 1013 01:12:05,319 --> 01:12:10,800 Sampson, who is a Philadelphia Phillies guy who has picked in the sixth round 1014 01:12:10,840 --> 01:12:15,359 in two twenty one, Buckenger kind of thoroughly won that vote seventy four to 1015 01:12:15,439 --> 01:12:20,840 twenty six. And if you look at his own Buckenger, his own potential, 1016 01:12:20,920 --> 01:12:26,039 it has moved up to first line potential. That's very nice of course, 1017 01:12:26,079 --> 01:12:30,960 it also compares the Dennis Wideman is his top p NHL similarity score, 1018 01:12:30,600 --> 01:12:34,000 Victor? Is that the way that you do this? And do you have 1019 01:12:34,039 --> 01:12:41,319 any additional ways that I could pronounce the name Michael Bouchenger incorrectly and differently distinctly 1020 01:12:41,439 --> 01:12:45,720 from the number that I already have. That's one of your special skills to 1021 01:12:45,760 --> 01:12:53,000 find new ways to mispronounce names. So I'm sure you can now victors in 1022 01:12:53,039 --> 01:12:56,399 my four sport draft. So I hope the whole reason I've got him there 1023 01:12:56,800 --> 01:13:00,319 is so that he can see all the miserable names in other languages that asked 1024 01:13:00,479 --> 01:13:03,359 me up that caused me to be unable to pronounce an hil names sometimes. 1025 01:13:05,439 --> 01:13:13,359 Sure, that's it? Yeah, yeah, So Butchinger is interesting, like 1026 01:13:13,439 --> 01:13:16,800 you mentioned, and that was a great scouting report. There's definitely some holes 1027 01:13:16,840 --> 01:13:21,520 in his game and consistencies and things that need to improve, And while the 1028 01:13:21,560 --> 01:13:30,680 offensive upside isn't amazing, I still think he's much more exciting than Ethan Sampson. 1029 01:13:30,840 --> 01:13:35,920 So I would definitely take Michael Butchinger here. There's also there's are some 1030 01:13:36,039 --> 01:13:41,560 young offensive defenseman prospects in St. Louis, but they're a lot closer to 1031 01:13:41,640 --> 01:13:43,640 being a n H already, so by the time he gets there, I 1032 01:13:43,640 --> 01:13:46,399 think there's a decent chance that he has a good shot to do something. 1033 01:13:47,000 --> 01:13:51,640 Middle pairing with second middle to bottom pairing with second power play upside, it's 1034 01:13:51,680 --> 01:13:56,680 pretty something. So that's okay. Maybe he rounds out the rest of his 1035 01:13:56,720 --> 01:13:59,640 game. Maybe he gets a really good partner that unleashes some of his other 1036 01:13:59,680 --> 01:14:02,760 skill. As Brandon mentioned that was that's a good point. So yeah, 1037 01:14:02,880 --> 01:14:08,039 there's there's some good upside there. In terms of the hockey prospecting, he 1038 01:14:08,199 --> 01:14:12,439 really increased his potential this year, went from fifteen to forty two percent chance 1039 01:14:12,479 --> 01:14:15,560 of being a star, whereas Ethan Sampson has covered in that fifteen percent chance 1040 01:14:15,880 --> 01:14:19,359 the last few seasons in the WHL. So I still think there's something there 1041 01:14:19,399 --> 01:14:23,840 with Sampson, especially for a sixth round pick. I like that. I 1042 01:14:23,960 --> 01:14:29,079 like the lottery ticket there, But I think he's much farther from being a 1043 01:14:29,199 --> 01:14:33,479 legitimate top prospect. So I definitely would lean Butchinger. And if you look 1044 01:14:33,520 --> 01:14:41,399 at just Butchinger's individual stats and comps, then he looks pretty decent. He's 1045 01:14:41,399 --> 01:14:45,600 got some Henry Joki Haru comps. He's got ed Jovanovsky comp which he actually 1046 01:14:45,600 --> 01:14:49,800 looks a lot alike, was also an OHL guy. Big difference there is 1047 01:14:49,880 --> 01:14:55,319 Jovanovski after a D plus one season was in the NHL doing things, doing 1048 01:14:55,359 --> 01:14:58,439 good things. So I don't that's not going to be the case for Butchinger. 