After selecting defenseman Quinton Burns with pick no. 74, the St. Louis Blues followed that up by selecting left winger Juraj Pekarcik out of Slovakia at 76th overall. He spent most of the 2022-23 season with HK Nitra U20 (Slovak Extraliga U20) and should continue to play in his home country next season.
Juraj Pekarcik (Round 3 – Pick No. 76 Overall)
- 2022-23 Team: HK Nitra U20
- Date of Birth: September 12, 2005
- Place of Birth: Trstena, Slovakia
- Height: Six-foot-2, Weight: 183 pounds
- Shoots: Left
- Position: Left Wing/Center
Central Scouting Ranking (EU skaters): 41st / THW Ranking: N/A
The Blues went heavy on European prospects at this draft. Pekarcik was the fourth player from the continent selected by general manager Doug Armstrong and his team, who also chose Pekarcik’s World Junior Championship (WJC) teammate Dalibor Dvorský in the first round. He was one of the main drivers for team Slovakia at the WJC, scoring 10 points (three goals) in seven games en route to their fourth-place finish.
What Pekarcik Does Well
One of the youngest players in this draft class at 17, Pekarcik already has NHL-ready size at 6-foot-2 and 183 pounds. As young as he is, he showed well against older competition thanks to his skating – arguably his greatest skill. He’s able to accelerate to his top speed rather quickly, causing problems for defenders through the neutral and offensive zones. His puck skills need polishing, but there’s enough there to build around and see what kind of playmaker he can be in the coming years.
To go along with his speed and playmaking, he also possesses a high level of competitiveness with and without the puck. Defensively, he consistently engages the opposition, taking away passing lanes and tying up sticks. Offensively, he’s physical, gets to the front of the net, and regularly wins his puck battles.
Where Pekarcik Can Improve
Each time he leveled up a league, Pekarcik had trouble finding the back of the net consistently. That was likely because he was so young and not getting any significant 5-on-5 or power play ice time. As he ages through the Slovakian leagues and gets more time playing against better competition, his scoring touch should improve and be more consistent.
Quotables on Pekarcik’s Game
“It was a whirlwind season for Pekarcik, who bounced around between levels to mixed results. But he played his best hockey of the season in Switzerland, showing great chemistry with Dalibor Dvorsky on Slovakia’s top line. He’s a big reason why the Slovaks got as far as they did, with his strong two-way play and great offensive instincts shining through. Dvorsky will get most of the glory, but Pekarcik deserves a ton of the credit.” – Steven Ellis, DailyFaceoff
Related: Recapping the Blues’ 3 First-Round Picks
Latest News & Highlights
Corey Pronman of The Athletic likes Pekarcik’s upside potential:
Pekarcik requires a lot of projection. He didn’t score or play much with his Slovakia pro team this season, but he’s also a few days away from being 2024 draft eligible. He has NHL skating, skill and size, and I think he could end up going quite high in the draft.
– ‘Which 2023 NHL Draft prospects have the most upside? Corey Pronman ranks the top 36’ – Corey Pronman – The Athletic – 06/06/2023.
Pekarcik’s Upside
As things stand, I would project Pekarcik to become a bottom-six player at the NHL level. He’s got the competitiveness of your typical grinder, although he’s not going to punish anyone physically on the ice. If he can improve his scoring touch over the next three-to-four years, that could push his upside to that of a middle-six winger who could score 15-20 goals and 50-60 points at some point in his career.
Like his buddy Dvorský, Pekarcik will remain in Europe for the time being as he continues to develop. At pick no. 76, taking a player with his upside who displayed great skill at the WJC was a no-brainer for the Blues. He may not crack the organization’s top prospect lists this season but could easily shoot up the ranks with a strong showing in 2023-24.