5 Blues Players To Watch At The Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase This Weekend

Blues fans get ready, hockey is back. The St. Louis Blues gear up for the fourth annual Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, set for Sept. 13-15. Fans will have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the talented prospects within the organization.

The Blues won't have several former first-rounders in attendance — Jimmy Snuggerud, Otto Stenberg, Theo Lindstein, and Adam Jiricek — as they prepare for their seasons in their respective leagues.

However, fans will see how the B and C-level prospects in the system look and fair against the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild prospects.

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As we prepare for the prospect showcase, below we highlight five players from the Blues who fans should be keeping an eye on this weekend.

Dalibor Dvorsky

This one is a no-brainer. Not only will every single Blues fan focus on Dalibor Dvorsky and his every move at the showcase but so will the management team.

As mentioned in several summer articles, Dvorsky is preparing himself to challenge for a spot on the Blues' opening night roster. St. Louis's 10th overall selection in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft will have every opportunity to showcase his talent and complete game at this weekend's showcase. He along with Zachary Bolduc should be the team's top performers.

One key area to watch for Dvorsky is his creativity and skill level in one-on-one scenarios. He's not necessarily a flashy puck handler, but can he create more time and space for himself with his hands in tight spaces, and then use it effectively to elevate his playmaking upside?

Zachary Bolduc

Zachary Bolduc is also expected to challenge for a roster spot in training camp. But, the acquisitions of Dylan Holloway and Mathieu Joseph mean that the Quebec native will have to work ten times harder to make the opening lineup.

It's not a hyperbolic statement to suggest that Bolduc should dominate this showcase. He played 25 games in the NHL last year, scored five goals and nine points, and earned reps playing in the top six to end the year. He and Dvorsky should be driving the offense for St. Louis this weekend.

Has his puck management and tenacity in his off-puck play improved? Those two aspects of his game need refining if he wants to be a full-time NHL player. He's got an above-average skill set and is an excellent skater who can drive the offense, but he's prone to forcing plays and turning the puck over.

Related: Blues Top Prospect Zachary Bolduc Ready For A Full-Time Roster Spot Next Season

Quinton Burns

Quinton Burns recently signed his entry-level contract with the Blues and is set to play for the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHL for the 2024-25 campaign.

The 6-foot-1 left-shot defenseman will not catch your eye with his offensive skills along the backend. Instead, he earns his money by taking care of the defensive zone first and being a real pain in the rear to play against. He's recorded over 100 penalty minutes in back-to-back seasons and plays an old-fashioned style. Burns is physical, rugged, and doesn't back down from anybody.

For Burns, it's all about how he defends, protects the front of the net, controls his gaps upon zone entries and in the corners, and makes smart reads on his first passes on the breakout. If he continues to show that he can do those fortes, he'll have a pro career. And potentially play for Team Canada for the 2025 World Juniors.

Juraj Pekarcik

Juraj Pekarcik was a savvy pick in the third round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues scouting staff. He blossomed at the 2023 IIHF Men's U18 World Championship on Slovakia with Dalibor Dvorsky and followed it up with a strong 50-assist season in the USHL with the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

Pekarcik is the type of player that fans and coaches love. He's willing to play whatever role is needed and can do so because his hockey intelligence is his greatest attribute. He's strong at turning pucks over in the offensive zone and making quick passes upon retrievals to get the puck into the hands of his more skilled linemates.

At this weekend's showcase, you can expect to see Juraj support plays and utilized on both special teams. Being able to drive the offense for his line will go a long way and show strong growth in his offensive game.

Related: St. Louis Prospect Involved in QMJHL Trade; A New Home for 2024-25

Michael Buchinger

Michael Buchinger is heading into his first professional season after graduating from the OHL ranks. The smooth-skating left-shot defenseman was taken in the third round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He put up 158 points in 176 games in his OHL career.

Buchinger will be an interesting case study as he turns pro. That's why watching him this weekend and how he performs will be advantageous. Arguably the strongest trait of his game is his skating and how he utilizes it on both sides of the puck. Defensively, he closes gaps with a leading stick well. And he pushes play up the ice in transition by either activating his feet and skating pucks up or moving it with a crisp, flat pass up to his forwards.

Although the points have been there in his OHL career, his talent level and offensive vision aren't on the same level as Adam Jiricek and Theo Lindstein. Envisioning him as an offensive specialist in the NHL is hard to see, but so is being a defensive specialist considering he's not big (six feet, 190 pounds) and doesn't play a mean defensive game.

Buchinger needs to show some added flair and creativity offensively, or, more snarl and grit defensively this weekend to prove that he has a future of becoming an NHL-caliber defenseman.

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