NHL mock draft: Final projections for every first-round pick

29. St. Louis Blues – D Jett Woo

St. Louis taking a defenseman at 29 makes a lot of sense, after hitting home runs with forwards like Klim Kostin, Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas. Fortunately, the draft is loaded with defensemen in the first round. There will be good players available in the beginning of the round all the way to the end. Jett Woo is one of those talented defensemen. A team that still has Jay Bouwmeester and Carl Gunnarson in its starting lineup needs to start to look ahead. The Blues just missed the playoffs last year, and several teams in their division are on the rise. St. Louis needs to hit a home run to stay afloat.

Jett Woo plays the game like a linebacker on skates. He hits everything in sight and hits it hard. Woo battled through injuries this season so he physical game was not up to his usual level. This put Woo a little under the radar making it a steal for the Blues. His bruising style will make him a nightmare to play against for many years to come. He is not the biggest player in the draft however he plays like it on a nightly basis. The best part of his physical game is that he will not get burned out of position.

Jett Woo is also a good puck carrying defenseman. He will not Woo anyone with goals or assists but he is reliable. He can make the first pass out of the defensive zone or carry it himself to safety. It is an area of his game the Blues will want him to improve on while he is in the WHL next season. It will be a big season. If he can stay healthy bring back his physical style and add some offense, this will be a steal for the St. Louis Blues.