The Blues have thinned out their prospects of late, but there are a few worth watching. Jordan Kyrou made the leap to the NHL roster, and seems to have carved out a top 6 role for the future. The team also hasn’t a first round pick in all recent years. This isn’t a comprehensive list, but rather a brief look at the top players that could be impactful for the Blues in the mid-to-near future.
Jake Neighbours
Jake was selected in the late first round of the 2020 draft. He profiles as a bottom 6 NHL forward. He has size and tenacity, and has said he models his game after Matthew Tkachuk.
He currently plays for the Edmonton Oil Kings. In the 2020-21 season, he scored 9 goals and 24 assists in 19 games. Expect him to be assigned soon to the AHL, and then to the NHL within a couple years.
Nikita Alexandrov
Alexandrov was a 2nd round selection in 2019. He’s a skilled winger who has played well in prospect camps. He played the majority of the 2020-21 season in Fingland, for the Liiga. He also played in a few games for the Utica Comets of the AHL.
Alexandrov has scoring line potential in the NHL and is a top 2 forward prospect in the Blues’ system.
Alexey Toropchenko
Toropchenko was a 4th round pick in 2017. He’s a scoring winger that has some upside. His best season was in 2018-19 for the Guelph Storm of the OHL, in which he put up 43 points in 62 games. Most recently, he played on loan with the Kunlun Red Star of the KHL.
He will need to develop in the AHL, which below the NHL is the highest quality hockey league in North America. His time in the AHL is limited to 60 games and just 9 points.
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