You wouldn’t believe it if you weren’t a fan of the Blues, or didn’t keep up with NHL draft orders, but T.J. Oshie was 24th overall pick in 2005. The next season, Patrik Berglund was a 25th overall pick. How about 2007? David Perron went 26th overall.
The Blues have had a very strong draft history over the past decade or so, and it continues. It’s no shock that one of their 2010 first round draft picks, Vladimir Tarasenko, will be playing with the big club next season and their other 2010 pick, Jaden Schwartz, will be challenging for a slot. Later first round draft picks, however, are usually seen as a crapshoot, maybe as non-immediate decent players. Perron, Berglund, and Oshie weren’t immediate players, but they’re well beyond decent, as the St. Louis Post Dispatch points out. So regardless of if they choose Dalton Thrower or if they pick Pontus Aberg, keep in mind that the team has a very good chance at choosing a player who will be contributing in just a few seasons.