Blues prospects gearing up for playoffs

Four months after they dominated at the World Juniors, St. Louis Blues prospects are back with another chance to rock the big stage.

The Blues have six prospects competing in either the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament or the Ontario Hockey League Playoffs. Of those six, two were drafted in the first round, three in the third round and one in the sixth. No matter where they were drafted, though, all of them have been major contributors to their teams' success.

Snuggerud and Peterson to play in Sioux Falls Regional

There are two Blues prospects playing in the NCAA Tournament, but neither will be at the Maryland Heights Regional at Centene Community Ice Center. Rather, Jimmy Snuggerud (Minnesota) and Dylan Peterson (Boston University) are going to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The first two regionals - including Sioux Falls - kick off Thursday evening. Peterson and the top-seeded Terriers take on No. 4 Rochester Institute of Technology at 4 p.m. CT, while Snuggerud and the No. 2 Golden Gophers get No. 3 Omaha at 7:30 p.m. The two winners will then face off Saturday at 5:30 p.m. for a spot in the Frozen Four. All three games will be broadcast on ESPNU.

In his sophomore season, Snuggerud continued to light up the Big Ten. Despite losing linemates Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies to the NHL, he scored 21 goals, matching his freshman total and ranking third in the conference. Snuggerud's stellar year on and off the ice earned him both All-Big Ten First Team and Academic All-Big Ten honors.

With a shot like this, it's easy to see how he scores so often:

Peterson is a senior at Boston University. While he hasn't been as highly touted as Snuggerud, he's been a key contributor to one of the best teams in college hockey. Peterson has 17 points for the Terriers, including 11 after the holiday break. With Peterson's help, BU went 29-6-2, earning the top seed in their region and the second-highest seed overall.

Four Blues prospects begin OHL Playoffs

The Blues have four prospects playing in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, which start on Thursday. OHL Playoff games are available to stream with a paid subscription to OHL Live.

The OHL's postseason format is similar to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The top eight teams in both conferences qualify, and each play a best-of-seven series in the opening round. You can find a full schedule for the OHL Playoffs here.

Dalibor Dvorsky scored his 40th goal of the season for the Sudbury Wolves on March 16. Just 11 days later, he's got five more.

The London Knights have the top seed in the Western Conference, and Blues draftee Landon Sim has been one factor why. Sim finished the regular season with four points in the final four games as London ended with seven straight wins. Sim has 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) so far.

The Blues have a pair of defensemen in the OHL Playoffs. Both Michael Buchinger (Guelph) and Quinton Burns (Kingston) were selected in the third round by St. Louis, and both have put up very good numbers for their teams. Buchinger has 47 points in 52 games, while Burns has 35 points in 58 games. 

The OHL champion also earns a spot in the Memorial Cup with the winners of the other two major Canadian junior leagues, the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Blues draftees have played in both Memorial Cups since it resumed play after the pandemic. Jake Neighbours went with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2022, and Zack Bolduc won with the Quebec Remparts in 2023.