The St. Louis Blues are undergoing a retool and as a result, they have made five first-round picks over the past three drafts. Despite having just one top-10 pick in that span, they have done a great job finding value with many of their selections. Today, they have one of the stronger prospect pools in the NHL.
10. Adam Jecho
Adam Jecho is a 6-foot-5 winger who was selected by the Blues in the third round of the 2024 Draft. He is a very talented offensive weapon with impressive vision, hands, and playmaking abilities. He needs to work on his two-way and physical game, as well as his skating, but for a third-round pick, he has a pretty high upside. A future in the Blues’ bottom six is likely, with the upside of becoming a borderline middle-six option if his development continues. He is close to four seasons away from reaching the NHL at the earliest.
9. Colin Ralph
Colin Ralph was also selected by the Blues in the 2024 Draft, except in the second round. The 6-foot-4, left-handed defenseman played for Shattuck St. Mary’s last season and is committed to St. Cloud State University this season. He has strong hands and skating, evident in his dominant offensive performance last season.
Ralph still has to work on his defensive instinct, reach, and overall consistency, but he is someone who projects as a lower-risk, lower-reward prospect. His future on the Blues’ defense will likely be as a bottom-pairing, two-way defenseman who can spend time on the penalty kill if needed. He is at least three seasons from reaching the NHL, likely closer to four or five.
8. Ondrej Kos
Ondrej Kos was one of the more underrated prospects in the 2024 Draft. The 18-year-old left winger was selected in the third round by the Blues. Despite being a Czechia native, he has spent the past few seasons in Finland’s junior hockey system. He is a great skater who positions himself well in the defensive zone. At 6-foot-1, he is relatively average size, but he is not afraid to get physical. He is a hard worker whose skillset will translate well to North America.
Kos still needs to work on his offensive upside and consistency, especially his shot. Watching him play, it is clear he is talented, but he has not yet translated his skillset to the scoresheet. He may be close to three seasons away from reaching the NHL due to his elite defensive play, but it could make more sense to let him develop his offensive game for an extra season or two, leaving him likely to see the NHL in four to five…
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