​With a busy draft week now in the rearview and free agency underway, the St. Louis Blues pivoted from two forwards and added four new faces. In GM Alex Steen’s early weeks at the helm, questions linger about whether he has something larger planned in the works. As the 2025-26 season spiraled into a forgettable stretch, the Blues began giving opportunities to younger players. The focus shifted to the top lines as captain Brayden Schenn was moved to the Islanders. Steen prioritized building for the future by elevating players 25 or younger, including establishing a full-time role for Dalibor Dvorsky, debuting Otto Stenberg, and bringing in waiver additions Jonatan Berggren and Jack Finley.
All of those players remain with the team, including Berggren, who signed a one-year extension. One notable departure among the forwards is Jonathan Drouin. After being part of the Schenn trade, the former No. 3 overall pick was bought out of his contract, a move Armstrong never executed during his tenure in St. Louis. Since the season’s end, the Blues traded Jordan Kyrou to the Capitals in exchange for a package that included Connor McMichael. They also added Mason McTavish, signed Ross Johnston, and inked Dillon Dube to a one-way contract after his season with AHL Springfield.
As things stand, the Blues project having 15 NHL-caliber forwards on the roster once McMichael signs a contract extension, a tally that does not yet account for 2025 first-round pick Justin Carbonneau, who scored 51 goals in the QMJHL last season. If Carbonneau doesn’t crack the NHL lineup this season, that’s not a setback for St. Louis. It’s a familiar and strategic approach for teams to bolster depth, ensuring healthy competition for spots. Last year, the Blues added Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad with Dvorsky waiting in the wings. This year, they acquired Brandon Carlo while Adam Jiricek sits on the precipice of his NHL debut. Such depth not only fuels competition in training camp but also provides a safety net to prevent a young player from being thrust into a role they’re not ready to handle.
The Blues are likely to begin the season with 14 forwards and seven defensemen, though more prospects in the AHL—Zach Dean, Dylan Peterson, and Aleksanteri Kaskimaki—could push for fourth-line duties or, depending on the numbers game, find themselves squeezed out. Among the most plausible early-cut candidates appear to be Stenberg or Suter. Stenberg impressed in 32 NHL games last season, tallying 10 points, making him an attractive option when measured against the depth chart. The Blues boast a wealth of winger options, with McMichael likely stepping into the second-line left-wing slot. Stenberg could receive the kind of opportunity that Zach Bolduc did last season: begin the year as a near-rotation player, then seize the moment when given a chance and never relinquish it for the remainder of the year. Suter, on the other hand, could become a trade asset. The Swiss center is 30 years old and carries one more year at a reasonable $4.125 million cap hit.
From an SEO perspective, the trio of center prospects—Robert Thomas, Mason McTavish, and Dvorsky—will be central in shaping the team’s identity and search visibility in the months ahead. The Blues will navigate a balancing act between nurturing young talent, leveraging the veteran core, and maintaining enough depth to compete at a high level. The coming season will test how Steen’s vision translates into on-ice results, as the organization aims to blend continued development with real, tangible playoff contention.