5 things we learned at prospect camp

HAZELWOOD, Mo. - What a week that was!
From the time they woke up in the morning until well after the sun went down, Blues prospects were kept busy during the team's annual prospect camp at the Ice Zone at St. Louis Outlet Mall. From team breakfasts, morning workouts, presentations from the Blues' coaching staff, practices and scrimmages, all 26 prospects left Saturday night with a good sense of what it will take to play at the NHL level.
Here are five things we learned at this year's prospect camp:

1. Thompson, Kyrou and Walman are knocking on the door

Tage Thompson - the Blues' top draft pick in 2016 - is hard to miss. At 6-foot-5, Thompson is easily one of the most skilled and developed prospects in the Blues' system. He played 34 games at UConn last season before turning pro and joining the Chicago Wolves for the final 16 regular season games (and 10 playoff contests).
"Thompson has put in a pretty good month since the season was over with his workouts. He looks stronger, especially with the puck and his skating," said Tim Taylor, the Blues' Director of Player Development. "He's got an extra step and an extra gear now. Another five to seven pounds on him in the rest of the summer, he's going to really benefit from that, especially leg strength."
Kyrou was selected by the Blues in 2016 after the club traded goaltender Brian Elliott to Calgary to acquire the pick to draft him. Now in his second prospect camp, the 6-foot, 177-pound forward demonstrated the speed and skill that Blues scouts liked from the beginning.
Kyrou, who put up 94 points (30 goals, 64 assists) last season with the OHL's Sarnia Sting, could have a chance to represent Team Canada at the international level soon. If he adds some strength to complement his speed, it won't be long before he gets a chance to represent St. Louis, too.
As for Walman… he might be the closest prospect to making the Blues' roster. A 2014 third-round pick, the defenseman won an NCAA championship with Providence College and forgoed his senior season to turn pro in March.
"Walman's skating is unbelievable. He takes a step and he's by guys and has instant separation," Taylor said. "I know (Blues assistant coach) Darryl Sydor had him at the end of the year in Chicago. They're really excited about him.
"He's a guy that really could step in … he has a real, real legit chance of making the lineup opening day."

2. Kostin is an 'absolute beast'

When the Blues saw the top-ranked European skater still available late in the first round of the draft, they took swift action.
Having already traded their second first-round pick to Philadelphia in a deal to acquire Brayden Scenn, they made another deal and sent Ryan Reaves and a second-round pick to Pittsburgh in exchange for Oskar Sundqvist and a first-round pick, which they used on Klim Kostin.
"That could be an absolute steal in the draft, maybe (the biggest) I've ever seen," Taylor said. "He's an absolute beast on the ice. He's such a big, powerful man. We were very, very impressed with his play and strength."
Kostin played in the Kontinental Hockey League last season, and teams may have been worried about whether he'd make the leap to North America.
But he's here. He wants to play here. And he's as good as advertised.

3. Thomas improved every single day

It was a whirlwind week for Robert Thomas, who saw his named called in the first round (20th overall) and then was on a plane bound for St. Louis less than a week later for Prospect Camp.
With only two seasons of junior hockey under his belt, the Aurora, Ontario native found himself on the ice against much more-seasoned competition this week.
Yet, he still got better every day.
On the final scrimmage of the camp, Thomas scored twice - once on a breakaway and again in a five-minute sudden death overtime period.
"He's a gifted player," Taylor said. "He's a two-way hockey player. There are a lot of details in his game that go unnoticed I think by the average fan, but you look at that as a manager. There are things you have to teach players usually, and he has that already."

4. Toropchenko may be a steal in the fourth round

Russian forward Alexey Toropchenko also made the trip to St. Louis for prospect camp just days after being selected by the Blues in the fourth round (No. 113 overall), and the Blues like what they see.
"His speed is a huge asset," Taylor said. "He will go back to junior to play for (the) Guelph (Storm). It's really going to help with the North American style of his game. He's going to have to come and learn the language, but he has a grasp (already).
"With Klim and Toropchenko, both were happy to be here, both had smiles on their faces and were trying to learn the language. That's a huge bonus for these guys."

5. Fan support was tremendous yet again

Not that it's any surprise, but Blues fans turned out in droves yet again this summer. It was standing room only at the Ice Zone at St. Louis Outlet Mall this week as all four days were jammed with fans anxious to see hockey and the future of the Blues.
"The relationship between Blues fans and Blues players is real solid," said Taylor. "I think it's great we have these players learning that early."
To accommodate so many fans, the Blues may need to move future prospect camps to a larger venue - and the state-of-the-art facility proposed for Creve Coeur Lake Park would be just the place.