The St. Louis Blues lack power forwards in their NHL roster and in their prospect pool, but if they selected 6-foot-5 Ethan Belchetz in the first round of the 2026 NHL draft, they would instantly solve that issue.
We’ve named numerous players the St. Louis Blues could target at pick No. 11, but today we are going to look at a player who could be available at 11 and possibly at pick No. 15.
That is no other than 6-foot-5, 228-pound left winger Ethan Belchetz.
The Oakville, Ont., native has been blessed with a massive frame and a skill set that should thrive in the NHL. Although his numbers in the OHL this season with the Windsor Spitfires weren’t setting the league on fire, he still posted a very respectable 34 goals and 59 points in 57 games.
Belchetz finished second on the team in goals and fourth in points.
Additionally, Belchetz has had strong showings on the international stage with Team Canada, posting four goals and five points in five games at the U-17s, and scoring four goals and seven points in five games at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Belchetz is an interesting case. Drafting him is based on projection rather than what he’s shown so far. As we mentioned, his numbers aren’t poor by any means, but scouts were hoping for a stronger second season in the OHL.
His draft is based on projections due to his size, but he offers more than that. Belchetz, despite being a massive figure, makes nifty passes in small spaces. His playmaking goes a bit under the radar because he scores more goals than he sets up.
But with players like Belchetz, when things finally click for them, they become dominant players. Unfortunately, for some, they don’t always click.
With his size, Belchetz dominates the front of the net and scores many of his goals like that. He drives the puck to the net, looking to score in and around the crease. Another strength of his is his ability to take the puck off the boards. Using his body to win puck battles is one thing, but the ability to control the puck and make a play afterwards is another.
Eliteprospects.com polled their NHL draft scouts and ranked Belchetz as the best power forward. If Belchetz can become a physically dominant, goal-scoring power forward in the NHL, he fits the mold of a successful post-season player. The Blues’ prospect pool, outside of Adam Jecho, doesn’t feature many tall prospects like Belchetz, so he could add an element that they desperately need.
The 18-year-old would require patience, as there are still plenty of facets of his game that need developing, but Belchetz can be a home run swing in the right situation.
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