ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues came into the 2026 NHL Draft with four first-round picks.

They came out of Friday's first round with half of those after acquiring center Mason McTavish from the Anaheim Ducks for two first-round picks (Nos. 15 and 29).

The Blues were able to make two selections, picks 11 and 16, and went center-centric, an area they felt was a need.

At No. 11, they selected Boston University's Tynan Lawrence, then threw a bit of a curve ball with the selection of center Maddox Dagenais, who played last season at Quebec of the QMJHL, at No. 16.

In Lawrence, the Blues are taking a chance on a player that can grow within a collegiate program known to put out NHL talent. Lawrence missed the first month of last season before joining Muskegon of the USHL with a broken foot and high ankle sprain suffered in training camp.

"A lot definitely happened, but it’s a good learning experience," Lawrence said. "I feel like making the change to hockey and playing that half year, I feel like I’m a much better hockey player now than I was after if I stayed the whole year in junior. I think I can look back through the ups and downs, playing with a struggling team and hopefully can take all that from it and bring it to next year.

"I think it helped me out a lot. It was definitely difficult at the start. I’ve never really taken that much time away from the game, especially not even skating or working out. I feel like that was pretty tough on me mentally. Being able to push through that and mentally have the support that I had, and be able to battle through and get back to where I was at the start, I think that was a big thing and I can only continue to grow on that."

Lawrence had 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in 13 games with the Lumberjacks before joining BU, where he had seven points (two goals, five assists) in 18 games.

"Dog on a bone is the term that our guys kept saying," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. "He just plays a 200-foot game, very well-balanced. An elite player in the USHL. An injury, went to college.

"College hockey now has changed. This is the first year I've seen a lot of it. The NCAA hasn't been a 17-year-old league and it's now becoming one, and 17 vs. 25 years old, that's a big difference. He went there and we just expect him to continue to grow and get better, but we think he's a 200-foot player that can play in that middle second-third line on our team and in our organization. I actually view the way the team has been built and the way the league has been going. I think we have a primary line right now if coach decides to use it that way with Holloway, Snuggerud, and Robert Thomas, then I think you need six forward who can make the balance of the next two lines. They're pretty interchangeable on where they're going to go. I think that a Lawrence is going to slide in there like all that group of players."

Dagenais was listed as 23rd in TSN's prospect final rankings. There was an opportunity for the Blues to perhaps grab 6-5, 228-pound left wing Ethan Belchetz of Windsor (OHL) or perhaps Ryan Lin, a defenseman from Vancouver (WHL) at No. 16 but held high regard for Dagenais.

"Size. He's a big man," Armstrong said. "First overall pick in the Quebec league. A player that also has multi-positional talents -- center to left wing. We just think that he's a big man that's a boy. His runway might be a little bit longer as he grows into his body, as he adds muscle, as he adds strength. But we think the finished product, when he totally matures, he's going to be a handful that can score."

Dagenais, who will return to play in the QMJHL next season, had 62 points (30 goals, 32 assists) in 62 games for the Remparts last season.

"Actually, I was surprised at first, but I think just landing in such a great organization," Dagenais said. 'I know some people who get drafted there, and it’s such an amazing feeling. I’ve got no words.

"... Learned a lot last year about my game. I think the prospect game really opened my eyes how I need to play for the next level. I’m ready to learn again. Keep going with that game, also."

The Blues have nine more picks on Saturday, none in the second round, when rounds 2-7 commence. They have three in the third, two in the fourth, two in the fifth and one each on the sixth and seventh rounds.

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