A Draft Snub That Raises Eyebrows
The Athletic’s recently released top 20 list of NHL‑drafted goaltending prospects left a notable name out, a omission that has sparked discussion among analysts and fans alike.
Love Harenstam, the St. Louis Blues’ sixth‑round selection in the 2025 draft, enjoyed a breakout 2025‑26 season that culminated in a gold medal with Sweden at the World Junior Championship, where he was voted best goaltender, rookie of the year and ultimately the tournament’s top netminder.
In Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan he posted a .920 save percentage across 32 games, earning both rookie and goaltender of the year honors, statistics that many expected would translate into a higher ranking on the publication’s list.
The Athletic’s top 100 skaters list did feature four Blues prospects — Tynan Lawrence, Dalibor Dvorsky, Justin Carbonneau and Adam Jiricek — while Otto Stenberg and Theo Lindstein received honorable mentions, underscoring the depth of the organization’s pipeline.
Harenstam is slated to return to Sodertalje SK for the 2026‑27 season and is expected to start for Team Sweden at the upcoming world juniors, a trajectory that could reshape the Blues’ goaltending outlook in the near future.