St. Louis Blues Left Wing Prospects

PAPILLION , NE – For the last four years the St. Louis Blues have been actively accumulating young prospects to rebuild their franchise in a more cost effective matter. While many franchises have begun to show very promising fruit, the Blues have yet to really step into the public light on the grand scale.  While there is a trail of players starting to find their way onto the forward lines of the Blues, it may seem that the best are yet to come.

While David Perron has become the first of the young promising “Baby Blues” to make his way to the NHL level, Perron is but one player in a system deemed by many to be the best in the NHL. The Blues left wing prospects offer yet another host of solid NHL talent.  Each player brings many things to the table and offers encouraging hope to Blues fans that the future could involve a meeting with Lord Stanley.  The organization has done a wonderful job putting together a faction of spectacular prospects who have excelled at each level and shown good mental and physical development along the way. 1) Lars Eller Eller is a playmaker that is developing into a two way player. Eller is a great, selfless teammate who has the potential to be a fan favorite as well as a future captain in the coming years. While Eller will need to develop his defensive play, as well as his play away from the puck, he is considered to be a very hard worker who is more than capable of developing his game to the level required of him.  Eller has the potential to be a first line player in the coming years and will only make the Blues a better team with his wonderful attitude and determination. 2) Simon Hjalmarsson When the biggest knock against a 20 year old is the need to become stronger, a team has to be happy with their scouting ranks.  Hjalmarsson has performed at every level he has ever played at, and has been considered one of the top players at that level. From the same team in the Swedish Junior Leagues as Lars Eller, Hjalmarsson possesses many similar attributes. A good attitude and a good sense of the play mixed with ingenious offensive play, it won’t be long before Paul Kariya meets his replacement. Hjalmarsson has the right attitude and work ethic to overcome any obstacle and will certainly do so in the coming years as he shows his skills all the way to the NHL. 3) Mathew McCollem A capable player of exceptional ability, Mathew McCollem has proven to be a great teammate and a player who is proving to be very coachable.  A genuine love for the game and a good size allows McCollem to play a disciplined physical game. McCollem has a good sense on the ice with solid vision and awareness.  A selfless player, McCollem will pass to teammates rather than take open shots himself.  Possessing an accurate shot and good hands allows him to create plays and finish them in the offensive zone.  He is a cerebral player who keeps his mind clear on and off the ice.  McCollem is currently attending Harvard. 4) Andy Sackrison While Sackrison needs to improve his defensive play, but his offensive play will bring him to the NHL when he puts his mind to it. Sackrison can fill the net with pucks anytime he wants to.  His soft hands allow him to bring teammates into the scoring action and he is showing to be a solid skater with the ability to move the puck through traffic. Sackrison is currently attending Minnesota State–Mankato, Sackrison could be landing in the NHL within the next season or two. Contact the author at:  john.strathman@prohockeynews.com