1049 01:14:58,760 --> 01:15:01,039 We know that because he can't. He's too young, and he's unless 1050 01:15:01,039 --> 01:15:05,319 he makes the NHL and right this season, which I don't think he's I 1051 01:15:05,359 --> 01:15:11,720 think it's pretty unlikely. So yeah, he looks great in terms of the 1052 01:15:11,760 --> 01:15:15,000 top hockey sorry, the top down hockey model, it's a little bit more 1053 01:15:15,039 --> 01:15:17,279 pessimistic. Just four percent chance of being a star and sixty nine percent chance 1054 01:15:17,319 --> 01:15:23,600 of being an NHLer. So there's a little bit more uncertainty there with puch 1055 01:15:23,600 --> 01:15:28,479 Younger. But I think if you haven't heard about him, and that's why 1056 01:15:28,560 --> 01:15:30,319 we talk about him, and maybe you should put him on your list and 1057 01:15:30,359 --> 01:15:38,479 if he's available in a deeply grab him or sure, Victor, we're on 1058 01:15:38,560 --> 01:15:43,640 to keep your on prospect. Who is it? This is gonna be Zachary 1059 01:15:43,680 --> 01:15:48,560 Bull Duke QMJHL and Memorial Cup champion Zachary Bull Duke, which is pretty fun 1060 01:15:49,279 --> 01:15:53,560 if you weren't following along one hundred and ten points in sixty one games for 1061 01:15:53,680 --> 01:15:58,359 Bull Duke and the qm JHL. That's a pretty good season for him. 1062 01:15:58,359 --> 01:16:02,279 He had ninety nine and sixty five last year and so that was a pretty 1063 01:16:02,359 --> 01:16:05,880 big step up. I should mention he was a twenty twenty one first round 1064 01:16:05,880 --> 01:16:10,520 pick, seventeenth overall, and so he's a six foot, one hundred and 1065 01:16:10,520 --> 01:16:15,239 eighty pound center, and so that was his D plus one season. So 1066 01:16:15,239 --> 01:16:17,960 he played in his draft here for Ramuski and he was remember they had a 1067 01:16:17,960 --> 01:16:20,920 shortened season there. He was right around a point per game. So it 1068 01:16:21,000 --> 01:16:25,000 was really nice in his D plus one to see him go ninety nine and 1069 01:16:25,119 --> 01:16:29,479 sixty five, and then his D plus two season even more with one hundred 1070 01:16:29,520 --> 01:16:33,000 and ten and sixty one, so really great increases in production. You'd love 1071 01:16:33,039 --> 01:16:36,640 to see that. He pretty much tapped out exactly what he could have hoped 1072 01:16:36,640 --> 01:16:41,920 for in the queue with the championship in the Moral Cup, and he's going 1073 01:16:41,960 --> 01:16:45,039 to be in the HL next year, so we're going to see if he 1074 01:16:45,119 --> 01:16:47,680 can really hang in with the pros. It's going to be an important transition 1075 01:16:47,760 --> 01:16:51,359 for him. He's got he signed his ELC, but it's sliding, so 1076 01:16:51,359 --> 01:16:55,319 he's got he's got a few more years in terms of that. Well, 1077 01:16:55,359 --> 01:16:59,159 we're gonna we're gonna enjoy seeing him in the HL, but we're gonna hear 1078 01:16:59,720 --> 01:17:01,760 a little bit more about this player. Jesse, why don't you tell us 1079 01:17:01,800 --> 01:17:05,960 what our scout things, And not only our scout, but it's our guy, 1080 01:17:06,119 --> 01:17:10,359 