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St. Louis Blues Select Filip Helt with Final Pick of 2016 NHL Draft

By Patrick Karraker

Dec 13, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; St. Louis Blues fans react to a goal under review in the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; St. Louis Blues fans react to a goal under review in the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the last pick in this year’s NHL Draft, the St. Louis Blues selected an offensively productive winger from the Czech Republic.

He won’t get a trip out of it like the NFL’s “Mr. Irrelevant” does every year, but at least 18-year-old Czech forward Filip Helt got the honor of being selected in the NHL Draft, coming off the board at pick 211, the last selection in this year’s draft. Helt was the first and only forward selected by the Blues this weekend that was not listed as a center, as the Blues had selected seven centers (plus goalie Evan Fitzpatrick) prior to taking him.

The 18-year-old Helt, a 6-foot-1, 194-pounder, had a breakout season with HC Litvinov of the Czech under-18 league. Over 42 games, he collected 20 goals and 26 assists while also accumulating 48 penalty minutes and a plus-17 rating. Though he’s always been a strong two-way player while playing in Czech youth leagues, the 15-16 campaign was by far his best offensive season to date.

Next: Blues Take Nikolaj Krag Christensen in Seventh Round

Like his fellow seventh-rounder, Nikolaj Krag Christensen, Helt is likely to be a “draft-and-follow” prospect over the next couple years. The Blues will bring him in for their prospect camp, get a good look at how he performs against stronger competition, and then see if he keeps up his offensive productivity as he moves up in the Czech ranks. Considering the success that the Blues have had with later picks in recent years, it’s certainly possible that Helt could end up being a steal in the seventh round if he keeps up the hard work.

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