Blues Focus on High-Upside Talent with Just Three Picks in 2025 NHL Draft

The 2025 NHL Draft, held at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, was a quiet but calculated weekend for the St. Louis Blues. Armed with only three picks due to several recent trades, the Blues stayed strategic and targeted high-upside prospects, selecting forward Justin Carbonneau (No. 19), right winger Mikhail Fyodorov (No. 147), and goaltender Love Härenstam (No. 179). Though the quantity was lacking, the quality of the picks gives the Blues reasons for optimism.

Justin Carbonneau – No. 19 Overall, First Round

With their lone first-round selection, the Blues landed a potential top-six forward in Justin Carbonneau, a high-scoring winger from the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Levis, Quebec native tallied 42 goals and 81 points in 68 games this past season, then added seven more goals during the playoffs.

Carbonneau’s game is built around pace, effort, and a dangerous release. “It’s my grind and my compete level that gets me to my offense,” he said in a pre-draft interview—words that echo the Blues’ culture of hard work. He impressed scouts at the CHL USA Prospects Challenge with two assists in two games and has drawn stylistic comparisons to the Kings’ Adrian Kempe.

While his shot and offensive instincts are NHL-caliber, Carbonneau will need to continue refining his skating and defensive reads. Still, his size and maturity suggest he could push for an AHL role soon and turn a lot of heads at training camp.

Mikhail Fyodorov – No. 147 Overall, Fifth Round

In the fifth round, the Blues added a high-upside talent in Russian winger Mikhail Fyodorov. A left-shot forward listed at 5-foot-11 and 152 pounds, Fyodorov had a breakout year with Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk in the MHL, recording 17 goals and 43 points in 45 games while serving as an alternate captain. He also earned a brief call-up to the VHL, where he notched a goal in three games, and even appeared in three KHL contests as an 18-year-old—an encouraging sign of his upward trajectory.

Fyodorov’s game is defined by quick hands, offensive creativity, and the ability to find teammates in tight spaces. While he’ll need to add muscle and continue refining his two-way play, his skill set gives him intriguing potential as a depth scorer or special-teams contributor down the line.

Transitioning to the North American game will be an important step, but the Blues’ track record with developing mid-to-late round picks gives hope that Fyodorov could become more than just a flyer. 

Love Härenstam – No. 179 Overall, Sixth Round

With their final selection, the Blues drafted Swedish goaltender Love Härenstam (pronounced lou-vey), a 6-foot-2, 194-pound goaltender who plays for Skellefteå. With a little of unorthodox style, Härenstam blends athleticism with a butterfly base, making him a tough read for shooters. He’s agile in the crease, tracks the puck well through traffic, and isn’t afraid to challenge shooters.

Härenstam had a strong 2024–25 campaign, posting a 2.28 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in the J20 Nationell despite a 1–3–0 record. He also appeared in 18 games for Sweden’s U18 national team, going 13–5–0 with a 2.58 GAA and .905 save percentage. His performance on the international stage and steady progress in Sweden’s top junior league earned him a reputation as one of the more intriguing late-round goalies in this class.

While he’s a longer-term project, Härenstam has legitimate upside to develop into an NHL backup at his peak. The Blues already have promising depth in net, but Härenstam adds another layer to that pipeline—and could be a name to watch in the World Juniors or as he rises through Sweden’s professional ranks.

Why Only Three Picks?

The Blues’ limited draft capital this year stems from a flurry of trades made over the past two seasons. Their second-round pick (No. 51) was initially moved to Pittsburgh in the Kevin Hayes deal, reacquired, and then sent to Edmonton as offer sheet compensation for Philip Broberg. That pick was later flipped to Boston.

Another third-rounder (No. 83) went to Edmonton for Dylan Holloway via a similar offer sheet arrangement. A separate third (No. 85) was traded to Ottawa in exchange for forward Mathieu Joseph. The fourth-rounder (No. 115) was dealt to Columbus for Alexandre Texier and eventually landed in San Jose. Lastly, their seventh-round pick (No. 211) was part of the 2023 trade for Jakub Vrana.

It wasn’t a flashy draft weekend for St. Louis, but it was an efficient one. Justin Carbonneau adds scoring potential and competitiveness to the forward group. Fyodorov brings finesse and intrigue as a developmental winger, and Härenstam adds depth to an already solid goaltending pipeline.

Blues fans can expect to see Carbonneau early, while he decides his future of returning to the QMJHL or moving on to the NCAA. Fyodorov and Härenstam are longer-term projects but offer upside worth watching. Despite the limited picks, the 2025 draft may prove impactful down the road.

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