One of the talking points surrounding the St. Louis Blues this offseason has been the possibility of weaponizing their three first-round picks.
Now, if this weaponization involves bringing in a top-six center or high-end blueliner, it might be worth considering.
But one of the ideas that has gotten traction is the possibility of bundling all three picks for the first-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
We know that the Toronto Maple Leafs miraculously won the NHL Draft Lottery. The Leafs defied the odds and moved up from #5 to #1 when the final ball dropped.
Meanwhile, the Blues ended up staying put. With the lottery done, the Blues ended up with the 11th and 15th picks. There’s also the matter of what figures to be the 31st pick. The final placement of that pick, originally belonging to the Colorado Avalanche, will depend on where the Avs finish the playoffs. Since Colorado made the Western Conference Final, that pick will be no lower than 28th.
That said, would the Maple Leafs really be willing to get the 11th, 15th, and 31st overall picks in exchange for the top pick? That might not seem likely. The Blues may have to throw in a sweetener to pry that pick away from the Maple Leafs.
And that’s why the Blues should avoid bundling their picks. The Blues could land three solid prospects with the picks they have, instead of sending a solid roster player like, say, Jordan Kyrou, in addition to the three first-rounders.
Unless the Maple Leafs know something no one else does, the price to pry that pick away from Toronto would be too high to make sense for the Blues.
Blues should follow New York Islanders' lead from last year
Last season, the New York Islanders had three first-round picks. The Islanders also magically won the NHL Draft Lottery and acquired two more first-rounders in a draft-day deal with the Montreal Canadiens.
That situation gave the Islanders the 1st, 16th, and 17th picks. The Isles took Matthew Schaefer first, with two other high-end prospects. A single draft took the Islanders from a depleted prospect pool to a solid one.
That’s what the Blues should be aiming for. Considering that this year’s draft is even deeper than last year’s, St. Louis has a chance to land a solid player at #11 and a very good prospect at #15.
As for the 31st pick, or thereabouts, the Blues could target a fringe first-rounder, perhaps someone projected to go in the first round, but somehow slipped through the cracks, potentially hitting the second.
All told, the Blues have to think about taking the best players available wherever they pick. That’s the sort of attitude that will help the club stock up an already promising prospect pool.
If all goes well, St. Louis could walk away like bandits in this year’s NHL Draft without actually having a top-10 pick.Â
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