Nate Duffett, who is going to give us some information on this guy. 1081 01:17:10,840 --> 01:17:14,920 Skating average and Nate reached a middle ground in Bulldock, giving him an 1082 01:17:14,920 --> 01:17:17,960 average rating. He's got above average streight lines being agility, but below average 1083 01:17:18,000 --> 01:17:24,319 acceleration and work ethic. Unfortunately, mostly on the back end, he can 1084 01:17:24,600 --> 01:17:28,920 be preserving his energy for the next time rather than go out right at it 1085 01:17:28,960 --> 01:17:31,840 at the beginning. Puck handling above average. When Bulldock gets the puck in 1086 01:17:31,840 --> 01:17:35,920 the tight areas, it's something special to watch doing things only a select few 1087 01:17:35,960 --> 01:17:41,239 players in the QMJHL could do. This season, assist numbers really caught up 1088 01:17:41,279 --> 01:17:45,039 to puck handling and playmaking abilities. Sixty assists in the regular season, twelve 1089 01:17:45,199 --> 01:17:50,560 in the postseason. Shot average advanced stats show a player with a below average 1090 01:17:50,600 --> 01:17:57,039 shot generating low expected goals and totals and shot slot shots, but when he 1091 01:17:57,119 --> 01:18:00,640 does give himself an opportunity, he has an accurate bullet of shot that can 1092 01:18:00,640 --> 01:18:05,840 deceive goalies when shooting off the rush. I Q average playmaking and puck skills 1093 01:18:05,840 --> 01:18:11,279 are some of his greatest assets. Sometimes decision makings in all zones can cause 1094 01:18:11,359 --> 01:18:15,239 issues. His playmaking numbers are high and most areous except for the metrics that 1095 01:18:15,319 --> 01:18:21,159 measure slot pass success and viewings. Seems to be blinded by his exceptional ability 1096 01:18:21,199 --> 01:18:25,920 to fire off no look passes and find players in tight spaces with chances to 1097 01:18:25,920 --> 01:18:30,720 score, But problems arise when he starts to force these passes too often causing 1098 01:18:30,760 --> 01:18:38,000 turnovers and chances the other way. His defense average Bullock needs some considerable work 1099 01:18:38,119 --> 01:18:42,079 on the defense tendency to wave it pucks instead of stopping them, and in 1100 01:18:42,119 --> 01:18:46,239 his QMJHL games there were many times where he likes to fly into the zone 1101 01:18:46,279 --> 01:18:51,560 and cheat to get scoring opportunities. Sometimes that will get great success in the 1102 01:18:51,600 --> 01:18:55,880 queue he turned it into breakaways, but at the pro level, Nate doesn't 1103 01:18:55,880 --> 01:19:00,399 think that practice is going to work. Best asset then playmaking. Biggest concern 1104 01:19:00,560 --> 01:19:03,720 skating and compete level. What would he be at the top tier a top 1105 01:19:03,760 --> 01:19:08,479 six forward. His personal and fantasy upside is very high. If he can 1106 01:19:08,520 --> 01:19:12,479 improve on his skating and compete level when he really gets going out there in 1107 01:19:12,479 --> 01:19:15,279 the ice, he'll have the ability to succeed in a variety of ways, 1108 01:19:15,279 --> 01:19:18,640 as we saw in his one hundred and ten point explosion this year. Most 1109 01:19:18,680 --> 01:19:23,800 likely tier probably a depth forward. Hard to predict where he will land when 1110 01:19:23,840 --> 01:19:28,560 he reaches the NHL level. As outlined in the top tier is upsides through 1111 01:19:28,560 --> 01:19:30,359 the roof. You can become a seventy five to ninety point guy, but 1112 01:19:30,840 --> 01:19:35,399 he's