GDT: 2010 NHL Draft

[dmiles2186]

Who's ready to see the Blues take another defenseman? I'm excited. I'll be traveling tonight so I won't be watching the draft live, unfortunately. JR tweeted last night that he expects the Blues to be busy. We shall see.

[cprice12]

I was JUST going to start this.

[DaDitka]

At least this is our last draft ran by a guy that can't draft anything but defensemen and role players.

He's had drafts with two first round picks and even the #1 over all pick and so far the only 'studs' he has to show is EJ and to an extent Oshie. DP shows potential, but he's only netted 48 goals in 225 games, Berglund is an enigma and Peto or Cole are no sure things.

I just don't get why everyone is acting like he's such a loss.

The same with Larry, what we've been doing may have gotten us 'better' but I want more and am more then willing to let some new blood start making the decissions.

[northwest dave]

At least this is our last draft ran by a guy that can't draft anything but defensemen and role players.

He's had drafts with two first round picks and even the #1 over all pick and so far the only 'studs' he has to show is EJ and to an extent Oshie. DP shows potential, but he's only netted 48 goals in 225 games, Berglund is an enigma and Peto or Cole are no sure things.

I just don't get why everyone is acting like he's such a loss.

Because many of us still remember the Ted Hampson years. Who can forget John Pohl, Peter Smrek, Maxim Bets, and Patrice Tardiff?

[dmiles2186]

It's the last time we'll ever get to say "In Jarmo We Trust."

[cprice12]

Blues first round draft picks over the last 20 years...

YEAR - PICK
2009 - 17 - David Rundblad - D - Skelleftea HC [SEL]

2008 - 4 - Alex Pietrangelo - D - Niagara IceDogs [OHL]

2007 - 13 - Lars Eller - F - Frolunda Jrs (Sweden)
------26 - David Perron - C - Lewiston MAINEiacs [QMJHL]

2006 - 1 - Erik Johnson - D - US National Under 18 Team
------25 - Patrik Berglund - C - Vasteras IK [Swe-1]

2005 - 24 - T.J. Oshie - C - Warroad H.S. (Minn.)

2004 - 17 - Marek Schwarz - G - Sparta Praha [Czech]

2003 - 30 - Shawn Belle - D - Tri-City Americans [WHL]

2002 - No Pick

2001 - No Pick

2000 - 30 - Jeff Taffe - C - U. of Minnesota [NCAA]

1999 - 17 - Barret Jackman - D - Regina Pats [WHL]

1998 - 24 - Christian Backman - D - Vastra Frolunda [Sweden]

1997 - No Pick

1996 - 14 - Marty Reasoner - C - Boston College [NCAA]

1995 - No Pick

1994 - No Pick

1993 - No Pick

1992 - No Pick

1991 - No Pick

1990 - No Pick

[Winning Unlimited]

Blues should be picked at 8, not 14.

[tomcat16]

I'm hoping they grab a forward, but there seems to be a fair amount of skill out there this year. Don't really care who they draft, they aren't going to make an impact this year unless we magically trade up to the top two.

But my wish list for this year's draft is for the Blues to move Brewer or another non-core piece and pick up a scoring forward. I still like Jackman so I don't think he should be moved. I'd like to see the Blues make room for both Petro and Cole this year.

[northwest dave]

I'm hoping for the Blues to jump up to the top 10 and pick up either Ryan Johansen or El-Nino from the Winterhawks. Watched these guys all year here and both of them have great potential. El-Nino might even be able to jump to the NHL like Perron...although I really want him for the Winterhawks next year.

[strocklen083]

1995 - No Pick

1994 - No Pick

1993 - No Pick

1992 - No Pick

1991 - No Pick

1990 - No Pick

Ugh.....

[strocklen083]

I'd expect us to be busy tonight. Lots of rumors flying around and it seems like Armstrong's ready to put an even bigger imprint on this roster. Kind of excited about the posibilities.

[glen a richter]

I hope they draft Emerson Etem. This team is in need of a friend for A. Nigro.

[cprice12]

JR says the Blues have had talks about moving up in the draft.

We'll see.

[JPonder94]

JR says the Blues have had talks about moving up in the draft.

We'll see.

Sitting at where we sit most say we should take Jack Campbell, because he will, most likely, be the "best available". Seeing as how we don't need a goalie, I would be totally ok with trading up or down for the right price. A young forward would be nice though.

