First Round Picks: No. 30
1999-2000 Record: 51-20-11 (1), 114 points (1st overall)
What they need
Forward depth within the organization as a whole is a concern as is youth on the blueline. Chris
Pronger is the only regular defenseman in the St. Louis lineup under 28.
|
HOMEGROWN BLUES
|
|
Blues draftees who played 20 or more games with St. Louis in 1999-00: (All stats with St. Louis) |
| Name (drafted) |
GP |
G-A-Pts |
Michal Handzus
(101st in '95) |
81 |
25-28-53 |
Jamal Mayers
(89th in '93) |
79 |
7-10-17 |
Jochen Hecht
(49th in '95) |
63 |
12-22-34 |
Marty Reasoner
(14th in '96) |
32 |
10-13-23 |
In their system
Defenseman Christian Backman (24th overall in '98) had a second straight inconsistent season
in the Swedish League with Vastra Frolunda. He was in and out of the lineup and played in just 15 games, recording a
single goal. The Blues' top pick in '99, defenseman Barret Jackman (17th overall), fared somewhat better at Regina (WHL). In 52 games, Jackman had nine goals, 46 points, and 169 PIM's.
Another defenseman chosen last year, Peter
Smrek (85th overall), made the adjustment from Junior A (Des Moines of the US Junior League) to pro hockey at
Worcester (AHL) in 1999-2000. In 64 games for the IceCats, Smrek had five goals and 24 points, as well as a -3
rating.
Up front, center Andrei Trochinsky, a '98 draftee (170th overall), battled injuries while playing for the Ust-
Kamenogorsk club in Kazakhstan. He played in just 16 games, tallying just three assists. Back in the AHL, right wing
Ladislav Nagy (177th overall in '97), had 23 goals (including 7 PPG's) and 51 points in 69 games at Worcester. He
also had an 11-game stint with the parent Blues (2-4-6, +2). Also at Worcester, center Daniel Corso (169th overall in
'96) had 21 goals and 55 points in 71 games, but his -12 rating was third-worst on the team.
Recent draft history
In each of the last two Entry Drafts, St. Louis has selected a defenseman in the first round.
That the Blues have had back-to-back first round choices is news in itself. The Blues' 16 first-round selections since the
current Entry Draft system began in '69 ties them with Los Angeles for the fewest first round pick over that span (excluding non-1967 expansion teams). Before last year, St. Louis had not had first round selections in consecutive drafts
since have four consecutive first rounders from 1986 through '89 (Jocelyn Lemieux, Keith Osborne, Rod Brind'Amour,
and Jason Marshall).
|
FIRST-ROUND SELECTIONS (LAST FIVE YEARS)
|
| YEAR |
PICK |
PLAYER |
POS. |
'99 TEAM |
'99 G-A-Pts |
| 1999 |
17 |
Barret Jackman |
D |
Regina (WHL) |
9-37-46 |
| 1998 |
24 |
Christian Backman |
D |
Vastra Frolunda (Sweden) |
1-0-1 |
| 1996 |
14 |
Marty Reasoner |
C |
St. Louis (NHL) |
10-13-23 |
|
|
ALSO SEE
Blues' first-round history
Team Needs: Chicago Blackhawks
Team Needs: Columbus Blue Jackets
Team Needs: Detroit Red Wings
Team Needs: Nashville Predators
|
