The St. Louis Blues hit one out of the park by selecting Tynan Lawrence out of Boston University with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
The first 10 picks had some surprises, with Buffalo reaching for Daxon Rudolph at No. 4. That set the wheels in motion for the projected picks to shuffle around, leaving the Winnipeg Jets to take Viggo Bjork at No. 8. With the Nashville Predators reaching a bit for Wyatt Cullen at No. 10, the Blues were free to take Lawrence.
This pick is fantastic as Lawrence has the ability to become a solid top-six center in the NHL. The Athletic described him as: “He’s a great skater and competitor down the middle, but the level of offense in his game is a minor concern.”
With plenty of room to develop in the NCAA, Lawrence could become the type of second-line center that St. Louis has been looking for. Since the Blues don’t actually need him to be in the lineup right away, the organization can take time focusing on the offensive side of his game.
Corey Pronman of The Athletic compared Lawrence to Montreal Canadiens center Phillip Danault. If that’s his upside, it won’t be bad at all. If he can maintain that defensive side of his game and up his offensive side, the Blues could have one of the best two-way centers in the NHL.
At worst, he could be a great matchup center, the kind of guy the Blues will want taking faceoffs in the defensive zone. There’s a lot to like about Danault, even if the offense isn’t there right away.
The Blues hit one out of the park with their first pick, really making their first pick in the opening round count. It will be interesting to see who the Blues target when they come around again at No. 15.
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