Justin Carbonneau's first ever goal with the St. Louis Blues won't count, since he scored it in the preseason. Still, it was enough to give fans optimism that the 2025 first-round pick will be a future star after he scored a goal in his preseason debut against the Dallas Stars.
And not just that, Carbonneau opened up the scoring, drilling one home on the power play. He was hanging out right in the left-hand circle, waiting for the puck that came to him courtesy of Dylan Holloway and newcomer Logan Mailloux.
Carbonneau collected the puck, flicked his wrist, and drilled it home to give the Blues a 1-0 lead. Check it out for yourself, and know that the future is (almost) now:
Justin Carbonneau was our first-round pick for a reason. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/zMX2VzqUle
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) September 21, 2025
If Carbonneau keeps this up, he'll be on the fast track to making his NHL debut for real. While I highly doubt that'll come in October, a strong preseason will give fans a reason to follow his game in the lower leagues, knowing he'll be with the big club sooner than later.
Justin Carbonneau's career with the St. Louis Blues is off to an impeccable start
Hey, it seems like Carbonneau's got a chip on his shoulder after the first 18 teams passed him up in June's draft. And you know what? He's setting the standard early for his fellow 2025 draftees.
And yeah, I get it. the naysayers will say, "Yeah, but he was playing against the Stars B-squad." Okay, whatever. But why spoil the fun?
Carbonneau could've gone out there tonight and looked totally out of his element, but it didn't happen. And if it did, a lot of people in Arch City would be hovering their hand closer to that panic button.
Yeah, it's only one game, but you know what kind of instant gratification world we live in. So I wouldn't put it past a contingent of fans saying, "Uh oh, I think Doug Armstrong may've flubbed this one."
Overall, Carbonneau gave fans reassurance tonight that he was every bit worth going in the first round. What he did tonight, even against more marginal competition, is what we needed to see from a first-round pick expected to be one of the faces of the Blues franchise.
So, let's give credit where it's due, and see how he grows as this short preseason wears on. Because right now, I'm a little more curious to see how long he lasts with the big club until he's ultimately sent down.