MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. — When
St. Louis Blues prospects stepped onto the ice to get in a couple
days of workouts prior to playing in the Tom Kurvers Prospect
Showcase this past weekend, assistant general manager Tim Taylor
noticed a quick observation.
“I
don’t know if you guys noticed, Dvorsky looked like he had a bigger
jump or better step in his feet,” Taylor
said of Dalibor Dvorsky, the 10th
pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
That
same Dalibor Dvorsky that
will be in a group of a handful or two high-end draft picks that will
be in camp that begins on Thursday to try and win a job.
The
odds are probably more against him than favorable, considering that
the Blues have 14 forwards on one-way contracts, but this is
Dvorsky’s objective heading in, as it will be for the likes of
others: take someone’s job.
And
after getting a taste of the big life a year ago playing in two NHL
games, being told to be patient and work hard for his turn, Dvorsky
knows this is his first real test and opportunity to force
management’s hand at giving him a full-time job here, and he’s
more than motivated.
“Oh
yeah, I feel real motivated,” he said. “My goal is to play here,
so I feel really motivated. I’m (was) ready for rookie camp and (now)
training camp and I’m excited to get started.”
Dvorsky,
who had 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) in 61 games for Springfield
of the American Hockey League last season, his first full season
there, said his summer’s been good. When told that those above
watching him last week working out with fellow prospects that noticed
the speed has ramped up, Dvorsky said he’s “tried
to improve, get stronger and faster every summer. I feel faster this
summer. I think I’ve improved in that. I feel good.”
The
big question is if Dvorsky, who had a goal and an assist on Friday in
a 6-4 win against the Minnesota Wild prospects, in fact does have a
terrific training camp, whose job does he take away?
The
Blues signed Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad to free agent contracts
this summer, do don’t expect one of those jobs to be taken away.
Could the 20-year-old wrestle a job away from veterans Mathieu Joseph
or Alexandre Texier, each who has one year remaining on his contract?
It’s unlikely he’d push Nathan Walker, Oskar Sundqvist or Alexey
Toropchenko out of the mix since Dvorsky is not a fourth-line player
and those will be fourth-line forwards.
But
what is known is the Blues seem to have a pretty good grasp of where
Dvorsky’s progression has taken him thus far and what lies ahead.
“I
think that he got a real good taste of what pro hockey was all about
at a young age at 19,” Taylor said. “Going to the Worlds, I went
over to the Worlds and watched him play over there too (this past
summer). Now he’s experiencing the ebbs and flows of what pro
hockey’s all about. I think he just has a better grasp for himself
of where he needs to get to and where he’s at right now.
“I
don’t want to overstate this because it’s in practice, but he
looks like he’s quicker, he looks like he’s more mature in his
body and he feels … I just feel like he’s more comfortable in his
skin and ready to take a grasp of the situation and see what this
month has for him.”
Compared
to a year ago, Dvorsky is not only faster but he’s bigger and
stronger (6-foot-1, 201 pounds) and has a firm grasp of what needs to
be done.
“I
mean last year was my first camp. It was my first year, so I didn’t
really know what to expect from everything, but now I’m more
experienced,” Dvorsky said. “This is my second time being here,
so I know how I should have prepared and I know what to expect now.
So I feel a little more comfortable now. But I’m staying motivated
and I’m really excited to get started.
“…
I think I’m good to adjust to the speed of
the game. I played pro last year and I had two games up (in the NHL),
so I know how fast I have to play to keep up. I’ve been working on it
all summer, so I think I’m pretty good to adjust to the speed of the
game.
“Two
games is not a lot, but from what I’ve gotten the opportunity to
play, I’ve learned that the speed is really high and the players are
smarter, more skilled and maybe a little stronger. It’s the best
league in the world, so it’s a really high level.”
A
natural center, Dvorsky is up against it with Robert Thomas, Brayden
Schenn, Suter, Sundqvist, Bjugstad, even Walker as the depth of guys
at the center ice position. The Blues are known to get guys
acclimated to the league by playing them on the wing to gain the
necessary experience before thrusting someone into a tougher slot up
the middle. Could that be in the works for Dvorsky? Whatever it
takes.
“Yeah
for sure, I’m open to it,” Dvorsky
said. “That’s the coach’s decision
— whatever [Jim Montgomery]
decides — but yeah I’ve played on the wing as well. Like I said,
it’s up to the coach, what he says, and I’ll just try to do my best
on the ice.”
Dvorsky
will get his shot starting Thursday. This isn’t a now-or-never
situation. In fact, it’s just the beginning, but it’s the
beginning of a real first opportunity from a draft class that
essentially started with 2022 first-round pick Jimmy Snuggerud, who
is a lock at making this year’s roster. Dvorsky is next in line.
“Definitely
much closer because I’ve been here last year and I know much more
what it takes to be here,” Dvorsky
said. “But I go one step at a
time. First it’s the rookie tournament and then I’ll focus on the
main camp.”
