PAPILLION, NE – For almost ten years, the St. Louis Blues had the top defensive line pairing in all of hockey. When the time came for the former ownership to sell, a decision was made to cut salary that would scar the team for a long time. When Chris Pronger was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers, Blues fans cringed with the disgust seen only on an episode of CSI. It would not be long before the the inevitable retirement of Al MacInnis that would make Blues fans and management realize how lucky they had been. While St. Louis had brought on talented players in the defensive position, Eric Brewer and Barret Jackman did not bring the same level of play that those in Blue nation had come accustom to seeing. After a few years of poor talent development from minor leaguers and a stellar performer or two to anchor the top line and captain a power play, the Blues found themselves with a franchise first: A number one overall draft pick in the NHL Entry Draft. The pick was used on Erik Johnson, a Minnesota native, who would add a player with great potential to the Blues depth chart who could someday become the superstar that the Blues have grown to cherish. It wouldn’t be long though that the Blues would acquire more depth at the defensive position and bring themselves to the point where they are today. With the addition of Jay McKee, the Blues learned that they would be better suited to grow talent from within, and quickly set out to do so. These additions have included; Alex Pietrangelo, Ian Cole, and Jonas Junland to name a few. Today, we look at the top five defensive prospects in the St. Louis Blues system 1) Alex Pietrangelo Drafted fourth overall in the 2008 draft, Alex Pietrangelo makes up the Blues best up and coming prospects, as well as the best possible suitor to create a line pairing or pushing Erik Johnson for improvement. If you are a believer in competition breeding success, then Johnson and Pietrangelo can only make each other All Stars. Pietrangelo is well built (6’ 3″, 205 pounds) and has shown to possess soft hands, offensive knowledge, the ability to play well in the defensive zone, and has a very solid hockey sense overall. Pietrangelo is considered a very solid special teams player and is beginning to show the makings of a “can’t miss” prospect on the ice. At the current time, he can be expected to easily challenge for a roster spot next season and may even be seen near the season this season for the Blue notes. 2) Ian Cole Considered to be very strong and determined, Cole is not known for being the kind of finesse player that Pietrangelo or Johnson are. What he is though, is the player that will assist in creating plays for both while using his physical skill and overall hockey sense. Expect Cole to begin challenging for a roster position sometime in 2010 as he spends a short amount of time in the minor leagues developing his ability at the professional level. 3) Jonas Junland Junland comes to the St. Louis organization from the hockey hot bed of Linkoping, Sweden. Possessing fine hands and a great shot, Junland seems to have the makings of another great defenseman. While he is not perfect, some good seasoning and mental maturity could go a long way for a player still learning the game. Junland still needs to improve his defensive awareness and would also benefit from becoming more determined of a player. Junland has shown the ability to develop his skill and will benefit from playing in a single system over an extended period of time. 4) Cade Fairchild Cade Fairchild is considered an undersized defenseman who is has shown to be fairly durable. Fairchild suffered a shoulder injury, and was able to bounce back fairly easily. While he has shown great defensive skill, and moments of genius in the offensive zone, he has been questioned if he has enough in him to take him to the NHL level. Fairchild may be one of those players who surprise for years to come, and a good training program could help that out. Then again, he may not be able to play at the NHL level and could find himself struggling to crack a roster in the coming years. Expect a determined player who will be challenging anyone who comes near and taking advantage of any challenge that may come his way. 5) David Warsofsky As a freshman at Boston University, David Warsofsky has shown the legitimate skills of a player who is on his way to a promising NHL career. So far this season, Warsofsky has appeared in all 39 games for the Terriers and amassed a plus 23 rating and also has 20 points. He is considered to have huge offensive potential and also possesses good reflexes, speed, and intelligence. Expect to see him donning the Blue note on his sweater within the next four years. Contact the author at: john.strathman@prohockeynews.com
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