Training camp is usually where teenagers get a taste of NHL speed, learn from veterans and then head back to juniors with a checklist for the year ahead. Evidently, Justin Carbonneau didn’t get that memo.
At just 18 years old, the St. Louis Blues’ 2025 first-round pick has emerged as one of the most talked-about players in training camp, looking less like a wide-eyed prospect and more like someone determined to claim an NHL roster spot on opening night.
Carbonneau has impressed coaches with his maturity, poise under pressure, and NHL-caliber skating, routinely keeping up with – and in some cases, outpacing – established veterans.