'I’m not really scared of anyone': Blues first-rounder Justin Carbonneau brings fearless mindset

Justin Carbonneau knows where goals are scored.

And he goes there repeatedly.

The Blues drafted Carbonneau in the first round on Friday night, picking the right-handed winger with the 19th selection of the evening.

Carbonneau became the first winger taken by St.

Louis since Jimmy Snuggerud in 2022, and the first Quebec-born first-rounder for the Blues since Zack Bolduc in 2021.

I play with a lot of fire, Carbonneau said on a video call with reporters.

Im not really scared of anyone.

I know that the 6-8 guy is stronger than me and bigger, but Im going to still try.

I think I always had that in me.

Goals are scored in those areas.

Outside the dots, yes you can score but youre not going to score 50 goals from outside the dots.

Youre going to score from inside the dots.

So you have to find ways to get there.

I use my body and my speed to get there.

Carbonneau played last season with Blainville-Boisbriand in the QMJHL, posting 46 goals and 43 assists in 62 games.

His 89 points were second in the league, and he finished tied for second in goal-scoring.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong described Carbonneau as someone that enjoys the fruits of his labor of scoring goals, competitive to score goals.

Our scouts had him pegged like that, a guy that will pay the price to score, Armstrong said.

Now our job is to round out the other half of the ice.

Thats the coaches job, but we think he can mature and learn that area of the game.

The biggest step for a young player is to understand to get the coachs trust, you have to play defense.

You have to not win Selkes, but you have to be competitive at the blue line getting pucks out, you have to be able to eat pucks on the wall.

Its just not all fun and games.

It has not been announced where Carbonneau will be playing next season.

With Canadian junior players now allowed to play college hockey in the United States, Carbonneau has that option.

He can return to Blainville-Boisbriand, or he can attend Boston College.

Two good options, but theres some talks Im going to do with St.

Louis and decide in the next few days, Carbonneau said.

Armstrong: Theyre young men.

Theyre 18, 19 years old.

They have to do what they think is right for them.

We know that he wants to be an NHL hockey player.

There are different avenues to do it.

Were going to support whatever he does.

Carbonneau said he compares his game to Adrian Kempe (Los Angeles) and Travis Konecny (Philadelphia).

Im not scared of anyone, Carbonneau said.

I score goals in the paint, in the dirty areas.

(Konecny is) 5-8 or 5-10 and he shoots the puck and he goes to the net like he doesnt care about getting hit or slashed.

His mentality is something I want to bring, too.

Carbonneau is regarded as a power forward, listed at 6-1 and 205 pounds by NHL Central Scouting, which ranked him as the 16th-best North American skater in the draft.

Armstrong said Carbonneau was the last player in one of their tiers, and had he not been available, the Blues would have considered trading back.

Mock drafts suggested that Carbonneau could be taken in the 14-18 range, and we thought that he would be a little bit of a stretch, but he might get to us, Armstrong said.

In taking Carbonneau, the Blues passed on defensemen Cameron Reid and Logan Hensler.

They just missed out on potential center target Cole Reschny when Calgary took him one pick before the Blues.

Carbonneau has shown a good shot release, and he said I think I destroyed my whole house when I was younger shooting pucks.

I was walking with some roller blades all day at like five years old, so my floors had to change, too.

Carbonneau also played football growing up, playing running back before stopping a few years ago to focus on hockey.

I just like the contact, like on the ice a little bit, Carbonneau said.

I like to get hit.

I like to throw some hits.

Its a part of my game.

I play inside the dots, I dont play outside.

Yes, I score goals and I make plays offensively, but I do it the right way.

While Armstrong and the rest of the Blues hockey operations staff was in St.

Louis for the draft, Carbonneau was in Los Angeles with his family.

Im not a big crying guy, but all the emotions go through my head when I heard my name, when I thought about my parents, my brother, everybody that was here with me, Carbonneau said.

My teammates in Blainville, Im grateful to have them every single day.

They shoot me some texts today about all the draft.

...

Cried a bit thinking about all that, but right now its just pure happiness..

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