The NHL regular season is still going strong, but is fast approaching it's finale in a few weeks. The St. Louis Blues are in an interesting position as they are only a couple of points out of a second-consecutive playoff appearance.
At the same time, the QMJHL regular season just ended on Saturday night, and their first-round of playoffs is set to begin. All eyes are on the Blues' 2025 first-round pick, Justin Carbonneau, who represents the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. They are the second-seed in the Western Conference, and face off against the Victoriaville Tigres.
This should be an easy pass through the first round of the best-of-seven series for Carbonneau, but if not, it could mean an early glimpse at Carbonneau-mania at the Enterprise Center.
Can it happen?
There are a couple of factors here. First, the Blues end their regular season on April 16 against the Utah Mammoth, meaning there is just under a month left of play. For the QMJHL Playoffs, Blainville-Boisbriand gets started with game one on Friday, March 27, and game seven, if needed, will be on April 7. Should they get by this first round, it will be more unlikely than likely that Carboneau will see some NHL action this season.
But if Blainville-Boisbriand should lose this best-of-seven, you can bet that one of Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong's final call-ups will be for Carbonneau to take his rookie lap. But it goes even further than that.
The Blues have a record of 28-30-11 for 67 points. Currently, the Utah Mammoth and Nashville Predators hold the two wildcard spots at 78 and 75 points, respectively. Eight points out is not impossible to surmount. That has a direct factor, as the roster will likely not go toward bringing up the youth, should this team miraculously find themselves in that second wildcard spot.
Carbonneau might get his rookie lap this season, but he also might not. No matter the difference, he set the QMJHL and the CHL on fire this season with 51 goals in 60 games played.