When you think of St. Louis Blues hockey, what exactly comes to mind? Some say toughness and physicality; others say a relentless grind that makes opponents falter.
Both are true, and there is a defenseman in this upcoming NHL Draft that embodies those sentiments. That would be Malte Gustafsson, and the Blues have a very good chance of taking him with one of their first-round selections.
Profile
Gustafsson is a big body, standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing over 203 pounds. With a need to add a few more young pieces to the defensive side of the ice, he could be a replacement for Colton Parayko in terms of a big, bruising defenseman.
The main draw for Gustafsson is his experience playing against adults as a 17-year-old in Sweden. As a part of the SHL, playing for SV71, he played in 27 games last season. His numbers might not reflect a positive performance, but to be able to keep up against players a decade or more older is impressive.
Likelihood of being selected by the Blues
The Blues have three picks in the first round, at No. 11, 15, and 29. There is a very good chance that Gustafsson could be a Blue.
This upcoming draft is very interesting, because there are a number of solid defensive prospects that will go inside of the top-5. After that, things will start to get sporatic, and that could be beneficial for the Blues. Joe Yerdon of Bleacher Report has him going to Washington at No. 18, and Corey Pronman of The Athletic had him going to the Blues at 11.
It is very possible that he will be there, should Blues General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Doug Armstrong choose to go that route.
What he can bring to the Blues
Gustafsson is a mobile defenseman and can play all 200 feet. His size and reach are big pluses, and there is a need for that if Parayko's days are numbered.
The Blues need to reshape this defensive unit, and it starts with this draft. There is a need for a center, but a defensive prospect is very much needed, and Gustafsson is a perfect choice.
