The 2026 NHL Draft marked the end of an era for the St. Louis Blues, as it was Doug Armstrong’s final draft as General Manager. Armstrong and the Blues entered the weekend focused on adding young talent that could grow alongside the organization’s emerging core, a philosophy that was evident both through their draft selections and the acquisition of Mason McTavish.
When discussing the addition of McTavish, Armstrong explained the organization’s vision moving forward.
“We’re looking to add players between that 22-26 range that can grow together,” Armstrong said.
The Blues opened the draft by selecting center Tynan Lawrence with the 11th overall pick. Lawrence was a player I had mocked to St. Louis at No. 11 in my final mock draft, making it one of the selections that lined up perfectly with my projections. The Fredericton, New Brunswick native is known for his explosive skating, relentless pressure, and strong two-way instincts that allow him to impact all three zones of the ice. Lawrence immediately becomes one of the organization’s top prospects and a player fans should be excited about moving forward.
Just five picks later, the Blues selected another center, Maddox Dagenais, at 16th overall. The Blainville, Quebec product brings explosive speed, powerful crossovers, and a relentless pace that makes him dangerous in transition. By selecting both Lawrence and Dagenais in the first round, St. Louis added two highly skilled forwards who could become important pieces of the organization’s future.
The Blues continued building their prospect pool in the third round when they selected defenseman Luke Schairer with the 75th overall pick. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Schairer is regarded as an outstanding skater whose top-end speed and mobility allow him to excel defensively. His ability to angle opponents, disrupt plays with his stick, and quickly transition the puck makes him an intriguing addition to the blue line pipeline.
In the fourth round, St. Louis added defenseman Landon Nycz with the 107th overall pick. Nycz’s mobility, activity level, and projectable frame make him an intriguing developmental prospect. Following his selection, Nycz perfectly summed up the emotions of draft day.
“Yeah, I kind of blacked out,” Nycz said when asked about hearing his name called by the Blues.
Later in the fourth round, the Blues selected Russian goaltender Vladimir Proskurin with the 123rd overall pick. Proskurin is an athletic netminder known for his quick recovery ability, explosive movements, and strong positioning. The selection gives the organization another goaltending prospect to develop in the years ahead.
The fifth round saw St. Louis add two more players to the organization. Defenseman Nicholas Bogas was selected 139th overall. The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan native plays a physical style of hockey and consistently makes life difficult for opponents around the net. The Blues followed that selection by drafting right wing Carter Stevens at No. 150 overall. Stevens has built a reputation for creating offense in tight spaces, finding soft areas in coverage, and getting quality shots off quickly.
In the sixth round, the Blues selected Swiss forward Lars Steiner with the 171st overall pick. Steiner’s strong two-way game, physicality, and puck-retrieval skills make him an interesting prospect who can contribute in multiple situations.
The final selection of the Blues’ draft class was center Colin Fitzgerald with the 203rd overall pick in the seventh round. Fitzgerald possesses a powerful shot, plays a physical game, and has the ability to drive play offensively. What makes the selection particularly interesting is where he was drafted. Based on my own projections, I had Fitzgerald coming off the board in the fifth round. Instead, he remained available until the seventh round, giving the Blues an opportunity to potentially land value much later than expected.
Overall, the Blues left the 2026 NHL Draft with two first-round forwards, multiple defensemen, a goaltender, and several intriguing developmental prospects. More importantly, they continued building a prospect pipeline designed to support the organization’s next core of players.
As Doug Armstrong’s final draft as General Manager comes to a close, the Blues can feel confident about the talent they added. Lawrence and Dagenais headline the class, but several later-round selections, including Fitzgerald, could ultimately prove to be important additions as they continue their development journeys.
