MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo.—A week after being drafted, the Saint Louis Blues rookies hit the ice in front of many Blues fans at the Centene Community Ice Center on Monday.

“It was cool to see everybody, all the draft picks from previous years,” said Justin Carbonneau, the Blues’ 2025 first-round pick. “Really excited to be here—It was pretty fun but confidence is everything. Not being cocky or being too confident but just believing in yourself. And knowing that you get on the ice, you’re the best and try to show it but to stay on board is important too.”

It was a chance for the young forwards to show off their abilities. 

Mikhail Fyodorov spoke to media through Arseny Koromyslov, a fellow Blues player. Fyodorov said he wants to work with the Blues coaches and was trying to show his best skills during the practice, which includes his speed and his shot. Near the end of the session, Fyodorov made a key backward pass that was then bounced to Antoine Dorion who put the puck in the net. 

Coaches led young players, including their last three first-round-picks, through puck drills and ended the session with three on three action. 

“It’s the best people," said Charbonneau, from Quebec, Canada. "To get advice from them, is just, you have to accept that you have no choice because it's the best advice I'm going to get in the world. So, really proud to be here and lot's of learning is coming up.”

For Carbonneau, his dream started at the age of four..

“I said to my parents, my family, I'm going to play in the NHL one day and they don't believe me at all. They said ‘not a lot of guys play and get drafted,’ and I did.—When I got my jersey on, it was really emotional to be a Blue.”

Carbonneau grew up wanting to be like Jordan Kyrou and now could share the ice with him one day.

“Jordan, I compare myself to him. I was not like Jordan Kyrou but I was such a fan that I wanted to be Jordan Kyrou. Watching him, young player, lots of skills, offensive skills, it was just amazing.—He sent me a text after the draft and a couple of guys too—it means a lot to get a text from him.”