In late June, the St. Louis Blues made a dynamic pick when they took Justin Carbonneau at No. 19. This isn't to say he can't play in the NHL, especially when youngsters are getting their first looks toward the end of the season.
There's no doubt in my mind Carbonneau could come in for a trial and fit in well. Maybe not to the extent we saw with Jimmy Snuggerud last season, who looked more than solid in the playoffs. But Carbonneau's been crushing it with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, and I'm expecting no different this year.
Last season, he had 89 points and 46 goals in 62 games, and this year? If he doesn't hit 100, I'll be very, very surprised. Sign me up for 105 points and 50-plus goals, and watch his confidence soar after another strong season with the Armada.
So, why not give him a chance with the big club if and when he dominates? Really, it's more about the Blues than Carbonneau. After their surprise playoff run and a franchise record 12-game winning streak, everyone's expecting more from the rebranded Blues this year.
St. Louis Blues need to do all they can to put their best team forward for all 82 games
Unless the Blues know where they're going to land with just a few games left in the season, then yeah, go ahead and sign and play Carbonneau. That's if he doesn't sign before then.
But the Blues should find themselves well in contention for the playoffs following the Olympic break, they'll need to focus on getting deeper with guys who can contribute beyond the shadow of a doubt now, not two or three years down the road.
And yeah, I get it, Snuggerud came in and played better than I thought. But he also didn't debut until his age-20 season, spending all of his time at the University of Minnesota before he jumped.
The Blues have way too much talent to rush Carbonneau into action this season
You can also bet Snuggerud's gonna be a top-six forward in 2025-26, so that takes a lineup spot. Just go down the line from there: Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich, Brayden Schenn, Jake Neighbours, Jordan Kyrou, Dylan Holloway, I'm sure you're starting to get it.
If injuries hit the Blues forward group or if they wanted to give someone else at forward more ice time, then a prospect like Dalibor Dvorsky needs to take center stage. I don't see Dvorsky making the opening night lineup, but that doesn't mean he's not worth keeping an eye on.
So, for 2025-26, let Carbonneau cook one more season in the QMJHL, let him score triple digits in points, and let him come in and compete for a legit spot in the lineup in 2026-27. Right now, the Blues are too good of a team to rush in any unproven prospects.
Now, if we're steamrolling toward April and it looks like they're out of it, then okay, change of plans. But we don't need to expect Carbonneau to debut just yet.
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