Junior (2008–2010) Schwartz began his hockey career playing
junior ice hockey for his hometown's
Notre Dame Hounds in the
Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). During the 2008–09 season with the Hounds, Schwartz finished fifth in the SJHL scoring rankings with 34 goals and 42 assists in 46 games. At the end of the season, he was named the SJHL's Rookie of the Year. Schwartz transferred to the
Tri-City Storm of the
United States Hockey League (USHL). Schwartz captured the
2009–10 USHL scoring title with 33 goals and 50 assists through 60 games. Following his USHL play, Schwartz was drafted 14th overall in the
2010 NHL entry draft.
Collegiate (2010–2012) in March 2011 On January 22, 2008, Schwartz, although drafted by an NHL team, committed to play
collegiate ice hockey with
Colorado College of the
Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) for the
2010–11 season. In the first round, he recorded two goals and two assists to help the fourth-seeded Colorado College defeat the reigning NCAA champion and number one-seeded
Boston College 8–4. He also assisted on the lone goal, scored by his brother, Rylan, in the second-round game against
Michigan. Schwartz finished his freshman season at Colorado College with 17 goals and 30 assists for 47 points through 30 games. His 47 points was the highest on the team. During the season, he would lead all freshmen nationally with 1.57 points per game. He led the Tigers in points and assists for the season; four of his 15 goals were recorded as game-winning goals, and five of his goals came on power plays.
Professional St. Louis Blues (2012–2021) 2019
Stanley Cup parade On March 12, 2012, Schwartz decided to forgo his final two years of NCAA eligibility and signed a three-year,
entry-level contract with the
St. Louis Blues, which added him to their NHL roster. After travelling and practicing with the team for a week, he was given his first opportunity for NHL play after winger
Andy McDonald received a shoulder injury. Schwartz made his NHL debut on March 17, 2012, in
Tampa Bay, skating on the second line with
Jamie Langenbrunner and
Patrik Berglund. During the game, he scored his first NHL goal, a game-winner, from his first NHL shot on the power play at the 19:24 mark of the first period, when he intercepted a rebound in front of the net and beat Tampa Bay goaltender
Dwayne Roloson. Due to the
2012–13 NHL lockout, Schwartz was one of 25 to be sent down to the Blues'
American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the
Peoria Rivermen, to play the
2012–13 season. In 33 games with the Rivermen, he achieved 9 goals and 19 points, with a
plus–minus rating of -14. Schwartz had an excellent
2013–14 season, collecting 25 goals and 56 points in 80 games, placing him fifth in the team's point production rankings. On September 27, 2014, Schwartz agreed to a two-year, $4.7 million contract extension with the Blues after an off-season surrounded with uncertainty about whether he would rejoin the club. Following
Vladimir Sobotka's departure for the KHL's
Avangard Omsk, Schwartz switched to number 17 beginning in the
2014–15 season, having previously worn number 9 in his Blues career. The change was made as a tribute to his late sister, who wore the number playing hockey at Yale before being diagnosed with leukemia. Schwartz went on to have yet another breakout season, accumulating 28 goals and 63 points. On October 23, 2015, right after the beginning of the
2015–16 season, Schwartz suffered an ankle injury during practice. On February 10, 2016, Schwartz was activated off of injured reserve after missing 49 games. After playing only 33 games in the season, Schwartz would collect 22 points. On July 15, the Blues signed Schwartz to a five-year contract for $26.75 million, in order to avoid
arbitration. Schwartz got injured again, this time to his elbow, during the Blues' training camp on September 29, 2016, prior to the start of
the next season. In the first 37 games after recovery, Schwartz scored only two goals. In the last 20, Schwartz picked up the pace and scored 5 goals and got 18 points. During the
playoffs, Schwartz collected four goals and nine points in 11 games. On December 9, 2017, in a 6–1 victory over the
Detroit Red Wings, Schwartz would suffer another ankle injury. Prior to the injury, Schwartz was ranked first on the team in both goals and points. During the
2018–19 season, Schwartz managed a decent 11 goals and 36 points through 69 games. During the
playoffs, in a first round series against the
Winnipeg Jets, Schwartz scored the game-winner in game five. 23 seconds into game six, Schwartz scored again. He then scored two more for a natural hat-trick, ultimately giving the Blues a 4–2 series win. Schwartz and the Blues went on to win the
Stanley Cup in
that season, St. Louis' first in their 52-year franchise history. Throughout the playoffs, Schwartz amassed two hat-tricks and led the Blues in playoff goals with 12, also collecting 8 assists. A
COVID-19-shortened
2019–20 season saw Schwartz collect 22 goals through 71 games. However, Schwartz made the decision to play that season. In a four-game first round
playoff series against the
Colorado Avalanche, Schwartz failed to score a single point. In a game on December 29, against the
Philadelphia Flyers, Schwartz fell victim to a hand injury. On January 6, 2022, the Kraken announced Schwartz would not be able to play for about a month as the injury would require surgery. Out longer than expected, he was activated from the injured reserve on March 5. Schwartz scored the first playoff goal in Seattle in nearly 104 years on April 22, 2023, against the Colorado Avalanche, in game three of the
Stanley Cup playoffs. ==International play==