Belchetz a power-forward option as Blues set to draft at Nos. 11 and 15

As the 2026 NHL Draft approaches in late June, Yahoo Sports has pointed to Ethan Belchetz as a potential first-round fit for the St. Louis Blues. The pitch is straightforward: Yahoo frames the Blues as needing more power-forward presence, and Belchetz is a 6-foot-5 winger whose scouting profile is built around size, finishing, and offensive instincts. St. Louis, meanwhile, is scheduled to be on the clock early, holding first-round picks at No. 11 and No. 15 for the draft in Buffalo.

Belchetz’s appeal, as presented across NHL draft coverage, is that his game is meant to translate quickly to NHL-style battles in front of the net. He plays left wing for the Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League, and has described him as an intimidating presence who combines strength with skill. The underlying team-building logic is that St. Louis can use high first-round positioning to add an impact-forward profile rather than waiting for the prospect pipeline to develop into a physical scoring threat.

In the 2025-26 season, Belchetz produced at a rate that helps explain his ranking momentum. On New Jersey’s official team prospect page, he is listed at 6-5 and 227 pounds, shoots left, and posted 57 games with 34 goals, 25 assists, 59 points, a plus-19 rating, and 45 penalty minutes for Windsor. ’s draft notebook also emphasized that Central Scouting had given him an A rating on preliminary players to watch, along with a projection as a top-10 selection in the 2026 draft.

What separates Belchetz from the generic “big forward” label is how his offensive game is repeatedly characterized. ’s scouting write-up for his draft profile credits him with improved footwork, agility, and quickness, plus the ability to be difficult to handle down low and effective in front of the net. It also highlights hockey sense, good hands, and a shot that creates chances. At the same time, the concerns are equally consistent, and they matter for how quickly a team expects him to impact NHL opponents. The Devils’ prospect page, citing scouting commentary, notes that skating is the biggest risk factor, describing him as a below-average skater at best.

For the Blues, the No. 11 and No. 15 window makes that risk-reward practical. Those picks are close enough in the first round that the organization can view them as a short runway to land one high-ceiling player, then use the other selection to either reinforce the build or take a swing if Belchetz is still available. The draft itself is set with Round 1 on Friday, June 26, and St. Louis’ two first-round selections fall early enough that teams with different needs could choose to address them with forwards who carry less volatility than an impact-heavy power profile.

The most important watch item is not just whether Belchetz is on the board, but whether his strengths stay intact against the most difficult part of the transition, his foot speed and stride efficiency at NHL tempo. If he is available to St. Louis at either No. 11 or No. 15, this would be the kind of pick where the immediate upside is physical scoring and net-front presence, while the medium-term question is how fast the skating concern can be mitigated through development.

Even if Belchetz is a fit on paper, draft day is still a projection game. Teams ahead of the Blues will decide how they weight skating versus power-forward skill, and Belchetz’s availability could move quickly once the draft board turns. St. Louis has the advantage of two early first-round choices, but it still may not get a chance to take both a physical winger and a separate need at the same time. The weeks leading into June 26 should clarify that by showing which teams pass on him and which teams treat him as a must-grab before the middle of the first round.