going to have to improve the defensive play and potentially the work ethic or 1113 01:19:35,399 --> 01:19:41,640 at least what's showing on the ice for that stylistic comparison comparable. Nate struggled 1114 01:19:41,640 --> 01:19:45,520 with this a little bit, but he said an article with Bulldock said that 1115 01:19:45,279 --> 01:19:50,079 one of his favorite players was Avghany Kuznetsof so at his best, Kuznetsof is 1116 01:19:50,079 --> 01:19:55,880 a past first center was benefited from playing with good scores, and so that 1117 01:19:55,920 --> 01:20:00,520 would be a wonderful career for Bulldock if he can look back and have something 1118 01:20:00,600 --> 01:20:05,079 like what Kouzi has done. The NHL ranking Mason Black gave us a comparison, 1119 01:20:05,159 --> 01:20:10,239 and in this case, you put Bull du versus pasta Job, Sasha 1120 01:20:10,319 --> 01:20:15,880 pasta Job of the Anaheim Ducks, a third round pick from twenty twenty one, 1121 01:20:15,960 --> 01:20:19,880 who is in the OHL versus the Q, and the comparison there went 1122 01:20:20,239 --> 01:20:27,359 strongly in bull Duke's favor sixty six to thirty four percent. So, Victor, 1123 01:20:27,600 --> 01:20:30,720 what do you think here? Is pasta Job or is Bull Duke your 1124 01:20:30,720 --> 01:20:35,760 favorite of those two guys. I'm actually gonna go against the people here and 1125 01:20:35,800 --> 01:20:40,680 I'm gonna say pasta Job. It's interesting, though, because I think bull 1126 01:20:40,760 --> 01:20:47,279 Duke is a much more likely NHLer in terms of his skills being projectable, 1127 01:20:47,399 --> 01:20:50,800 like his place in the lineup. As you mentioned with our scouting report, 1128 01:20:50,840 --> 01:20:55,560 he does seem more like a middle six kind of guy to me. But 1129 01:20:55,960 --> 01:21:00,920 I think that he has upside and I think that he could be a forty 1130 01:21:00,920 --> 01:21:04,760 five to fifty five maybe even sixty point player in there. But he's not 1131 01:21:04,800 --> 01:21:09,079 a kind of guy that I think is going to command power playtime at the 1132 01:21:09,159 --> 01:21:14,279 NHL level. It's possible he gets some, but pass a job like you 1133 01:21:14,279 --> 01:21:16,039 don't have Sasha passa Job on your team unless you're gonna put him in an 1134 01:21:16,039 --> 01:21:19,680 offensive role unless you're going to have him be on the power play, unless 1135 01:21:19,680 --> 01:21:23,520 you're going to give him those offensive minutes, which you know, obviously for 1136 01:21:23,560 --> 01:21:26,199 fantasies what we want. So to me, in terms of do you want 1137 01:21:26,239 --> 01:21:29,279 a guy that you are pretty sure is going to play, then you take 1138 01:21:30,039 --> 01:21:32,680 bull Duke. If you want a guy that has more upside, I think 1139 01:21:32,720 --> 01:21:35,439 you have to take passage Job. And to me, because I think bull 1140 01:21:35,479 --> 01:21:40,039 duke ceiling is a little bit lower, I would rather just take the chance 1141 01:21:40,079 --> 01:21:42,279 on pass a Job and if he doesn't work out, I just move on 1142 01:21:42,319 --> 01:21:46,199 to another prospect rather than sitting around waiting for bull Duke to maybe get the 1143 01:21:46,279 --> 01:21:48,840 right opportunity and then in the end you look back and he's just like a 1144 01:21:48,880 --> 01:21:54,359 sixty point guy, and then you're frustrated because that's not that hopeful in most 1145 01:21:54,359 --> 01:21:56,760 fantasy leagues, unless that is, unless it's like you're in a thirty two 1146 01:21:56,760 --> 