When we last checked in on St. Louis Blues first-round selection from the most recent draft, Justin Carbonneau, he was setting the hockey world ablaze. Fast forward almost two weeks since then, and nothing has changed.
The writing was on the wall that when he left the Blues training camp to return to his QMJHL teammates, Carbonneau was going to be coming back different. He spent time with just about all of the important figures in the organization, on the ice, and in the front office.
It seems like it is benefitting in droves.
Carbonneau grabs his first hat trick of the season #STLBlues pic.twitter.com/Dg6mPjqRoZ
— Mike Meyer (@M_Meyer3) October 18, 2025
Top-notch skill, but is he wasting his talent?
Right now, it looks like he is going to be continuing this historic pace he is on for the rest of the year. The QMJHL record for most goals in a single season was set by Mario Lemieux with 133 goals in 1983-84. But, if you just look at the numbers from the 21st century, the highest goal tally was by Thomas Beauregard with 71 goals in 2006-07.
Carbonneau currently has nine goals on the year through six games played. The QMJHL plays 64 games per season, so that would make Carbonneau at a pace to score 96 goals on the year for Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
It is evident that he can compete at a higher level than what he is competitively playing against in the CHL. So, should the Blues try to throw Carbonneau at any point before the final stretch of the year so as not to burn a year of his Entry Level Contract?
It might be quick to say that they should pull him out, and there is some logic behind it. For one, the Blues need goal-scoring, and Carbonneau can help provide that. And for two, the winger might be wasting his time and energy playing against much lower-tier competition. He proved, in the preseason and training camp, that he was not one to back down from elite competition. Let's see just how much of a gamer he really is.
But, on the other side of the coin, where does he fit into the lineup? With how things are being molded and shifted, Jordan Kyrou is seeing third-line minutes to make room on the right side for Jimmy Snuggerud to see minutes. Not to mention the emergence of Jake Neighbours as the first star of the opening week of the season.
Carbonneau has to wait in line in Juniors, try and break a new record or two, and arrive with the Blues once the QMJHL season ends. That is the best course of action. Even still, it is impressive to see how much one training camp at the NHL level can push a young player to new heights. Blainville-Boisbriand is certainly benefiting from that right now.