Blues Prospects Trending Up, Jan. 29, 2012

by Tomorrows Blues on Jan 29, 2012 3:00 PM CST in Game Time Prospect Department

By Brian Weidler, "Game Time" Prospect Department

THE REGULARS:

Portland Winterhawks' forward Ty Rattie continues to lead the Western Hockey league in scoring with a 42-44-86 scoring line in 48 games. His 42 goals are second in the league behind the 44 in 44 games scored by 2011 Anaheim first-rounder Emerson Etem of the Medicine Hat Tigers, and his 44 assists place him 11th in the 'Dub in that category. His two-way play is worrisome, however, as he is a minus-7 in his last five games, and a minus-6 for the month of January.

Vladimir Tarasenko's first goal with SKA St. Petersburg was just a small part of the story for the Blues' 2010 first-round selection. Tarasenko struck for a hat trick in SKA's 8-3 win over Torpedo Nizhniy Novogord on Thursday, giving him four points in two games for the week and moving him back to the brink of that point-per-game standard with 43 points (21 G, 22 A) in 44 games.

The Blues' other 2010 first-round pick, Colorado College sophomore Jaden Schwartz, enjoyed a mid-season weekend off along with his team, as the Tigers were not scheduled to play this week.

AFTER THE JUMP:

After the jump, your weekly look at the players in the Blues' organization who are "Trending Up." Defense is in the spotlight this week, as three of this week's Fab Five are blueliners, and one is a goaltender. Stay tuned...

Ty RATTIE	Jaden SCHWARTZ	Vladimir TARASENKO

Portland (WHL)	Colorado College (WCHA)	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)
** 4 games played this week	** 0 games played this week	** 2 games played this week
** 0 G, 5 A, minus-4	** 0 G, 0 A	** 3 G, 1 A, plus-4
** 4 PM, 0 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW	** 0 PM, 0 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW	** 0 PM, 0 PP, 0 SH, 1 GW

THIS WEEK'S STANDOUTS:

Joel EDMUNDSON	Teemu ERONEN	Cade FAIRCHILD	Niklas LUNDSTRÖM	Yannick VEILLEUX

Moose Jaw (WHL)	Jokerit Helsinki (SML)	Peoria (AHL)	AIK Solna (J20 SEL)	Shawinigan (QMJHL)
** 3 games played this week	** 2 games played this week	** 3 games played this week	** 2 game played this week	** 2 games played this week
** 0 G, 3 A, plus-3	** 2 G, 2 A, even	** 1 G, 3 A, plus-3	** 61 mins, 1 GA, 1-0-0	** 1 G, 1 A, plus-3
** 4 PM, 0 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW	** 0 PM, 1 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW	** 2 PM, 0 PP, 0 SH, 1 GW	** 0.98 GAA, 96.3% sv pct	** 2 PM, 1 PP, 0 SH, 0 GW

HONORABLE MENTION:

BEN BISHOP, G, Peoria (AHL): 1 GP, 60 mins, 2 GA, 1-0-0, 2.00 GAA, 94.1% sv pct.

EVGENY GRACHEV, LW, Peoria (AHL): 3 GP, 1 G, 2 A, minus-1, 0 PM, 1-0-0.

Tweet Comment 11 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Nice feature here.

I had NO idea that Ty Rattie was putting up such crazy numbers. Wow. Is the kid all flash and no skill on the other end? By the looks of this, you have some pretty amazing wingers/centers in the pipe line.

by Tony Trujillo on Jan 29, 2012 3:12 PM CST reply actions

We have some good top end guys

We also have a 4th in Jori Lehtera who was doing very well in the KHL on the same line as Tank before he went out with an injury and Tank was traded.

Honestly, the Rattie comment is pretty fair, and that’s why we got him in round 2. Clear talent, but his future is probably either a top 6 forward in the NHL or a top 6 in the AHL. No in between.

Tank and Scwartz, on the other hand, are gonna be NHLers (assuming Tank comes over) and probably top 6, with potential to be 1st liners. Tank in particular seems to have massive upside.

Is willing to go to the mattresses with the lot of yous.

by Novacain on Jan 29, 2012 4:51 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions

With Ty it just seems like a crazy amount of points for a kid coming out of his draft year. I really like what I’ve read about Scwartz too… but Tarasenko/Russians scare the crap out of me. The idea of spending a 1st round for a player that MAY or MAY NOT even play hockey on this continent….

Go Avs.
Go Blues.

by Tony Trujillo on Jan 29, 2012 5:14 PM CST up reply actions

I understand what you mean...

… But I think if Tank wasn’t Russian, he’d have gone top 5 in what was a pretty good draft. He has multi-time all-star upside.

Is willing to go to the mattresses with the lot of yous.

by Novacain on Jan 30, 2012 6:30 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions

Actually, there has not been a Russian drafted in the first round in the last ten drafts...

…who has failed to cross the pond and play in the NHL… except Alexei Cherepanov, who was killed before he got the chance to.

They may not have all had stel;lar NHl careers, but every Russian first-round pick since 2002 has come over to play in the NHL. The last Russian first-rounder to cross over and not make it to the NHL was Igor Knyazev, drafted 15th overall by Carolina in 2001.

"If we do not prepare for ourselves the role of the hammer, there will be nothing left but that of the anvil."

-- Otto von Bismarck, 1851

http://futurenotes.blogspot.com

by Tomorrows Blues on Jan 31, 2012 9:43 AM CST up reply actions

The WHL ain't for pussies.

If that’s a finesse game he’s playing there, he’d be dead halfway through the season.

Those numbers are likely to be more authentic than not.

Fight Club writer for the print edition of St. Louis Game Time . . . I need another beer.
The Throwdown Lowdown Report, only on The Bluenote Zone.
And I can also write things in 140 characters or fewer.

by Donut King on Jan 30, 2012 10:11 PM CST up reply actions