The St. Louis Blues were among the busiest teams during the 2026 NHL Draft, executing trades and selections that reshaped both their NHL roster and prospect pipeline. They moved Jordan Kyrou to Washington in exchange for Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin, and the 16th overall pick (used to select Maddox Dagenais). They acquired Mason McTavish from Anaheim for picks No. 15 and 29, added veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo from Toronto for two third-rounders, and drafted nine players starting with Tynan Lawrence at No. 11.
These moves addressed the center depth the team struggled with in the 2025-26 season and added immediate NHL contributors while shedding salary and restocking the farm system. With roughly $12.4 million in projected cap space heading into free agency, the Blues now turn their attention to several lingering questions — and a competitive internal battle for roster spots.
Goaltending and Direction Remain Unclear
The most prominent unresolved issue is goaltending. Jordan Binnington enters the final year of his contract and posted the worst numbers of his career with a .873 SV%. The organization must decide whether to trade him for assets, keep him as a veteran presence alongside Joel Hofer, or explore other options.
On the forward side, the departure of Kyrou’s dynamic production created a need for secondary scoring and wing depth. McTavish and McMichael will look to fill that role while coming alongside players like Dalibor Dvorsky, Pius Suter, and Pavel Buchnevich on the second and third lines. On defense, Carlo adds size, experience, and right-shot depth alongside Colton Parayko and Philip Broberg. However, what does this mean for Logan Mailloux's role after a strong second-half to the 2025-26 season?
Internal Competition for Depth Spots Intensifies
The most immediate battle, however, involves the players fighting for bottom-6 forward roles and bottom-pair or seventh defenseman spots. Training camp and preseason will feature meaningful battles as the organization blends veterans, recent NHL performers, AHL producers, and high-upside prospects.
Up front, Jonatan Berggren stands out as a legitimate NHL option. Claimed off waivers from Detroit last December, the 25-year-old skilled winger recorded 6 goals and 16 points in 36 games with St. Louis. As a restricted free agent, he will almost certainly receive a qualifying offer and brings proven pro experience that gives him an edge in the depth competition.
Other forwards pushing include Dylan Peterson, who recently signed a one-year two-way extension after a solid AHL season, along with veteran Dillon Dubé, who offers checking and penalty-kill value. High-upside prospects Otto Stenberg and Justin Carbonneau will also be in camp, though they may see a more consistent NHL impact in future seasons than 2026-27. Aleksanteri Kaskimäki adds another layer to the forward depth chart after finding his way to the top line for the Springfield Thunderbirds and finished the season second on the team with 20 goals and 44 points in 64 games.
On the blue line, top prospect defenseman Adam Jiríček will bring significant long-term upside as a big, right-shot defenseman, while Matt Kessel (another RFA) and Tyler Tucker (signed through 2026-27) will compete for bottom-pair and seventh-defenseman minutes. Among them, veteran AHLer Hunter Skinner (25) should add yet another competitor to a crowded defensive depth chart after pushing for a late roster spot through the 2025-26 training camp.
What Comes Next
Free agency will play a major role in shaping these battles. Any veteran additions could either solidify roles or continue to crowd the bottom of the roster. The Blues appear to have built a stronger foundation through their draft activity, but the real test will come in camp when they determine which internal options have earned NHL spots and which players will begin the season in Springfield. Additionally, teams who have missed out on free agent options could come circling back to the Blues and see if either price tags have changed or if there is a deal that could be found at that time.
The combination of new NHL pieces, pending RFAs, and a deep prospect group creates both real opportunity and real uncertainty. How the Blues navigate Binnington’s future, forward production without Kyrou, and the internal competition for depth will go a long way toward defining their 2026-27 season.