St. Louis Blues sign Ross Johnston

 

 

The St. Louis Blues have signed left wing Ross Johnston to a three-year contract, worth $6 million. Johnston, played 62 games with 3 goals, 11 assists, and 14 points with the Anaheim Ducks in 2025-2026. The assists and points were both career highs for Johnston. The goals tied a career high from 2017-2018 for Johnston. 

 

Johnston played a career high (68) games in 2023-2024. 

 

Overall, Johnston has played 10 NHL seasons. Johnson has played 307 games with 14 goals, 32 assists, 46 points, and a -17. In the playoffs, Johnston has played 10 games with a -1. 

 

Johnston reunited with former Ducks teammates defenseman Cam Fowler and center Mason McTavish. Johnston is also reunited with former Ducks head coach Greg Cronin (Blues assistant coach). 

 

The Blues add some toughness and grit to their roster with the addition of Johnston. The Blues have needed some toughness and grit. 

St. Louis Blues re-sign Jonatan Berggren

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The St. Louis Blues have re-signed right wing Jonatan Berggren to a one-year contract extension, worth $2 million. Berggren, 25, played 51 games with 8 goals, 14 assists, 22 points, and a -5 combined between the Detroit Red Wings and Blues in 2025-2026. The assists were a career high for Berggren. 

The Blues claimed Berggren off waivers from the Red Wings on December 17, 2025 after struggling to start the season. Berggren then re-found life with the Blues. Berggren played 36 games with 6 goals, 10 assists, 16 points, and a -2. 

Berggren had his best season in 2022-2023. That season, Berggren played 67 games with 15 goals, 13 assists, 28 points, and a -14. The goals and points were both career highs for Berggren.

 Overall, Berggren has played 4 NHL seasons. Berggren has played 205 games with 37 goals, 43 assists, 80 points, and a -33. 

It's good to see the Blues keep Berggren around for another season. Berggren turned out to be a great surprise off waivers. It should be interesting to see if Berggren can keep the success he found with the Blues heading into the 2026-2027 season.  

St. Louis Blues acquire Brandon Carlo

 

The St. Louis Blues have traded picks traded picks no.73 and no.76 in the 2026 NHL Draft to the Toronto Maple Leafs for defenseman Brandon Carlo. Carlo, 29, played 55 games with 7 assists, 7 points, and a plus 4 in 2025-2026.

Carlo had his best season in 2019-2020, with the Boston Bruins. That season, Carlo played 67 games with 4 goals, 15 assists, 19 points, and a plus 16. The assists and points were both career highs for Carlo. 

In 2016-2017, Carlo had a career high (6) goals. 

Carlo played a career high (83) games in 2024-2025, combined between the Bruins and Maple Leafs.

Overall, Carlo has played 10 NHL seasons. Carlo has played 692 games with 29 goals, 90 assists, 119 points, and a plus 137. In the playoffs, Carlo has played 85 games with 5 goals, 9 assists, 14 points, and a plus 7. 

Carlo is entering the final year of a six-year contract that he signed with the Bruins on July 14, 2021. 

Carlo should help the Blues on defense and be a stop gap until Adam Jiricek is NHL ready. The Blues now have Logan Mailloux, Colton Parayko, and Carlo on the right side. 

The Blues defense pairings look to be 

Philip Broberg - Mailloux

Cam Fowler - Parayko

Tyler Tucker - Carlo

Extra - Matthew Kessel

Carlo is also reunited with former Bruins head coach and current Blues head coach Jim Montgomery. Montgomery coached Carlo for 3 seasons with the Bruins (2022-2025). Carlo was an alternate captain with the Bruins. 

St. Louis Blues acquire Mason McTavish

The St. Louis Blues have traded their 15th overall pick and 29th overall pick in tonight's NHL draft to the Anaheim Ducks for center Mason McTavish. McTavish, 23, played 75 games with 17 goals, 24 assists, 41 points, and a -15 in 2025-2026.

McTavish had his best season in 2024-2025. That season, McTavish played 76 games with 22 goals, 30 assists, and 52 points. The goals, assists, and points were all career highs for McTavish.

In 2022-2023, McTavish played a career high (80) games.

Overall, McTavish has played 5 NHL seasons. McTavish has played 304 games with 77 goals, 104 assists, 181 points, and a -54. In the playoffs, McTavish has played 10 games with 1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points, and a plus 1. 

McTavish is reunited with former Ducks teammate defenseman Cam Fowler and former Ducks head coach Greg Cronin (now a Blues assistant coach).

McTavish has the potential to be a good addition for the Blues roster. McTavish had success under Cronin when he was the Ducks head coach. 
 

