With the 25th pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, the St. Louis Blues have selected Jordan Schmaltz, a defenseman from Green Bay of the USHL.
NHL Draft 2012: St. Louis Blues Select Jordan Schmaltz With No. 25 Pick
A native of Verona, Wisconsin, Schmaltz was ranked thirty fourth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The highest scoring defenseman in the USHL last season, he tallied thirteen goals and thirty one assists in fifty three games.
His offensive skills are without question, but he has suffered criticism of his skating ability and overall defensive ability. He also has been considered prone to turnovers and not playing as physical as many scouts would prefer to see. With some scouting services ranking Schmaltz as low as forty fifth overall, the pick may be considered a reach if he cannot bring his defensive game up to par with his scoring ability.
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