Even Fowler would be awesome-- we may even be able to convert him to a forward. He has great hands.

[SIU LAW]

Count me as someone who will not be upset if they draft another defenseman. These guys are so far out, it is hard for me to get up in arms about the position of the draftee. As we saw with Eller, your pick may be flipped at a latter date for a completely different need, so just draft the BPA. Free agency is another story though. If you have an immediate need for a particular position, and don't go out and get it, well...yeah.

I use to be real interested in all the prospect stuff, and remain so to a lesser degree, but I really try to put most of prospects out of my mind until they actually make the big club and stick. So many prospects either fizzle out, never live up to their billing, get traded away, or flee the country.

Eller is an example of that. How long did we wait and wait to see what he could do, and BAM. Traded. Good deal for the Blues, but just an example of play wait and see. Junland is another example.

Admittedly, some of the bigger names are harder to ignore, but for the most part, wake me up when they get here AND they produce at a NHL level.

Now I am not saying dump prospects for veterans. Having a prospect pool is very important. I am just less interested in each individual prospect in the system. You have to go through a lot to have any meaningful NHL players.

[SIU LAW]

Link

Word is the St. Louis Blues are interested in trading for Keith Ballard. I’m hearing center Patrik Berglund would potentially be available in return. Berglund is coming off a down year, but he’s young and at 6-4, 210, he fits the billing of a big center that GM Dale Tallon likes. Whether it’s Ballard or someone else, Tallon is looking to unload a defenseman.

From JR's chat today:

I don't think the Blues would hesitate to deal Berglund, however, if they did, they need to get a center back either in that deal or in another deal.

[cprice12]

Link

Word is the St. Louis Blues are interested in trading for Keith Ballard. I’m hearing center Patrik Berglund would potentially be available in return. Berglund is coming off a down year, but he’s young and at 6-4, 210, he fits the billing of a big center that GM Dale Tallon likes. Whether it’s Ballard or someone else, Tallon is looking to unload a defenseman.

From JR's chat today:

I don't think the Blues would hesitate to deal Berglund, however, if they did, they need to get a center back either in that deal or in another deal.

I would not be sad to see Berglund go.

Am I jumping ship on him too early? Maybe...but from what I've seen from him, I just don't see him being a consistent impact player in the NHL.
If he had Oshie's fire, then he would be something.

[SIU LAW]

JR again:

Hearing the Blues were really close to acquiring Ballard earlier in the week.

Interesting. If the Blues were planning on pulling the trigger on this, surely they had something else up their sleeve to shed a d-man's salary (*cough* Brewer *cough*).

Or is the plan to get puckmoving defensemen this year, and the offense next year (since the potential UFA options are disappearing)?

[JPonder94]

How can anyone be okay with Bergs for Ballard?! He had one bad year; we as Blues fans seem to have very short memories. We seem to forget that he was one of the few consistent players (when not injured) in his rookie year.

Ballard is good, but trading a young forward, whose verdict is still out IMO, for yet another veteran defenseman is bad bad bad. There better be a helluva lot more to this deal if it happens.

[SIU LAW]

He had one bad year; we as Blues fans seem to have very short memories. We seem to forget that he was one of the few consistent players (when not injured) in his rookie year.

Sorta on-topic, but if I remember correctly, Berglund was not consistent his first year. As the season rolled on, his production and effectiveness dropped, and the same problem continued through his next season.

I’m not saying trade Berglund for Ballard, but I am just saying, if I am remembering correctly, he hit a nose dive during his first season that he still has not recovered from. Yet.

With JR saying the Blues wouldn’t hesitate to deal Berglund, it seems like he is on borrowed time. He clearly has not made a good impression with some people in the organization, and whether right or wrong, if what JR says is true, they willing to deal him rather than wait to see if he turns it around. I think that speaks volumes.

Jarmo had apparently said to JR that Berglund needed to rebound in a “big way.” But then again, anyone with a pair of eyes could have said that after last season.

I would like to see if he could rebound (Boyes too), but it seems like the Blues have seen enough. It appears the only way he will have a bounce back season as a Blue, is if the Blues cannot make a deal that makes sense for him, and they are forced to keep him next year.

Also, I'm not sure I see many Blues fans advocating the Berglund for Ballard deal.