STL Sports Central 2026 NHL Draft Watch – Version 3.0

The picture at the top of the 2026 NHL Draft is still shifting. With weeks left before the lottery, there are scenarios where St. Louis rises, scenarios where they fall, and scenarios where the entire top five reshuffles. But as of Wednesday, March 25, the Blues sit in the fifth position with a position close enough to dream, far enough to sweat, and squarely in the range where a franchise‑defining player remains on the board.

This isn’t a draft where the fifth pick feels like a consolation prize. It’s a draft where the fifth pick might end up being a franchise cornerstone piece. With Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg trending toward the top, and with Keaton Verhoeff and Chase Reid both strong candidates to go early, the Blues’ decision becomes clearer, and yet, a little murkier with multiple options to choose from. What remains available at five is a cluster of players whose strengths translate cleanly to the NHL and whose identities align with the direction St. Louis is trying to build toward.

Tynan Lawrence — Center

Boston University | 6’0” | 185 lbs | Shoots: Left

Lawrence’s game isn’t built on flash, but one built on repetition, pace, and a willingness to take on the hard minutes most young centers avoid. His 2025–26 season saw modest scoring totals (13 goals, 14 assists) despite playing in the USHL, NCAA, and international play. However, his driving possession was significant. He took over 600 faceoffs, winning 52%, a rare responsibility for his age. His shot volume, scoring-chance creation, and defensive involvement remained high, even with increased competition. Over time, he became more comfortable on the ice and in NCAA play. He projects as a center who develops his offense rather than peaks early. His ability to handle volume minutes makes him a reliable long-term bet in this range.

Caleb Malhotra — Center

Brantford Bulldogs | 6’2” | 183 lbs | Shoots: Left

Malhotra’s controlled urgency is hard to teach. His 2025–26 OHL season saw 29 goals, 55 assists, and 84 points in 67 games. He touched the puck over 6,000 times, completed 82% of his passes, and generated over 200 scoring chances. True play-drivers can handle this workload. Malhotra builds offense, attacks with pace, uses entries to force defenders backward, and slips pucks into the interior. His 50% faceoff rate on over 1,000 draws shows responsibility. There’s volatility in his game, but he has a ceiling few players in this range can match. When he’s on, he bends shifts toward him, and the ice tilts in sustainable ways. He can grow into a top-six role and eventually run a power play, forcing teams to consider upside over certainty.

Daxon Rudolph — Right Defense

Prince Albert Raiders | 6’2” | 203 lbs | Shoots: Right

Rudolph plays defense with pace, purpose, and the puck on his stick. His 2025–26 WHL season stats (28 goals, 50 assists, 78 points) show his involvement. He touched the puck over 9,000 times, completed 89% of his passes, and had 13 scoring chances despite modest totals. His shot generation and transition involvement were enormous, and his 58% Corsi reflects his ability to keep the game moving. Rudolph wins more than half his puck battles, logs heavy minutes without losing detail, and plays with a steadiness that suggests he understands managing pace at higher levels. He projects as a driver, not a gambler, who could grow into a top-pair role by touching every part of the game, not by chasing offense.

Carson Carels — Left Defense

Prince George Cougars | 6’2” | 194 lbs | Shoots: Left

Carels plays the game with a kind of controlled weight that shows up in every layer of his numbers. His 2025–26 WHL season with 19 goals and 55 assists shows real offensive touch, but it’s the volume underneath that defines him. He touched the puck more than 8,300 times, completed passes at a 92% rate, and generated close to 20 scoring chances, all while logging over 1700 minutes this season. Carels doesn’t overwhelm opponents with flash, but he wears them down with pace, positioning, and a willingness to stay in every battle. His 56%  Corsi at this point in his young career is a good sign for a defender who keeps the game moving forward, and his ability to win more than half his puck battles, and gives him a foundation that translates directly to NHL playoff hockey. He plays with a steadiness that coaches trust and a competitiveness that never fades, projecting as a long‑term top‑four defenseman who can handle difficult minutes without losing his identity.

Alberts Šmits — Left Defense

ECH München | 6’3” | 205 lbs | Shoots: Left

Šmits brings a level of athleticism and edge that jumps off the ice immediately. His first full season across the DEL, Liiga, and U20 levels showed a defender who plays with real pace and real ambition, sometimes to the point of chaos. At 6’3” and 205 pounds, he moves like a smaller player with explosion in his first steps, agile through tight turns, and confident enough to escape pressure with sharp cutbacks. He is a high‑involvement defender learning to manage pro pace with more than 5,400 puck touches, 880 puck battles (55% success rate), and over 400 takeaways. He isn’t a natural chance generator. He created just 15 scoring chances on the season, but he creates offense through activation, carrying pucks through the neutral zone and jumping into plays with conviction. Defensively, he’s physical and competitive, blocking 68 shots and finishing 47 hits, showing real strength along the boards. His reads can wobble, and his rush defense occasionally leaves him flat‑footed, but the mistakes come from aggression, not hesitation. Šmits is a bet on size, skating, and raw athletic tools, the kind of defender who can grow into a second, maybe even a top NHL-pairing force with both shutdown and puck‑moving potential.