With the 19th pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, the St. Louis Blues have selected Justin Carbonneau from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL.
About Justin Carbonneau
There’s nothing more important in hockey than scoring goals and Justin Carbonneau has done that almost at will in the QMJHL. The 6-foot-1, 191-pound forward from Quebec has dominated the last two seasons with the Armada, scoring 31 goals and 46 goals in the last two seasons, respectively. Impressively, Carbonneau is also a very effective playmaker and it’s impossible to ignore his offensive instincts whenever the puck is on his stick.
Related: 2025 NHL Draft Tracker
Strong with the puck on his stick, Carbonneau will need to tighten up his skating a little bit to be more effective at the next level, but it isn’t a weakness that should be held against him by any stretch of the imagination. When watching Carbonneau, he checks off so many boxes offensively at an elite or near-elite level and truly puts fans in seats with his flashy play.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“A player who can do anything on the ice, Justin Carbonneau is a force on the ice in any zone. His game begins with his explosive skill set and speed. In the defensive zone, he constantly scans the zone to pick up an opponent and support his defensemen from his center position. While he shows signs of being a solid defensive presence, this is one area of his game that could use further development and improvement, as he occasionally struggles with coverage and positioning. Once he gets the puck on his stick, that scanning of the ice continues. He is either looking for a passing lane to a teammate or open ice to get moving up the ice with his speed and stick handling.
Justin Carbonneau, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (Eric Young / CHL)
His game excels in transition thanks to his speed and vision. He uses his shiftiness to work through the neutral zone and gain steam to get set up in the offensive game. He also shows some power forward elements in his game, having the capability of protecting the puck well and working himself into high-danger areas. Carbonneau has the skill to be a shooting threat or a setup guy. When given the time and space to get a shot off, he has the ability to shoot from any position and spot in the offensive zone, thanks to a great release with his shot. But when he does not have a shooting lane himself, he is constantly looking for a spot to make a play and pass to a teammate.
Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide
His passing ability is strong, and he has all the makings of being an offensive force at the next level. The biggest downfall to his offensive game seems to be that even though he plays with good pace and has the speed to make great plays, he tends to play too quickly and tries to do too much himself from time to time. Improvements in this aspect of his game will come from maturation and slowing down his game.”
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Blues’ Plans
For the Blues, Carbonneau projects to be a top-six scoring forward who will likely drive play from the right wing. A natural right-shot scorer is always coveted in the NHL and for the Blues, Carbonneau could prove to be an effective player for years to come. Fans will have to be patient as he continues to hone his craft, though, especially as he learns the pace and skill of the professional game. Flashy plays are easier to pull off in the QMJHL than they will be in the AHL, and certainly easier than they will be in the NHL. Still, if he can continue to develop at the rate he has been, he could prove to be an impact player in the NHL one day.
