2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: St. Louis Blues’ Top 10

Credit: Steven Ellis

Welcome back.

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses, and so much more.

Here are the criteria for being labeled a prospect: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games. Players over 23 years old are not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under and have played fewer than 20 games in the past season or fewer than 30 games over their career.

Today, we’re breaking down the St. Louis Blues.

Through some high-profile trades and acquiring a boatload of draft picks, the Blues have built quite an impressive pipeline.

I think the selection of Tynan Lawrence is really going to pay off, even if his draft season didn’t completely go to plan. Justin Carbonneau was a really nice pick in 2025, and Adam Jiříček has become one of the more interesting defensive prospects in the NHL. That’s a really solid top three, and I wouldn’t be surprised if at least seven of these players became full-time NHLers in the next few years.

I’d say the best thing about the Blues pipeline is the variety. You’ve got some decent wingers, you’ve got shutdown defenders, you’ve got offensive defenders, and even a couple goaltenders with promise. So while this group doesn’t have a ton of star power, you can still see that the scouting department has done its due diligence trying to tackle every area possible.

Biggest Strength

Like I said, it’s the variety. There isn’t a specific position that’s overly deep but you’ve got a good mix of forwards who could play a bunch of different roles and a couple defenders that don’t really step on each other’s toes. You don’t neccesarily need a boatload of future top-six forwards to have a strong pipeline (that’s hard to find, anyway). As long as everyone has a defined role, you’re thrilled.

Biggest Weakness

St. Louis definitely lacks options on the left wing. There’s only one on this list, and only a few totain the entire system. You can always move a few centermen around or even a few right wingers so it’s not a huge deal but it’s definitely the one spot where the Blues could use some help. Honestly, this is one spot you could easily fill in other ways and not be concerned.

Fast Facts:

NHL GM: Alex Steen
Dir. of Player Development: Chris Thorburn
Dir. of Amateur Scouting: Tony Feltrin
AHL Affiliate: Springfield Thunderbirds
ECHL Affiliate: Florida Everblades
Recent NHL Graduates: Dalibor Dvorský, C; Jimmy Snuggerud, RW; Logan Mailloux, RHD

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Tynan Lawrence (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

1. Tynan Lawrence, C, 18 (Boston University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 11th overall, first round in 2026

Lawrence was one of the smartest forwards in the draft class. He reads open ice exceptionally well and consistently makes the right passes through traffic. Lawrence isn’t massive at six feet and 185 pounds, but he plays with a ton of power. He plays a solid two-way game, and he boasts a boatload of energy, too. If you’re not moving quickly enough, Lawrence will swarm you instantly and make you pay. Nobody will mistake him for a burner. But Lawrence is a highly competent skater who should have no issue adjusting to the big leagues in that regard. I know his first taste of college hockey wasn’t great, but a full season on the same team should do wonders for a guy many expected to originally go high in the top 10.

2. Justin Carbonneau, RW, 19 (Springfield Thunderbirds, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 19th overall, first round in 2025

Carbonneau was one of the best goal-scorers in all of junior hockey over the past two years. He tallied 97 regular season goals in that time frame, while also being a physically dominant winger, too. He’s known for making high-end moves and can beat most players in 1-on-1 situations. Carbonneau has also shown a willingness to make himself more involved physically, which, in turn, resulted in more puck retrievals and scoring chances. If he continues to round out his game, he’s going to be an absolute menace to deal with. I expect Carbonneau to slot into St. Louis’ top six in another year or two, assuming he can continue scoring in the AHL.

3. Adam Jiříček, RHD, 20 (Sprinfield Thunderbirds, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 16th overall, first round in 2024

*Adam Jiricek (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Jiříček was an absoute treat to watch last season. He had over a point-per-game with the Brantford Bulldogs and was also one of the most dominant defenders at the World Juniors. I was hoping to see him play with the senior Czech team at some point too because I feel like he could have easily handled the pressure. The puck-moving defender has “future top-four blueliner” written all over him, and I’m definitely higher on Adam than I am on his older brother, David. I expect Jiříček to play a ton of minutes out of the gate for Springfield and get a few NHL games under his belt, as well.

4. Maddox Dagenais, C/LW, 18 (Quebec Remparts, QMJHL)

Acquired: Drafted 16th overall, first round in 2026

The son of former NHLer Pierre Dagenais managed to register a point per game in 62 outings with Quebec, often leading the team’s offensive push. He has an NHL caliber-frame at 6-foot-4 and 196 pounds, and he’s extremely reliable at both ends of the ice. Dagenais isn’t flashy, but he’s smart, toolsy and plays with a ton of power. At times, he’s able to dominate the puck better than most other big forwards in this draft class. Dagenais’ hockey IQ is impressive, and he’s a good skater for his size. I think he could be a solid middle-six guy.

