Justin Carbonneau did not need much time to make his mark in Springfield.
Just 3:11 into the Thunderbirds’ 2026-27 opener, the St. Louis Blues’ 2025 first-round pick scored the first goal of his AHL career and gave Springfield the first goal of its season. Carbonneau’s night only got better from there, as he finished with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 overtime win at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Steve Ott put Carbonneau on the second line at right wing alongside center T.J. Tynan and left wing Aleksanteri Kaskimäki, and the trio wasted no time showing some chemistry. Carbonneau’s first strike came when Kaskimäki and Tynan worked the puck to the doorstep, and he banged a backhand past Penguins goalie Joel Blomqvist for a 1-0 lead.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton answered at 5:05 on a rebound goal from Atley Calvert, but Springfield reclaimed the lead at 16:32. That time, Kaskimäki carried the puck up ice and found Carbonneau at the Penguins’ blue line, and Carbonneau set up Tynan through the slot to make it 2-1. By the end of the opening period, Kaskimäki had two assists and the line had already produced three points.
It was the kind of start Springfield could only hope for from the player it took 19th overall. Carbonneau arrived with a reputation for finishing chances, and his numbers from last season in Blainville-Boisbriand backed that up: 51 goals and 80 points in 60 games, tied for the QMJHL lead in goals. He also had a brief, scoreless look with Springfield in the Calder Cup playoffs, which at least gave him a first taste of the pro game.
Now the focus shifts to repetition. Springfield plays again Oct. 4 in Providence against the Bruins, and Carbonneau will have another chance to generate offense against a tighter-checking opponent. If Tynan keeps feeding pucks into the low slot and Kaskimäki keeps opening up space, the Thunderbirds may have found a second line that can drive a lot of their attack.
For the Blues, the box score is only part of the story. They’ll want Carbonneau to keep producing, but they’ll also be watching for how he handles the boards and whether he stays on the right side of the puck. If the scoring keeps coming and the rest of his game keeps sharpening, a call-up to the NHL later in the season could still be in play.
In Other News...
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Blues Suddenly Face A Fourth-Line Decision They Can't Ignore
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Blues Face An Early Roster Test After Toropchenko Injury
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The opening, though, may not stay open long. With Toropchenko sidelined, the Blues are expected to have a chance to bring Dillon Dube back into the NHL mix after his time in the KHL and AHL, giving the club a familiar option to plug into the bottom six while it waits for more clarity on Toropchenkos recovery. For a team trying to settle its lines early, the next few weeks should reveal a lot about how it handles that kind of attrition. [Read more 🡒]