It was fun while it lasted: the St. Louis Blues' 2025 first-round selection, Justin Carbonneau, will be returning to the Quebec Maritime's Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and rejoining his team, the Blainville-Boibriand Armada, for the 2025-26 season.
Carbonneau making the Blues' roster out of preseason camp was always a long shot, but registering a goal and an assist in three preseason games at his age still counts for something. He can hang his hat on that as he returns to juniors.
From a developmental perspective, sending Carbonneau back to juniors is the right decision. It is rare for any prospect to make the NHL immediately after being drafted; that is an honor often reserved exclusively for first-overall picks who, even then, sometimes struggle at the professional level. Not every prospect is Macklin Celebrini, who can hit the NHL running and already play like a star. It would be foolish to say Carbonneau is a prospect of that caliber and deserving of starting his career in the NHL.
Back in the Q, Carbonneau can learn to be "the guy" on his team and dominate the competition. He'll have to be careful not to give in to poor juniors habits (e.g., perimeter play, a lack of pace), but he's already shown he has what it takes to get to the next level. Returning to the Q is less about punishment and more about polish: the Blues need Carbonneau to be the best version of himself when he joins the team full-time, and their roster is currently deep enough at wing that there's no need to rush prospects into the NHL.
There's still a lot to be excited about when it comes to Carbonneau and his future in the NHL, but we're going to have to be patient. Good things take time, and returning Carbonneau to juniors to round out his game is the right call.