The 16th overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft made his St. Louis Blues preseason debut. Maddox Dagenais showed exactly why he was selected, as he did not disappoint.
Rocking a sweet No. 82, which hopefully will stick when he returns next preseason and training camp, he had a fantastic first showing. Despite the Blues losing the game 2-1 against Dallas, Dagenais was a standout.
So far, so good kid.
Not afraid to shoot the puck
Dagenais has a couple of main selling points. He is tall at 6-foot-4, skates very well, and has a knack for scoring goals. All of that was on display in his first preseason game, despite not scoring a goal.
The 18-year-old was excellent in his first pro hockey game and did not show any fear. Dagenais was, above all else, comfortable. Everything you could want to see from this kid, he showed it.
In a little over 14 minutes of play, he was tied for the second-most shots on goal with three. Only Justin Carbonneau had more, with four. The Blues have been searching for additional scoring help, and Dagenais can certainly help an already established Jimmy Snuggerud and Dylan Holloway.
Massive year in juniors incoming
The Blues announced that Dagenais and goaltender Vladimir Proskurin will be returning to the Junior Hockey level. Both will take this experience and turn up the heat next season. These two are going to be a must-watch for Blues fans and hockey fans in general as they continue to progress to the NHL level.
For Dagenais, and much like Carbonneau did last season, he should be a lock to secure some hardware next season. If I were a betting man, he should be able to easily eclipse his career highs in goals, assists, and points next season, which were 30 goals, 32 assists, and 62 points that he set last season.
Could he eclipse 50 goals next season?
As part of the Quebec Ramparts for another season, and then likely to see some action with Springfield at the end of it, it is very unlikely that we will see him with the Blues again until next training camp. The initial impression is that this kid can be an NHL regular and that they used their pick correctly at No. 16.
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