The Springfield Thunderbirds are doing what the AHL needs them to be: a development pipeline that is ready to spring their players into the NHL when called upon. As the Blues look toward the 2026-27 season, five players in the pipeline stand out as the "most likely" to be told they're on their way to the NHL.
Otto Stenberg
Stenberg is among a group of top prospects who have already made their trip to the NHL and made their debut. The 2023 first-round pick split his 2025-26 season between Springfield and St. Louis, posting 17 points in 36 regluar season AHL games, logging over 16 minutes each game. Meanwhile, he also appeared in 32 games with the Blues scoring three goals and 10 points, averaging just under 14 minutes. While Stenberg's play wasn't flashy, his spatial awareness and vision is what truly set him apart from the group and gave Blues fans a hint of the player he could become.
Dylan Peterson
The Thunderbirds power-forward offers a different kind of value than that of Stenberg. The 2020 third-rounder has quietely become one of Springfield's more indispensable pieces, not for his scoring touch but for what he does without the puck. This past season, 'Petey' logged over 170 minutes on the penalty kill, along with 12 goals and 24 points in 57 regular season games. Peterson now has back-to-back double-digit goal seasons with the Thunderbirds and could offer the Blues the versatile bottom-six forward who can be trusted in a checking role, particularly on the penalty kill, and should keep an eye on Peterson as camp approaches.
Aleksanteri Kaskimäki
The Finnish forward's trajectory has been nothing but steady in his quest to secure a spot in the NHL. Drafted 73rd overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, he has grown into one of one of the more complete two-way forwarrds in Springfield's lineup, and his 2025-26 season where he scored 20 goals and 44 points (both career-high's) in 64 regular season games is showing he's a player beginning to burst out of the AHL and command attention for an NHL role.
The 22-year-old earned a five-game call-up this past season but was unable to find his way to the scoresheet and finished with a minus-six rating. Regardless, Kaskimäki continues to profile as the kind of reliable depth pieces a coaching staff can lean on when injuries pop up.
Theo Lindstein
There is a scenario where Lindstein does not make the 2026-27 opening lineup for the Blues. The third member of the Blues' 2023 first round draft trio appeared in 17 NHL games during the 2025-26 season scoring two goals and four points, while holding his own defensively while playing just under 16 minutes each game. In the AHL, Lindstein continued to handle business confidently after the mid-season coaching change. Lindstein's brief NHL appearance gave Blues a glimpse at the smooth-skating defenseman who is projected to be a reliable top-four defender in the NHL one day. The question is whether he can beat out the competition or will need to wait until an injury until he can return to the big club.
Adam Jiříček
One of the biggest wild-card options to be among the first call-up's this season is the 20-year-old blueliner, Adam Jiříček. The Czech has shown poise and ability to control play and look comfortable doing so at both the international and professional levels.
Over the past two seasons, Jiříček has averaged over 23 minutes each night while scoring 23 goals and 71 points over two OHL seasons with the Brantford Bulldogs, but came up short on the scoresheet in the AHL postseason when he made his professional debut. The Blues will likely take their time with one of their top prospects before promoting him to the NHL. However, both injuries and Jiříček's play could force an early change.
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