Day one of the 2021 NHL Draft is in the books. The Blues drafted center Zachary Bolduc 16th (but really 17h) overall. Bolduc was ranked 17th among North American skaters and was named the QMJHL Rookie of the Year in 2019-2020.
There were plenty of draft day surprises, too. Doug Armstrong shocked everyone by trading Sammy Blais and a second rounder in next year’s draft to the New York Rangers for Pavel Buchnevich. Buchnevich was nearly a point per game player last year and his talent will go a long way to shoring up the Blues left side.