01:22:01,000 team league, then sure, then I think it's bull Duke. But in 1147 01:22:01,239 --> 01:22:05,520 terms of just upside and roll, I think it's got to be passag Job. 1148 01:22:05,520 --> 01:22:11,640 And it's interesting when you look at these two in hockey prospecting. Passage 1149 01:22:11,680 --> 01:22:14,640 Job has a pretty significant edge in his draft here. Coming out of the 1150 01:22:14,760 --> 01:22:17,319 USNTDP, he had a seventy percent star potential. It was so massive, 1151 01:22:17,319 --> 01:22:21,039 and then he bounced around. He had that OHL, he'd him went back 1152 01:22:21,079 --> 01:22:24,760 to the OHL. He was actually committed to the NCAA and then d committed 1153 01:22:24,800 --> 01:22:26,520 and then went to the OHL. It was like a whole big thing. 1154 01:22:26,520 --> 01:22:29,760 And anyways, he's now at thirty seven percent chance of being a star. 1155 01:22:30,520 --> 01:22:33,640 That's all double where Bull Duke started, which was like at nineteen, and 1156 01:22:33,640 --> 01:22:38,600 then he's trended down. So Passage Job really takes the cake here, although 1157 01:22:38,600 --> 01:22:41,840 they have a similar in this model. Anyways, they have a similar NHL 1158 01:22:41,920 --> 01:22:45,800 or probability, which is surprising if you look at bull Duke in terms of 1159 01:22:45,880 --> 01:22:48,520 him individually, he's got some pretty good comps, including some guys that have 1160 01:22:48,640 --> 01:22:53,880 been stars you look at like your T Josh types. He's got some other 1161 01:22:53,920 --> 01:22:57,039 interesting comps. One of them is Jake Gensel, which I don't think he 1162 01:22:57,119 --> 01:23:00,880 plays like get Jake Gensel at all, and I think Jenke Hazl has a 1163 01:23:00,880 --> 01:23:04,680 lot more skill, but T Josh maybe he could maybe have some. I 1164 01:23:04,720 --> 01:23:10,159 think in general his upside is much more limited. He has much many more 1165 01:23:10,239 --> 01:23:14,600 comps in this model that are replacement level producers, does Zachary bull Duke. 1166 01:23:14,720 --> 01:23:16,239 So I could list them off, but you don't know who they are, 1167 01:23:16,439 --> 01:23:20,319 and they're either busts or replacement and so it's not that interesting. And in 1168 01:23:20,399 --> 01:23:24,640 terms of the top down hockey model, he's got just two percent chance of 1169 01:23:24,680 --> 01:23:27,880 being a star. That's pretty unlikely, and also just a twenty one percent 1170 01:23:27,920 --> 01:23:30,760 chance of being an NHL, which I think is pretty pessimistic for a guy 1171 01:23:30,840 --> 01:23:33,399 who's done what he's done in a queue and we'll see what he does in 1172 01:23:33,439 --> 01:23:36,439 the HL, but I think he has a little bit more than that. 1173 01:23:36,880 --> 01:23:40,399 But Jesse, there's more St. Louis guys that we could talk about, 1174 01:23:40,439 --> 01:23:43,600 but there's no time. Anyone who wants to hear more. You can hear 1175 01:23:43,680 --> 01:23:48,520 my top Prospects a video for each team on Patreon if you're a Patreon subscriber, 1176 01:23:48,520 --> 01:23:51,000 and then if you're interested in doing some scouting, you can shoot us 1177 01:23:51,399 --> 01:23:58,199 DM on Twitter, discord email us. But thanks posting Fermtis. We'll be 1178 01:23:58,279 --> 01:24:13,279 right back to close up to show well, everybody, you should be playing 1179 01:24:13,439 --> 01:24:15,600 all of your fantasy leagues on fan tracks. I know you'd tell you every 1180 01:24:15,640 --> 01:24:21,039 single week, and that's because