The St. Louis Blues take Jordan Schmaltz 25th overall. 

Here’s the skinny on Schmaltz:

A tall, lanky offensive-minded defenseman. His feet are good but he skates with a somewhat unconventional stride. He still looks fluid on the ice and has good agility but lacks leg strength and needs to add considerable mass to his lower body. He is creative with the puck, but is a wild stallion, always looking to go on offense as soon as he gets a whiff of a puck possession change. He exudes confidence with the puck on his stick but can run into turnover trouble and get caught up-ice. He has moments where his decision making shines through: Pulling up or doubling back when he sees his space is taken away, or opting for an outlet pass instead of skating it up. He possesses elite offensive skills with quick hands, elite vision, an ability to create lanes and solid passing ability. Defensively he needs work with positioning and zone awareness. He has a good active stick but relies on it far too much. The problem with defensemen like this is that it takes time for them to learn to make sound reads on when to go and when it is best to hang back. He has some maturing and developing left but the raw talent is evident. He has committed to the University of North Dakota.

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