Assessing the Progress of St Louis Blues Forward Prospects in Recent Seasons
- Vanessa
- Jun 7
- 10 min read
Several teams around the NHL are envious of the forward prospect group that the St. Louis Blues currently have, especially the top recent draftees. With recent signing of Jimmy Snuggerud just before the end of the regular season, the Blues currently have all of their top forward prospects signed and playing in North America at the NHL or AHL level.
As Jimmy Snuggerud was the only special case in terms of where he could play for the rest of the season, he still counts as a prospect. The two Russian wingers and one Russian center were talked about in a previous blog post found here.
CENTERS
Dalibor Dvorsky -
Dalibor Dvorsky was one of the standout prospects for the Springfield Thunderbirds this past season. He led the team’s rookies in scoring with 45 points in 61 games, averaging approximately 0.73 points per game. He spent most of the season centering the second line alongside Alexandrov, Dean (when healthy), and Kaskimäki, occasionally moving up to the first line. Voted as the Thunderbirds’ AHL All-Star representative, Dvorsky also impressed during the skills competition with his speed.
He earned a late-season call-up in March after a Blues player went down with a minor injury. In his NHL debut against the Nashville Predators on March 23, 2025, Dvorsky nearly notched his first point—his initial pass helped spark the play leading to the opening goal. You can watch it here!
You can catch up on one of his AHL goals from later in the season here!
Zach Dean -
Zach Dean began the year strong but suffered a lower-body injury that sidelined him for a majority of the season. While specifics of the injury weren’t disclosed, he didn’t return to game action until the last few regular-season games and all three AHL play-in round matches. While he did not post great numbers coming back from the injury the Blues should still let him develop for another season before they really try to use him in a trade unless the offer is really good.
Aleksanteri Kaskimäki -
Aleksanteri Kaskimäki made strong progress in his rookie season with the Springfield Thunderbirds. After proving himself in Finland’s Liiga, he maintained his production on North American ice, averaging over 0.51 points per game. Blues GM Doug Armstrong highlighted him in the end-of-season press conference as a contender for a bottom-six role next year.
Kaskimäki could thrive as a younger, grittier upgrade over Sundqvist if the team seeks that shift. If he does not make the opening roster for next season I would expect him to be used as a top 6 center as the Thunderbirds get more prospects on the way and the current prospects get more overall experience.
Dylan Peterson -
Dylan Peterson has eased doubts about his transition from the NCAA to the pros. After three appearances last season following his Frozen Four exit, he made the most of a full year with the Thunderbirds. His scoring has unexpectedly improved from college, and while he may need another year or two to be NHL-ready, this season was a strong start to his pro career.
Left Wing
Otto Stenberg -
Otto Stenberg had a modest season in the SHL, playing mostly bottom-six minutes for Malmö. His point production there was average at best with the amount of minutes he was playing. After a strong World Juniors showing with Team Sweden, the Blues and Malmö agreed to terminate his contract, allowing him to move to the AHL for more meaningful development time.
In 38 games with the Thunderbirds, Stenberg tallied 17 points—on pace for 34+ over a full season, which would rank him among the team’s top five scorers. The former first-round pick is expected to benefit from another AHL season but could push for an NHL spot by late next year.
Nikita Alexandrov -
While some Blues fans view Nikita Alexandrov as a wasted second-round pick, his struggles at the NHL level likely stem from being rushed and not having enough time to develop in the AHL. A lack of trust from coaches like Berube affected both his play and confidence at the NHL level. Still, he led returning Thunderbirds in scoring this past season, eclipsing his previous AHL scoring records for goals and assists.
Alexandrov has shown more promise on the wing than at center, making him a more viable bottom-six winger option instead of center. He would be a perfect cap friendly option instead of the Blues having forwards Alexandre Texier or Matthieu Joseph who combined take up around 5 million of the Blues salary cap. With the right coach—someone like Jim Montgomery who can offer support and trust—he still has the tools to succeed at the NHL level.
Juraj Pekarcik -
Juraj Pekarcik had a standout rookie season with the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL, posting 67 points in 53 games—over a point per game. He maintained that pace in the playoffs, helping lead Moncton to a league championship. Playing top-line minutes alongside a projected top NHL draft pick showcased his offensive instincts and on-ice awareness.
Next season, the Blues face a decision: return Pekarcik to the QMJHL for one final year of junior eligibility or move him up to the AHL. Either path offers valuable development, but if he joins the Thunderbirds, his skill set could provide an immediate boost.
Jacob Stancl -
Jakub Stancl was the Blues best prospect from the 2025 World Juniors. tied for scoring during the tournament, he delivered key goals for a very well balanced Team Czechia. In the Canadian Junior league of the WHL, he scored at nearly a point per game pace coming just 1 point shy of a perfect ppg stat.
While his team did not qualify for the playoffs in the WHL, he did sign an Amateur Tryout contract with the Thunderbirds when he WHL season ended, and played for 10 games in the AHL. His adjustment to the AHL was not immediate, but he showed flashes. Stancl will more than likely play in the AHL next season and he seemed to be the one Juniors level player that had for sure outgrown his age group.
