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Blues Enter 2026 Draft with Three First-Rounds, Shun Goalies

6/6/2026

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Summary

Blues Draft Picks

The St. Louis Blues hold three first-round selections—11th, 15th and 29th overall—in the 2026 NHL Draft.
11th-overall picks have ranged from Hall-of-Famer Anze Kopitar (2005) and goalie Jonathan Bernier (2006) with a .912 save percentage to recent players Lawson Crouse (2015) and Gabe Vilardi (2017), who has 120 goals and 244 points in 352 games.
Analysts say the Blues may avoid early-round goalies because high-pick netminders rarely succeed.

Summary

Leafs Win Lottery

GM John Chayka said the probability is that Toronto will keep the first-overall pick.
The Leafs won the lottery despite only an 8.5 % chance of the top selection.
Their 2025-26 season finished 32-36-14 with a minus-46 goal differential, missing playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Chayka noted rival clubs have made trade proposals that would require an extraordinary return.

History

Historical Context

After the 2004-05 lockout forced the NHL to use a weighted lottery, the 2005 entry draft in Ottawa named Sidney Crosby the first-overall pick. His selection sparked the Pittsburgh Penguins’ revival, boosting attendance by 33% and helping secure a new arena. The draft’s “Crosby Lottery” thus reshaped a franchise and set a modern scouting precedent.

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Blues Draft Picks

The St. Louis Blues hold three first-round selections—11th, 15th and 29th overall—in the 2026 NHL Draft.
11th-overall picks have ranged from Hall-of-Famer Anze Kopitar (2005) and goalie Jonathan Bernier (2006) with a .912 save percentage to recent players Lawson Crouse (2015) and Gabe Vilardi (2017), who has 120 goals and 244 points in 352 games.
Analysts say the Blues may avoid early-round goalies because high-pick netminders rarely succeed.

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