Looking back a decade later, the St. Louis Blues’ 2016 NHL Draft class reads more as a textbook study in organizational yield versus home-grown longevity.
On paper, St. Louis drafted only two players who developed into legitimate top-tier NHL talent. Even then, only one spent his core years wearing a Blues sweater. Yet when looking back on the overall impact on the franchise, the 2016 draft board ultimately delivered far beyond its initial face value.
The class opened at No. 26 overall, where general manager Doug Armstrong traded up two spots to select 6-foot-5 UConn center Tage Thompson.
Thompson’s playing tenure in St. Louis was brief, spanning just 41 NHL games and nine points during the 2017-18 season.
In July 2018, Armstrong packaged Thompson alongside Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka, and draft assets to acquire Ryan O’Reilly from the Buffalo Sabres.The transaction reshaped the franchise. O'Reilly anchored the team down the middle, capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy during the Blues' 2019 Stanley Cup run.
While it took several seasons, Thompson eventually blossomed into a dominant top-line center in Buffalo, with 216 goals and 406 points in 529 NHL games, including scoring a 47-goal season in 2022-23 and earning international accolades. Still, from an asset management standpoint, using a late first-round pick, who was not panning out early in St. Louis, as the centerpiece to land a championship-caliber No. 1 center is one of the most impactful moves of Armstrong's tenure.
Nine picks later at No. 35, the Blues selected Jordan Kyrou out of the Sarnia Sting. Known as a player with elite top-end speed and dynamic offensive skill, Kyrou quickly established himself as a high-end scoring threat in St. Louis. He developed into a consistent 30-goal performer, earned an All-Star selection in 2022, and peaked with a 37-goal, 75-point campaign in 2022-23 before signing an eight-year extension.
His time in St. Louis concluded in June 2026, when the Blues traded him to the Washington Capitals for forward Connor McMichael, prospect Milton Gastrin, and a first-round pick to reload the pipeline for the next competitive window.
Beyond the top two selections, the remainder of the 2016 class continued to showcase the steep odds facing mid-to-late-round prospects.
Second-round goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick, taken 59th overall, never made an NHL appearance before continuing his career in European leagues, including stints in Slovakia and Germany's DEL. Fitzpatrick, a career ECHL player in North America managed 102 games across five years with a 2.84 GAA and .901 SV%, and 14 games in the AHL with a 2.53 GAA and .903 SV%.
Fourth-round pick Tanner Kaspick (119th overall) provided physical depth in the AHL for seven seasons grabbing 26 goals and 58 points in 277 games before transitioning overseas bouncing between the ICEHL, DEL, and Slovakia between 2024 and 2026. He is set to appear in the EIHL for the 2026-27 season.
Fifth-rounders Nolan Stevens (125th overall) and Connor Bleackley (144th overall) both logged substantial minor league time in the AHL and ECHL in the case of Bleackley without cracking an NHL roster. Stevens eventually moved to Sweden’s second-tier league in 2024-25 scoring 22 goals and 52 points in 49 games, along with a 49 SHL games grabbing seven goals and 18 points, while Bleackley’s professional path concluded in the ECHL scoring 54 goals and 128 points in 230 games over seven seasons.
In the seventh round, Danish forward Nikolaj Krag Christensen remained in Denmark, developing into a key player and for SønderjyskE in Denmark’s Metal Ligaen. He has played 12 seasons to date appearing in 400 games scoring 109 goals and 286 points.
With the final pick of the draft, Czech winger Filip Helt returned overseas following a brief OHL stint with Kyrou and the Sarnia Sting, navigating injuries while competing in Czechia's lower level.
While the draft class failed to build a long-term core through internal development, Thompson provided the primary leverage for a Stanley Cup, and Kyrou delivered years of top-six production before fetching a significant future return.
For an organization balancing immediate contention with long-term roster sustainability, that total return represents a major success.