5. Otto Stenberg, C, 21 (Springfield Thunderbirds, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 25th overall, first round in 2023

Stenberg split last year between St. Louis and Springfield, and while he didn’t put up many points in either, it was good learning experience, regardless. I don’t think he will ever have an offensive explosion or even put up the numbers that his brother, Ivar, is going to put in San Jose. But Otto is a good skater who works extremely hard on both ends and handles himself defensively quite well. Stenberg plays a decent small area game, and while he doesn’t flash a ton of skill, he is fully capable of pulling off some impressive moves every now and then. I think we’re probably talking about a guy who tops out as a third-line player, but should be able to stick around for quite a while because he does a lot of things well, even if he doesn’t do anything particularly amazing.

6. Milton Gästrin, C, 19 (Brynäs IF, SHL)

Acquired: Traded by Washington Capitals in 2026

*Milton Gästrin (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Gästrin will be interesting to watch this season. He was outstanding during the 2025 U-18s, helping his team win silver after a 10-point performance. He’s coming off his first year of pro hockey, where he put up a solid 10 goals and 24 points in 39 games in the second-tier Swedish league. I like Gästrin’s hockey sense and general two-way reliability. He recently impressed at the World Junior Summer Showcase, marking his first game action since the Jordan Kyrou trade back in June. I feel like Gästrin is bound to be a third-line center in the NHL, but one you can count on to win faceoffs and contribute the odd goal every now and then.

7. Theo Lindstein, LHD, 21 (Springfield Falcons, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 29th overall, first round in 2023

Huh, seems like the Blues love their Swedes. I’ve enjoyed watching Lindstein the past few years, and was one of my favorites at the 2024 World juniors. He has never really been a high-output defender, but he’s a capable passer and does a decent job of getting shots through traffic. There’s nothing about Lindstein’s game that really stands out, but he’s quite well-rounded and can play a lot of minutes. I think if the Blues pair him with somebody who likes to rush the puck a bit more, that’s where Lindstein can really shine. Look for him to get some more time in the NHL this year after making his debut last season.

8. Marcus Gidlöf, G, 20 (Leksands IF, Allsvenskan)

Acquired: Traded by New York Islanders in 2026

Gidlöf was once viewed as one of the most intriguing goalie prospects outside of the NHL. At 6-foot-7, it’s hard to miss him – especially with how dominant he was at points playing against Swedish U-20 competition. He even shared the crease for Sweden at the 2025 World Juniors and looked solid. But last year was a difficult season for him in Leksands, playing against pro players in one of the top leagues in the world. Gidlöf still had four shutouts out of his 10 wins, but he struggled to look comfortable at times. As a younger prospect, though, this could still be a win for the Blues. He’s positionally strong, does a great job of getting the puck out of danger, and obviously has the frame scouts crave.

9. Dmitri Buchelnikov, LW, 22 (CSKA Moskva, KHL)

Acquired: Traded by Detroit Red Wings in 2026

Buchelnikov has had an excellent two years in the KHL. He had 54 points in 65 games with Vityaz in 2024-25 before putting up 25 points in 44 games with CSKA last season (he missed just under two months with an injury). He’s a high-volume shooter when he’s grooving and does a great job of handling himself physically around the crease despite being smaller. I like his shot release, and he’s an incredible playmaker, too. There’s definitely been a lot of shine lost on his overall game, and some scouts wonder if he could really thrive outside of the power play. He has another year left on his KHL deal, and then, maybe, we’ll see him crack the Blues full time in 2027-28.

10. Colin Ralph, LHD, 20 (Springfield Thunderbirds, AHL

Acquired: Drafted 48th overall, second round in 2024

*Colin Ralph (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Ralph spent two years in college, starting with St. Cloud before joining Michigan State last season. He’s definitely known more for his defensive stylings than what he does with the puck, but I feel like he has continued to get a bit more comfortable in a distributor role. Ralph looked solid to close out the season with Springfield, and now he’s set for full-time duty this year. The former Shattuck St. Mary’s star thrives in killing plys on the rush, and loves using his 6-foot-4 frame to blow guys up. If you can’t blow past him, he’ll send you back to space. We’re probbly talking about a third-pair defender, but one teams typically like to have available at their disposal.

Other Prospects: Adam Jecho, C (20), Jakub Stancl, C (21), Zach Dean, C (23), Jack Finley, C (23), Colin Fitzgerald, C (18), Antoine Dorion, C (20), Matvei Korotky, C (20), Tomas Mrsic, C (20), Félix Trudeau, LW (23), Juraj Pekarcik, LW (20), Ondrej Kos, LW (20), Nikita Susuyev, RW (21), Simon Robertsson, RW (23), Carter Stevens, RW (18), Lars Steiner, RW (18), Mikhail Fyodorov, RW (19), Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, LW, RW, C (22), Arseni Koromyslov, LD (22), Lukas Fischer, LD (19), Quinton Burns, LD (21), Michael Buchinger, LD (22), Marc-Andre Gaudet, LD (22), Landon Nycz, LD (18), Nicholas Bogas, LD (18), Matthew Mayich, LD (21), Luke Schairer, RD (18), William Mcisaac, RD (20), Vladimir Proskurin, G (18), Love Härenstam, G (19)