The St. Louis Blues kicked off the 2026 NHL free agency period with two forward signings and a buyout on Wednesday, continuing the aggressive reshaping of the roster under new general manager Alexander Steen.
The most notable addition was 4th line forward Ross Johnston, who signed a three-year contract worth $6 million with a $2 million average annual value. The 32-year-old, 6-foot-5, 232-pound winger brings size, physicality, and a willingness to go hard to the front of the net that the Blues have lacked in recent seasons. Johnston spent the past three years with the Anaheim Ducks, where he posted career highs of 14 points and 192 hits in 62 games during 2025-26 while racking up 107 penalty minutes.
Steen and the front office have repeatedly emphasized the need for a heavier, more competitive identity, and Johnston fits that description directly. This move, however, does present some roster juggling that will need to take place as the bottom-six are suddenly getting crowded. Level’s of internal competition will continue to rise among the forward group ahead of training camp.
The Blues have signed Dillon Dube to a one-year contract. https://t.co/9PKRXb6N7e pic.twitter.com/LHIwKFnXpC
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) July 1, 2026
The Blues also added center depth by signing Dillon Dube to a one-year contract. The 27-year-old spent time in the organization’s AHL system with the Springfield Thunderbirds and provides middle-six versatility and faceoff ability. Despite only playing 46 regular season games, Dube finished the season third in goals scored (20) and fifth on the team in points (37) and leading the club in postseason points with five goals and eight points in 12 games. While the deal is a modest $850k cap hit, it gives Steen another option in the middle of the ice as the club integrates several new faces.
In a corresponding move, Blues forward Jonathan Drouin cleared waivers for the purpose of a buyout. Drouin, acquired at the trade deadline in the Brayden Schenn deal, saw limited impact after joining the club scoring one goal and three points in nine games while averaging just over 15 minutes of time on ice each game. The buyout frees up cap space and roster flexibility heading into the offseason.
These moves come after the club made several significant moves in late June to help push the club in a new direciton. The Blues acquired forward Mason McTavish from Anaheim, defenseman Brandon Carlo from Toronto, and forward Connor McMichael (plus prospect Milton Gastrin and a first-round pick) from Washington in the Jordan Kyrou trade. They also re-signed or added Jonatan Berggren on a one-year, $2 million deal which will put him back to an RFA status after the 2026-27 season. The flurry of transactions has injected youth, size, and skill while shedding longer-term commitments.
Dating back to the trade deadline, the roster turnover has been substantial, though it could have been worse with noted rumblings of Robert Thomas and Colton Parayko trade rumors and speculation. In addition to the high-profile Kyrou trade and deadline deals that sent Schenn to the Islanders and Justin Faulk to the Red Wings, several depth pieces have departed the organization. Defensemen Justin Holl (acquired in the Faulk deal), Matthew Kessel, and Hunter Skinner are no longer with the club. Their exits reflect the ongoing effort to streamline the blue line and bottom-six forward group as younger players and new acquisitions compete for spots.
Veteran center Oskar Sundqvist remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent. With the additions of Johnston, Dube, Berggren, McMichael, and others already in the pipeline, it does not appear likely that the 32-year-old will return to St. Louis. Sundqvist was a fan favorite during his two stints with the organization and a key part of the 2019 Stanley Cup team, but the Blues’ depth additions have reduced the need for his services.
The overall direction under Steen (and Armstrong by extension) is clear: blend recent high-upside acquisitions with gritty, physical elements while creating cap and roster flexibility. Johnston addresses a long-standing need for a heavy presence on the wing, while Dube and the buyout of Drouin provide immediate maneuvering room. The Blues enter the summer with a noticeably different look up front and on the blue line compared to the group that finished the 2025-26 season.
Training camp in September will feature intense competition, particularly along the bottom six and on the third pairing. Prospects such as Justin Carbonneau, Adam Jiríček, and others will push for NHL time, and the new additions will be expected to contribute immediately to a more competitive, harder-to-play-against identity.
Day 1 of free agency was seemingly a measured day, but purposeful. The Blues did not chase the biggest names on the market. Instead, they targeted specific needs adding size, toughness, and depth, while continuing the broader rebuild of the roster through both trades and selective signings. With Sundqvist still available but seemingly unlikely to rejoin and several depth departures already processed, St. Louis appears committed to moving forward with a younger, more physical core.
More moves could come in the days ahead as the market develops, but Wednesday’s activity set a clear tone for the Steen era.