We're practically swimming in mock drafts at this point, and we got another one today courtesy of Scott Wheeler at The Athletic. Some of the players being mocked to the St. Louis Blues have been...less than exciting--especially when considering players still on the board. As an example, selecting defenseman Tommy Bleyl with pick number 29 while Xavier Villeneuve is still available would be a real headscratcher: they have similar risk profiles (undersized, offensively-minded), but Villeneuve's got skill in spades that Bleyl doesn't really have.
The good news, then, is that Wheeler mocks a trio of prospects to the Blues that fans should be thrilled to bring into the organization.
Up first, with the 11th-overall pick, Wheeler gives the Blues center Tynan Lawrence. Some of the shine has rubbed off Lawrence during his draft year, given the injury that delayed his season and a move to the NCAA that didn't quite work. Tale as old as time, though: draft eligible teenager (Lawrence is an August birthday, so younger than his peers) joins a college team and struggles with the increase in pace and difficulty, then figures it out, and everybody was worried for nothing. This would be an outstanding get for the Blues with major top-six upside.
With the Blues' next pick, at 15, Wheeler selects the towering Swedish defenseman Malte Gustafsson. This isn't the most thrilling pick, as Gustafsson's likely a high-floor/low-ceiling prospect, but the floor is a reliable, minute-munching top-four defenseman. In light of choosing Lawrence at 11, though, Gustafsson's No. 2 ceiling makes him a great "safe" selection: the Blues get a steady left-shot defenseman who, at worst, could be half of a dominant second pair with Adam Jiricek for years to come.
Finally, with the 29th pick, Wheeler sends center Jack Hextall to St. Louis. There are questions about Hextall's pace and skating, but he's got the makings of a quality third liner who could maybe play on your second line in a pinch.
If things go this way on draft day, with the Blues walking away with Lawrence, Gustafsson and Hextall, that is an outstanding haul for the final draft of Doug Armstrong's tenure. We can only hope things go this well.
