The 2026 NHL Draft is proving to be a whirlwind of trades, and the St. Louis Blues are making headlines with their latest acquisition of defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Carlo's journey to the Blues is an intriguing one. Originally, the Maple Leafs brought him over from the Boston Bruins in a significant trade that cost them Fraser Minten and a conditional first-round pick in 2026. Fast forward to today, and the Blues have managed to secure Carlo for the No. 73 and No. 76 overall picks in this year's draft-a much more modest price tag.
At 29, Carlo hails from Colorado Springs and brings with him a wealth of experience. Last season, he played in 55 regular-season games for Toronto, contributing seven assists while maintaining a solid plus-4 rating. His average ice time of 19:22 per game speaks to his reliability on the blue line, even if he didn't find the back of the net himself.
Before his stint with the Leafs, Carlo was a stalwart for the Bruins, having started his NHL career with them in the 2016-17 season. With just one year left on his contract and a cap hit of $4.1 million, Carlo is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. However, the Blues could lock him down with an extension as early as July 1.
An interesting financial twist in this deal is that the Blues will only be responsible for $3.485 million of Carlo's cap hit, thanks to the Bruins retaining part of his salary from the previous trade with the Leafs.
This move is part of a busy offseason for the Blues, who are transitioning under new general manager Alex Steen. Just a day before acquiring Carlo, they made waves by bringing in Mason McTavish from the Anaheim Ducks, trading away two of their four first-round picks in the process. Earlier in the week, they sent winger Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals, receiving a package centered around Connor McMichael and a first-round pick in return.
As the Blues continue to reshape their roster, it's clear they're positioning themselves for a fresh chapter, blending seasoned veterans like Carlo with young talent to build a competitive future.
In Other News...
Doug Armstrongs Final Blues Draft Leaves One Big Debate
The Blues used a busy 2026 draft to reshape their future, making nine selections overall and diving into the first round four times before layering in two notable trades for Mason McTavish and Brandon Carlo. It also served as Doug Armstrongs final draft in charge, with Alex Steen waiting to take over, which gives every pick and every deal a little extra weight as the organization turns the page.
Even with the volume of moves, the review of St. Louis weekend landed in mixed territory, more solid than dazzling. There are reasons to like the prospect pool the Blues added, but the process still invites debate because the draft did not include many obvious high-skill swings, and the value attached to the Carlo deal especially stands out as the kind of move that will be judged long after the draft floor is cleared. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Fans May Not Agree With What St. Louis Paid For McTavish
Mason McTavish would arrive in St. Louis with the kind of pedigree that tends to reshape how a roster is discussed, especially for a team still in the middle of retooling. The young forward has enough upside to make the Blues imagine him as more than just another addition, and that alone explains why this move is already drawing plenty of reaction from a fan base that knows the cost of chasing immediate help.
What makes the fit so interesting is the possibility that McTavish is not being viewed simply as a piece for the present, but as a player the Blues could build around over time. If he settles into a prominent role, his presence could alter the way St. Louis lines up its forwards and how the next wave of talent is handled, which is why this deal feels like more than a straightforward swap of assets. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Add Another Right Wing Prospect To A Pipeline Fans Keep Debating
The Blues added another name to the right-wing conversation in the late rounds of the 2026 NHL Draft, taking Swiss prospect Lars Steiner as they kept feeding a pipeline that has become a regular talking point among fans. The 18-year-old has already logged time with the QMJHLs Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, HC Davos junior team and Switzerland at two World Juniors, giving St. Louis another young forward with some mileage and a development track that stretches well beyond draft weekend.
Steiners profile is the kind that invites patience more than immediate expectations. Evaluators view him as a potential late-round steal, but the idea is still very much future-facing, with his path pointing back to Switzerland for more seasoning before he can even enter the Blues picture in a serious way. For a club that has spent plenty of time sorting through its winger depth, it is another small bet on upside and another reminder that the long game is still in play. [Read more 🡒]