The NHL has an interesting system with prospects. Although fans get excited about the potential of new St. Louis Blues players, you often have to wait years before you know what you have.
Forwards are often a little quicker, but defenders and goalies sometimes take so long to make the big league that you might forget about them. But, being a forward alone is not why Blues fans should be excited about Justin Carbonneau.
Carbonneau was taken with the 19th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. According to Blues insiders, he wasn't mentioned much because many projected him to go in the top 16 or 17 picks. Sliding down to St. Louis was a bit of good fortune.
Of course, the stats are something to be excited about. He's listed at 6'2 and 205 lbs, which isn't Earth-shattering, but that's pretty big for an 18-year-old who could still grow and get stronger.
He's had 77 goals in the last two seasons in the QMJHL. In 2024-25 alone, Carbonneau had 46 goals and 89 points. It's true that junior scoring doesn't always translate to the pros, but you don't see many guys suddenly turn into scorers who were not in juniors either. Even in juniors, things clamp down in the playoffs, and Carbonneau has six goals and nine points in 12 career playoff games.
Despite all that, those aren't the main reasons I'm personally excited about Carbonneau. The reason I'm looking forward to him making the team in the next few seasons is his draft-day reaction.
When Carbonneau's name was announced, he got emotional and almost teared up. There may be trolls out there who still think guys being emotional is unacceptable, but in this instance, they couldn't be more wrong.
I want a guy on my team who has that kind of deep-rooted feeling about it. We see guys all the time that just put on the smile and go about things very professionally because they knew for a long time that they were going to make that next step.
For those guys, it was always a matter of when, not if. Those are the guys who are bummed out if they weren't a top-five pick or top 10.
Carbonneau's reaction showcases a guy who wanted it as badly as anyone else, but had to put in that extra little bit of work. Even though he was drafted in the top 20, there was still a little bit of uncertainty, and hearing his name being announced by the St. Louis Blues just hit him with the fact that all the work, all the early morning practices that parents suffer through as well, and all the time put in was worth it.
That's the guy I want on my team and the kind of guy that should fit in fantastically with the Blues, as long as his skills translate. I want that guy who it's truly been the pursuit of a dream, not just something that happened to come naturally, and this is a good way to get a paycheck.
I'm sure there are plenty of guys who do think that way, even if they didn't show the emotion. But you can't measure that or see it. The fact that Carbonneau welled up and showed that emotion, to me, shows how much it means, and guys like that will put it all on the line for the logo on the sweater, not just the name on the back.
Only time will tell whether Carbonneau pans out. The Blues have a stockpile of wingers, so the franchise is likely to let him simmer in juniors or the AHL for a bit.
Carbonneau has already said he wants to make that decision difficult for the team. He's going to come into camp, not with a happy to be there mentality, but actually putting every focus and effort into making the team in year one.
I don't expect that to happen, but if he does, it's even more reason to love this kid before we even see an official minute of ice time. I hope his career goes as well as it has begun in terms of endearing himself to Blues fans.