As the 2026-27 season approaches, the St. Louis Blues seemingly have their center depth locked in place for what could easily be the next five seasons. As all things go, plans change, players change, and adjustments are constantly made. The Blues are no different. While the team may have its center depth in place, the organization continues to draft, grow, and develop the next wave of players to one day push and take over the spot of current NHLers. Robert Thomas will one day be pushed out of the 1C role. Mason McTavish, Dalibor Dvorsky will all one day be challenged for their roles.
This list is not about the players who will challenge for a spot this coming season, but the next wave of center prospects behind the players on the NHL roster.
Tynan Lawrence
The 18-year-old left shot, center went 11th overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft afer splitting time between Muskegon and Boston University. Combined, Lawrence managed 12 goals and 24 points in 31 regular season games. He has the motor, the drive, and the consistent 200-foot game, along with a 'dog on a bone' mentality about his game. The question now becomes whether he can continue to push the envelope at the NCAA level that fans saw at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Expectation: A two-way, middle-six center. He has the talent to become a second line driver, as long as his hockey sense continues to grow as he rises up the ranks and into the NHL.
Maddox Dagenais
Dagenais is an 18-year-old power forward selected only five picks after Lawrence at 2026 NHL Entry Draft. He was the Quebec Remparts' main power forward, finishing the season second on his team with 30 goals and 62 points in 62 games. He can play either center or wing and will need to continue developing his skating and decision-making as he progresses.
Expectation: Right now, Dagenais looks like he has the potential to become a middle-six power forward, but likely becomes a 3C in the NHL with the ability to jump up to 2C in a pinch. He profiles more as a player who wins and scores based on his physical style of play, not his playmaking.
Milton Gastrin
One of the newer centers to the pipeline, Gastrin, 19, was the Washington Capitals' 37th pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and was dealt in a package deal in exchange for Jordan Kyrou. Gastrin will be on loan this season with Brynas IF in the SHL, Sweden's top ice hockey league. Last season with MoDo in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second-tier league, and Sweden U20 team, he scored 12 goals and 28 points in 51 games.
Expectation: Middle-six, two-way center. A safe projection for the Swede is a penalty-killing 3C who can put up some offensive production. Keep an eye on him, as he could be a late bloomer offensively.
Matvei Korotky
A late-round selection in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Korotky, 20, was drafted 211th overall and is quickly turning heads overseas. The 2025-26 season was his first full KHL season; he scored 14 goals and 27 points in 43 games, even with his games limited due to a long-term injury.
Expectation: Korotky is currently signed in the KHL through the 2026-27 season. If he makes his way over to North America, he has the potential to become a middle-six, two-way center with a willingness to go to hard to the net and score the greasy goals.
Zach Dean
The potential and belief is still there for Dean. After missing a substantial portion of the 2025-26 season in the NHLPA Players Assistance Program, Dean finished the 2025-26 season with four goals and 14 points in 36 regular season games. He no longer has the potential of a middle-six NHL center, but could still challenge to one day make his way to an energy bottom-six player. He will need to continue working on his faceoffs after finishing the season hovering around 45% on the dot, but continues to play a strong game with his pace and compete.
Expectation: A bottom-six, energy forward. If he sticks, he could find himself cracking his way eventually to a third-line forward. At this point through, he is closer to an organizational depth piece than a future NHL regular.
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