it's always true. You can play with all 1181 01:24:21,159 --> 01:24:25,880 kinds of wonderful settings over there in fan Tracks. You can start brand new 1182 01:24:26,239 --> 01:24:30,600 fantasy hockey leagues right now. You can customize all of your player eligibility, 1183 01:24:30,680 --> 01:24:34,520 you can customize all of your scoring, literally hundreds of scoring settings. So 1184 01:24:34,600 --> 01:24:40,079 we would encourage you to go and try that today in hockey or in nine 1185 01:24:40,159 --> 01:24:43,399 or ten other sports. There's a whole ton of sports that you can play 1186 01:24:43,800 --> 01:24:49,000 fantasy hockey or play play fantasy on Fantracks. Fan tracks HQ is a place 1187 01:24:49,159 --> 01:24:55,560 within fan tracks that produces lots of fantasy articles, including stuff on fantasy hockey. 1188 01:24:55,600 --> 01:25:00,399 We've got some new writers popping in there. We've got podcasts, the 1189 01:25:00,479 --> 01:25:03,640 Prospect Pod and Full Count. Fantasy Baseball is the baseball season winds down, 1190 01:25:04,479 --> 01:25:11,279 the fantasy hoops for fantasy basketball that's coming up, the fly Fantasy football. 1191 01:25:11,319 --> 01:25:15,159 Everybody knows fantasy football is coming up. We're also brought to you by Dabber 1192 01:25:15,239 --> 01:25:19,319 Hockey. We're on the Dabber Hockey podcast network and Dabbert Prospects the part of 1193 01:25:19,359 --> 01:25:24,079 Dabber Hockey that talks about prospects. There are many parts of Dabber Hockey. 1194 01:25:24,079 --> 01:25:27,560 You should explore to them all because it's a great website for fantasy hockey. 1195 01:25:28,079 --> 01:25:31,840 Victor is an editor at Dabbert Prospects. Follow his work there as well as 1196 01:25:31,840 --> 01:25:35,840 this other podcast, Dabbert Prospect Report with Peter Harland. We refer to it 1197 01:25:35,920 --> 01:25:42,439 on this show frequently. Victor and Peter do a great job talking just prospects. 1198 01:25:42,479 --> 01:25:45,359 You get some of that here, you get some other things here because 1199 01:25:45,359 --> 01:25:48,239 we're more focused on the whole dynasty game. I do a show called Dynasty 1200 01:25:48,279 --> 01:25:53,880 Sports Life. I talk for different dynasty sports, sometimes multiple at the same 1201 01:25:53,920 --> 01:25:57,199 time. Typically we'll have an episode on basketball, than one on baseball, 1202 01:25:57,239 --> 01:26:00,319 than one on football, and then one that does a little bit across sport. 1203 01:26:00,439 --> 01:26:02,880 Fact we're drafting, and Victor is part of this as well as some 1204 01:26:02,960 --> 01:26:08,640 of the patrons here. We're drafting a four sport leak, all four sports 1205 01:26:08,680 --> 01:26:12,119 drafted at the same time, all the pros, all the prospects. It's 1206 01:26:12,119 --> 01:26:16,720 a twenty seven hundred player draft, So that is that's on my mind. 1207 01:26:16,960 --> 01:26:23,800 Follow Victor and myself on Twitter. You can do that at fan Hockey Life 1208 01:26:23,960 --> 01:26:29,079 for me at Victor twelve VI C T O R n U n O one 1209 01:26:29,159 --> 01:26:33,920 two for Victor. Subscribe, rate, and review to our podcast on Apple 1210 01:26:34,000 --> 01:26:39,760 Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcast. Thanks for listening 1211 01:26:39,840 --> 01:26:43,079 to us once again today. I hope you enjoyed this preview of the Blues 1212 01:26:43,560 --> 01:26:46,720 as we make our way through the thirty two team previews as part of this 1213 01:26:46,920 --> 01:26:48,119 Fantasy Hockey Life