The Blues only had three picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, adding very little to a pipeline that was already lacking quantity.<\/p>\n
But lacking quality? You definitely can\u2019t say that.<\/p>\n
The Blues\u2019 pipeline isn\u2019t deep. But I could see most of this top 10 play at least some NHL games, with a few becoming key components of the future. Jimmy Snuggerud and Dalibor Dvorsk\u00fd and Justin Carbonneau all have futures as top-six forwards, with Snuggerud, in particular, ready to take up the mantle out of training camp. Logan Mailloux, Theo Lindstein, Adam Jiricek and Colin Ralph give the team some serious defensive depth, and I\u2019m still a big Otto Stenberg fan.<\/p>\n
The Blues experienced minimal turnover from 2024-25<\/a>. Zachary Bolduc was shipped off to Montreal <\/a>to bring in Logan Mailloux, but that\u2019s really it. Outside of the top 10, Lukas Fischer, Tomas Mrsic and Jakub Stancl are intriguing. I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if each of them see NHL duty at some point, too.<\/p>\n Biggest Strength<\/p>\n I like the Blues\u2019 options down the middle. Dvorsk\u00fd should be an impactful NHLer sooner rather than later. I also am a big Stenberg believer, especially if he ends up in a third-line role. Adam Jecho has all the makings of a fourth-line center, and Stancl, Mrsic and Zach Dean should all play NHL games, too. You always want depth down the middle, and the Blues have enough versatility there right now.<\/p>\n Biggest Weakness<\/p>\n The Blues have a few goaltenders in their system, but none that I feel confident will become NHLers. Love Haranstam is the team\u2019s latest draft pick, and while he has shown glimmers of skill, he\u2019s still too inconsistent for my liking. I was hoping Vadim Zherenko would become something, but we haven\u2019t seen any real progress in his game over the past three years. I could see the Blues giving Colten Ellis some starts this year, but I don\u2019t have too much faith in him or Will Cranley. As it stands, the Blues\u2019 crease is set with Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer.<\/a> But if the team were to move Hofer <\/a>at some point this season, for example, they\u2019d have to look elsewhere to get the help they need.<\/p>\n Fast Facts:<\/strong> TOP 10 PROSPECTS<\/p>\n 1. Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, 21 (St. Louis Blues)<\/p>\n Acquired: Drafted 23rd overall, first round in 2022<\/p>\n After a successful tenure at the University of Minnesota, Snuggerud is ready for the big time. The two-time Hobey Baker top 10 finalist just fell short of the 50-point mark, but 49 points in 39 games on a team where he was the primary offensive weapon is still impressive. He has good overall strength, high hockey IQ and a good shot release. Combine those together and he should be a top-six NHLer right out of the gate this season. I liked his play down the stretch and again in the playoffs, so we\u2019ll see if he can keep that going during the grind of an 82-game season.<\/p>\n 2. Dalibor Dvorsk\u00fd, C\/RW (Springfield Thunderbirds, AHL)<\/p>\n Acquired: Drafted 10th overall, first round in 2023<\/p>\n Dvorsk\u00fd had a great first year in the AHL, registering 21 goals and 45 points. He was also Slovakia\u2019s most important player at his FIFTH World Juniors (if you include the original iteration in 2022). Dvorsk\u00fd has been in the spotlight for over half a decade, and it\u2019s been exciting to watch him develop into a true Slovakian star. I expect him to start the year in the AHL, but I doubt he lasts there for long. I just want to see a bit more urgency in his game because he has all the makings of a top-six forward who can thrive on the power play and drive plays when you need him too.<\/p>\n 3. Justin Carbonneau, RW (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, QMJHL)<\/p>\n Acquired: Drafted 19th overall, first round in 2025<\/p>\n Do the Blues have a future first-line goal-scorer on their hands? Carbonneau scored 46 goals and 89 points while boasting one of the best shots in the draft class. He\u2019s known for making high-end moves and can beat most players in 1-on-1 situations. The upside is massive here, but he can be prone to giving the puck away too easily and doesn\u2019t engage much physically. With the right set-up guy beside him \u2013 Dvorsky, perhaps? \u2013 I could see Carbonneau becoming a 30-goal scorer in the NHL. <\/p>\n 4. Otto Stenberg, C, 20 (Springfield Thunderbirds, AHL)<\/p>\n Acquired: Drafted 25th overall, first round in 2023<\/p>\n Stenberg left the SHL to join Springfield midway through the 2024-25 season and it was a smart move. He played much better hockey in the AHL than with Malmo, saving some of his best hockey down the stretch during the regular season. Now that he\u2019s a bit more adapted to life in North America, I\u2019m excited to see what he can do in a full season. I expect him to play a leading role with the Thunderbirds and he should see some NHL action, too. Stenberg is quite skilled, but I think he\u2019ll fit in more in a third-line center role while showing plenty of poise and hockey IQ.<\/p>\n 5. Logan Mailloux, RHD, 22 (St. Louis Blues)<\/p>\n
NHL GM<\/strong>: Doug Armstrong
Dir. of Amateur Scouting:\u00a0<\/strong>Tony Feltrin
AHL<\/strong>\u00a0Affiliate:<\/strong>\u00a0Springfield Thunderbirds
ECHL Affiliate:\u00a0<\/strong>Florida Everblades<\/p>\nDalibor Dvorsky (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
Justin Carbonneau (Steven Ellis\/The Nation Network)<\/p>\n