PAPILLION, NE – The St. Louis Blues have spent a long four years of slowly acquiring the appropriate pieces to their puzzle. With the first round of prospects beginning to lay down significant ground at the NHL level, the next tier of players are beginning to show their true promise for the future. While St. Louis has amassed some good depth at many of the six positions on the ice, right wing may prove to be the most significant place for further development, as well as a wild card player to emerge and take over as a formidable player for the future of the team. While St. Louis only has one right wing prospect that will be a definite in donning the blue note on the front of their jersey, they do have a host of other players who may develop and come to the major leagues at a moment’s notice, only to be permanent fixtures for the future. Here are what we consider to be the top five right wing prospects for the St. Louis Blues. 1) Aaron Palushaj One of the brightest stars in college hockey this season, Palushaj could be a future Blue anywhere from next season to three years away from the Gateway City. A serious sniper who fights well for the puck and a legitimate hockey genius, Palushaj has shown to have a complete game. A dominating player in college, and one who has excelled at every level he has played in, Palushaj may be the kind of replacement that USA Hockey has been looking for in international play. Expect nothing more than a future All-Star and a potential linemate of Patrik Berglund and David Perron in the next few years. 2) Nikolai Lemtyugov After Palushaj, the right wing prospects for the Blues becomes rather meager in comparison. With the most experience of the remaining prospects, Lemtyugov catches the number two position. Lemtyugov possesses no real weak point to his game. Defensively he is as solid as any player and offensively he shines with his shooting abilities and a strong skating stride. Lemtyugov has no real weaknesses to speak of, and is willing to give up his body to make a play. With all this being said, he had a wonderful first season of professional hockey in North American scoring 37 points for the Peoria Rivermen, do not be surprised to see him challenging for a roster position next season. Just be surprised if he gets any hype in the process. This is a serious hockey player. The only real question is, are the Blues serious about him? 3) Jonathan Filewich Here is where the Blues depth really begins to become an enigma and transversely where they may be looking to draft right wingers in the earlier rounds. Jonathan Filewich’s scouting report is by no means exciting. While he does everything well, he does not excel at any one thing. Filewich is also lacking in talent in comparison to other wingers and may have to increase his intensity and technique to see his way to the top of the totem pole. A talented player nonetheless, Filewich will pressure his teammates to perform better and will get noticed for his toughness by the coaching staff. 4) James Livingston The prototypical power forward that every team wants. Livingston (19) has shown to be quite skilled at throwing his massive body around in challenging both defensemen who try to remove him from the front of the net. While Livingston is far from NHL ready, a few years in the AHL could help him get to the NHL by 2011 or there abouts as he continues to develop and mature. Livingston has played the last three seasons with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and recently signed an amateur tryout agreements (ATO). It will be hard to tell if Livingston is anywhere near a future NHL player, however, with his size, grit, and determination, he is deserving of an honest look from the Blues front office. 5) Ryan Reaves The son of a former Canadian Pro football player, Reaves knows how to be physical. Ryan Reaves offers no real flash to get excited about, but he is a solid all around player who has the ability to take care of business on both ends of the ice and create plays. Reaves does well in leading by example, and can be quite a moral lifting player. At age 22, his days are beginning to be numbered as a professional prospect. Expect him to make a strong push for a Blues roster spot this off-season, otherwise he will most certainly be quickly overlooked by his more flashy teammates in the future. Contact the author at: john.strathman@prohockeynews.com
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