Hugh McGing -
Hugh McGing has for all purposes, solidified himself as an AHL player with very little chance at being able to hold down an NHL position full time. He has had 2 years now where he could have made the push and has not been able to get noticed. He will more than likely follow former draft picks and be stuck at the AHL for the remainder of his professional career. Whether that is with him staying within the Blues organization is up to the the front office.
Tanner Dickenson -
Tanner Dickenson has also had a rough go at the AHL level. while he was proven to be a solid player in the ECHL, he has yet to showcase that he can play higher than bottom 6 at the AHL level. Losing an entire year due to a lower body injury in the 2022-2023 season has only served to stunt his growth from current outlooks. The Blues may still give him a shot as he is an RFA this off season, but it will mainly be for depth purposes to make sure the Thunderbirds will have an adequate forward to fill in any of the bottom 6 roles that are not filled by higher end prospects that will be joining the Thunderbirds this coming season.
Ondřej Kos -
Ondřej Kos was a high-upside swing for the Blues. While he’s found some success in Finland’s U20 leagues, he has yet to make a significant impact in Liiga. He’ll return to Ilves for another season, where his ability to adapt to the pro level will be closely watched. This year will be a key indicator of his development—and he could also become a trade chip if the Blues look to improve marginally, as GM Doug Armstrong put it, by "5% via trade."
Tomas Mrsic -
Tomas Mrsic was seen as a high-risk, high-reward pick when the Blues selected him last offseason—one that left many fans feeling anxious. But he quickly put those worries to rest with a strong season that, had he been draft-eligible this year, might’ve seen him taken in the first or second round. Improving by nearly thirty points from his draft year, Mrsic lit up the WHL and made it clear he’s a player to watch.
Fortunately for the Blues, they have options with his development. He’s still age-eligible to stay at the junior level, but with the recent CHL-NCAA ruling, he could also make the jump to college hockey if that proves to be the better path. Otherwise, he might bet on himself and push for a spot in the AHL, taking the next step toward the pro game.
Right Wing
Jimmy Snuggerud -
Snuggerud was the best awaited prospect in the St. Louis Blues system for a reason and when he unfortunately was eliminated from the Frozen Four tournament early, Blues fans were excited that they would still get to see his NHL debut. While he didn't immediately score his first goal at the NHL level until the very last game of the regular season, he was still able to post his first point in his second game at the NHL level.
The specific reason why Snuggerud was not sent to the AHL when he signed his entry level contract was actually explained in an article from Jeremy Rutherford of the Athletic here. While the Blues were eliminated from the playoffs by the Winnipeg Jets in the first round, Snuggerud was a key contributor tot he top 6 scoring 4 points in the 7 game series including two highlight reel goals. You can check out the goals at this link and this link.
Simon Robertsson -
Simon Robertsson had some flashes during this past offseason at the Prospect Showcase that the St. Louis Blues hosted. Watching Robertsson bury an overtime winning goal against the higher end prospects of the Chicago Blackhawks was a a treat for Blues fans during the dog days of summer.
When he got to the AHL for his rookie season of professional level hockey in North America, he started out great posting 9 points in 12 games. Sadly his season was ended prematurely after suffering a pretty bad shoulder injury that ultimately required him to have surgery to repair the damage. So long as Robertsson has made a full recovery I would expect him to hopefully progress enough to push for the NHL within 1-2 years time.
Adam Jecho -
Adam Jecho had a very solid year in both the Juniors and in the World Juniors being a major contributor along side Jiricek and Stancl on Team Czechia. While he was eliminated in the WHL playoffs in the first round he still showed very steady production numbers and much better overall performance and disciple on the ice overall. I would expect the Blues to let him continue to develop in the WHL for one more year, but he could push to make the jump to the AHL if he wants to bet on himself.
Antoine Dorion -
While Antoine Dorion was a 7th-round pick, he looked like a solid value choice if he could build on his draft-year performance. Unfortunately, he regressed this past season, making the pick look questionable—even for the late rounds. There's still a chance he develops into something, but right now he appears to be following a similar path to 2019 7th-rounder Jérémy Michel, who went unsigned and has yet to break into the pro ranks.
As we get closer to the start of the 2025-2026 season I will leave the picture to the right as my personal prediction as to where specific prospects of the forward group will land to start the season. Snuggerud will for sure be a a top 6 winger and will make up the current core forward group of the Blues. Alexandrov, Kaskimaki, and Dvorsky will be fighting to make the team out of training camp, otherwise will push to come up to the team later in the year.
The Springfield Thunderbirds will have their top 6 locked down and 2-3 of their bottom 6 wing positions filled with some of the prospects leaving their Junior teams. Finally Kos will play another season in Europe, while Mrsic and Dorion will be sent to their respective Canadian Junior teams to play for a final year before making the jump to the AHL if they do not make it deep in the playoffs next season.
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