St. Louis Blues trade Jordan Kyrou

 

The St. Louis Blues have traded center Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals for center Connor McMichael, center Milton Gastrin, and the Capitals 1st-round 2026 pick (16th overall) in the NHL Draft. Kyrou, 28, played 72 games with 18 goals, 28 assists, 46 points, and a -5 in 2025-2026. 

Kyrou had his best season in 2021-2022. That season, Kyrou was an All-Star and played 74 games with 27 goals, 48 assists, 75 points, and a plus 10. The assists and points were both career highs for Kyrou. 

In 2022-2023, Kyrou had a career high (37) goals. 

Kyrou played a career high (82) games in 2023-024. 

Overall, Kyrou has played 8 NHL seasons. Kyrou has played 488 games with 168 goals, 210 assists, 378 points, and a -21. In the playoffs, Kyrou has played 28 games with 11 goals, 2 assists, 13 points, and a -12. 

McMichael, 25, played 78 games with 14 goals, 32 assists, 46 points, and a plus 8 in 2025-2026. The assists were a career high for McMichael. 

McMichael had his best season in 2024-2025. That season, McMichael played 82 games with 26 goals, 31 assists, 57 points, and a plus 19. The games, goals, points, and plus mark were all career highs for McMichael. 

Overall, McMichael has played 6 NHL seasons. McMichael has played 315 games with 67 goals, 87 assists, 154 points, and a plus 4. In the playoffs, McMichael has played 18 games with 5 goals, 3 assists, and 8 points. 

Gastrin, 19, was drafted by the Capitals in the 2nd round (37th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft. Gastrin played 39 games with 10 goals, 14 assists 24 points, and a plus 2 with MoDo Hockey Ornskoldsvik (Swedish Hockey League) in 2025-2026.

The Blues got a good return for Kyrou. McMichael played on the Capitals 2nd line last season and is a good middle six center. Gastrin can make plays around the net. 

It should be interesting to see if the Blues make any other trades before or during the NHL Draft on Friday. The Blues now have four 1st-round picks on Friday night (no.11, no.15, no.16, and no.29).

St. Louis Cardinals trade Chris Roycroft

The St. Louis Cardinals have traded RHP Chris Roycroft to the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations or a player to be named later. Roycroft, 29, is currently 0-0 with a 15.19 ERA, 7 games, 5.1 innings, 4 strikeouts, 8 walks, and a whip of in 2026.

Roycroft had his best season in 2024. That season, Roycroft was 1-2 with a 4.19 ERA, 27 games, 1 hold, 34.1 innings, 33 strikeouts, 17 walks, and a whip of 1.84. The wins, games, innings, and strikeouts were all career highs for Roycroft. 

In 2025, Roycroft had a career high (2) holds. 

Overall, Roycroft is currently in his 3rd MLB season. Roycroft is 2-5 with a 6.41 ERA, 54 games, 3 holds, 60.1 innings, 52 strikeouts. 37 walks, and a whip of 1.77.

The Rays hope that a change of scenery can help Roycroft. Roycroft showed some flashes in 2024 that he could be good. 
 

St. Louis Blues hire Vaclav Prospal, Greg Cronin as assistant coaches

 

The St. Louis Blues have hired Vaclav "Vinny" Prospal and Greg Cronin as assistant coaches for Jim Montgomery's coaching staff. Prospal and Cronin both signed multi-year contracts. Prospal, 51, spent the last 3 seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL's Rochester Americans. In each season the Americans reached the playoffs. Prospal was in charge of the forwards and power play for the Americans and will now do the same for the Blues. Last season, the Americans power play unit ranked 4th in the AHL and 1st in the East. 

As a player, Prospal played 16 seasons in the NHL (1996-2004, 2005-2013). Prospal played 1,108 games with 255 goals, 510 assists, 765 points, and a -57. In the playoffs, Prospal played 65 games with 10 goals, 25 assists, 35 points, and a -7. Prospal spent the most of his career (6 seasons) with the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Cronin, 63, most recently spent 1 season as head coach with the Iowa Wild (2025-2026). Under Cronin, the Wild were 72-36-9. Before becoming the Wild head coach, Cronin was head coach for the Anaheim Ducks for 2 seasons (2023-2025). 

Overall, Cronin coached 164 games and was 62-87-15 with 139 points and a points percentage of .424. Cronin had his best season in 2024-2025. That season, the Ducks were 35-37-10 with 80 points and a points percentage of .488. The wins, points, and points percentage were all career highs for Cronin in his career as an NHL head coach. 

Cronin was fired by the Ducks on April 19, 2025, and replaced by Joel Quenneville. 

Cronin will be in charge of the Blues defensemen and penalty-kill unit. Cronin is reunited with Blues defenseman Cam Fowler. Both Cronin and Fowler know each other from the Ducks. 

On paper, both Prospal and Cronin seem to be great hires for Montgomery's coaching staff.