Blues Own Four First-Round Picks Following Jordan Kyrou Trade; Is A Bigger Move Next?
The St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals completed a blockbuster deal, with Jordan Kyrou heading to the Capitals in exchange for the 16th overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft, center Connor McMichael and prospect Milton Gastrin.
For the Capitals, they land a two-way scoring winger who will bring speed and another right-handed shot to the fold.
For the Blues, they land a middle-six center in McMichael, who posted a career-high 26 goals and 57 points just a season ago; a 19-year-old prospect in Gastrin who was selected 37th overall in 2025; and, maybe even more importantly, another first-round pick in this year's draft.
Why The St. Louis Blues Should Commit To Contending, Not Rebuilding
The St. Louis Blues didn't enter a full rebuild at last season's NHL trade deadline and instead got hot at the end of the year. Going into next season, could the Blues be contending, rather than rebuilding?
While trading up remains a possibility for the Blues, could they also use these picks to acquire an established NHL player? There have been loose rumors connecting the Blues to Elias Pettersson. Could they go after Bowen Byram or Mason McTavish, a pair of players who have been strongly linked to the Blues?
The Blues are in an awkward spot: they have plenty of young prospects waiting to break into the lineup, but also veterans who are still contributing to their success. Deciding whether a rebuild is needed or going all in is still in the cards.
The options are plentiful for the Blues, but what may be most obvious is that they can't hold on to all these picks.
See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Copyright The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 6:24 PM.