During the 2025 NHL draft, St. Louis Blues fans were treated to a pleasant surprise. With the 19th overall pick, the Blues landed Justin Carbonneau, a forward who spent the last few seasons in the QMJHL. There was a lot of hype surrounding Carbonneau during the pre-draft process. He was ranked between the 13th and 16th best prospect in the draft, and it was a big surprise that he had fallen to the Blues.
While the Blues' landing of Carbonneau was already a nice surprise, things get better when you realize Carbonneau chose to forego college, giving him a shot to make the opening night roster for the Blues. Although it's still up in the air if he'll be in St. Louis on October 9th, at some point this season, he'll suit up for the Blues. Here is what to expect when Carbonneau makes his NHL debut.
Is Justin Carbonneau ready to make an impact in the NHL
Carbonneau is a player that fans are going to quickly fall in love with. He was a special player during his time with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada; he racked up 82 goals and 84 assists for 166 points over three seasons. He has also produced in the playoffs, registering six goals and five assists for eleven points in 16 games. 2024-25 was his best season in "The Q," recording a league high 46 goals as well as 43 assists for 89 points. Only Jonathan Fauchon had more points than Carbonneau.
He's also a player who's not afraid to give a big hit. Carbonneau played football growing up and has said he's brought that mentality to the ice. This mentality has led him to adopt a style of play similar to a power forward. He uses his 6'1", 205-pound frame to bully opponents, allowing him to retrieve pucks and create space on the ice. It's a style that's very popular in the NHL right now, and the type of players teams are desperately trying to find.
Even with Carbonneau having the play style of an NHL player, he needs to show he belongs during training camp and the preseason. The QMJHL is the least physical of all the Canadian junior leagues. While a player like Carbonneau has shown physicality, he's an outlier. It's a league that puts a greater emphasis on skill and offensive ability rather than tough, gritty play. If Carbonneau can hold his own and not get outmatched.
Once Carbonneau gets his chance in the NHL, whether it be at the start of the season or when the QJMHL season is over, he'll quickly become a mainstay in the Blues' lineup. He's someone who'll slide perfectly into the Blues' middle six. He'll likely spend most of his time on the third line; however, he could play on the second if injuries occur or if Jim Montgomery feels the team needs a shake-up.
Regardless of how this season goes, Carbonneau looks to be a player the Blues can build around. He's the perfect addition to an already decent core of players. He could be the guy who gets the Blues over the top and makes them legitimate playoff contenders.