Another trade has hit the NHL on this busy Tuesday. The St. Louis Blues trade Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals in exchange for Connor McMichael, the 16th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, and Milton Gastrin. Let us discuss this trade.
We've acquired Connor McMichael, Milton Gastrin and a first-round pick (No. 16 overall) in 2026 from the Washignton Capitals in exchange for Jordan Kyrou. #stlblues
TRADE DETAILS ➡️ https://t.co/I7K7zDK7CC https://t.co/I7K7zDK7CC
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) June 23, 2026
Blues Trade Jordan Kyrou to Capitals
One of the top trade targets this offseason, Jordan Kyrou, is a highly coveted player for his speed, transition play, and lethal shot. He is coming off a tough season, scoring just 18 goals and 28 assists for 46 points in 72 games for the Blues, after recording over 30 goals in each of his previous three seasons.
“We are thrilled to acquire Jordan and welcome him to our team,” said Washington Capitals General Manager Chris Patrick. “Jordan is an exceptionally talented and dynamic offensive player who will make an immediate impact on our club. His skill, creativity, and ability to generate offence at an elite level will be a tremendous addition to our group. At just 28 years old and under contract for the next five seasons, Jordan is entering the prime years of his career. We believe he is an ideal fit for our team both now and for the long term.”
What Does This Mean For Both Teams?
For the Capitals, they are adding an elite offensive player, who has played on the Blues’ top lines for multiple seasons, alongside Robert Thomas and other skilled players. A very skilled rush player who can add speed to an aging Capitals core. No doubt, this will be a solid improvement for a team that wants to make it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs again before Alex Ovechkin calls it a career. Kyrou has an $8.125 million average annual value on his salary until 2031. The Capitals still have over $23 million in cap space to work with this offseason.
For the Blues, they are adding Connor McMichael to their team, a versatile two-way centre with high hockey IQ. He scored 14 goals and 32 assists for 46 points in 78 games last season. A good addition to their core down the middle, which felt thin going into this offseason. A good second-line option for the team. They also acquired Milton Gastrin, a 19-year-old prospect who got drafted 37th overall in 2025 by the Capitals. Gastrin played in HockeyAllsvenskan’s Modo hockey team, scoring 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points in 39 games last season. He was selected to be a part of the 2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships with Team Sweden.
The Blues now have four selections in the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, with the 11th, 15th, 16th, and 29th picks overall. Will they select four up-and-coming prospects, or is this a sign of more trades to come as we are just a few days away from the NHL Draft? Time will tell.
Main Photo: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
