Having just started their game tonight, the St. Louis Blues announced that defenseman Logan Mailloux has been signed to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth $850k.
Acquired by the Blues last summer from Montreal in exchange for Zachary Bolduc, Mailloux has had his struggles this season across 31 games. The 6’3″ righty known as an offensive defender has just two points, and is a -21.
St. Louis, in the process of a youth movement of sorts, clearly still values the former first round pick and is intent on developing him further. Interestingly, given his previous draft status and current production underwhelming, Mailloux will come in on his next deal at a cap hit $25k below his current $875k, although it brings stability with one-way status.
A restricted free agent at season’s end, the organization was in no particular hurry to work out a deal, but with Mailloux now settled, they can turn attention to their other pending restricted free agents: Dylan Holloway, Jonatan Berggren, and Matthew Kessel, with a core essentially locked up.
Subject to criticism considering his play this season, which offers metrics among the league’s worst both offensively and defensively, the 22-year-old is still a project of sorts. Mailloux is in a strange place at the moment, in which he has contributed at the highest level considerably more than his counterparts, other defensemen selected in the back half of the 2021 draft’s first round, but also not showing much progress either.
Fresh out of the OHL, the Windsor, Ontario native burst onto the scene with the Laval Rocket in 2023-24, posting 47 points and representing the team at the AHL All Star Game. There were concerns with his decision-making, especially in his own zone, but Montreal figured to have an intriguing prospect, offering the size and skill on the back end that scouts salivate over.
Breaking into the NHL in eight games as a Hab, Mailloux recorded five points, but he was unable to solidify a role, spending most of 2024-25 back in Laval. After recording 33 points, a step back from his rookie campaign, the Canadiens brought in star Noah Dobson, further clouding Mailloux’s future, already contending with fellow top prospect David Reinbacher.
In a simple player swap, Mailloux was brought in to St. Louis in exchange for Bolduc last July, another 2021 draftee. Since then, he has struggled under Head Coach Jim Montgomery, his defensive lapses especially magnified. Remaining confident in his potential, the Blues have remained patient, keeping him in the lineup of late, mostly in sheltered third pairing roles.
After a hot start with Montreal, Bolduc has cooled off a bit, with 17 points in 46 games. Another restricted free agent to-be, we may figure out the team’s plans with the forward sooner rather than later. Naturally, it will be compared to Mailloux and his deal today, which is indicative that St. Louis remains cautiously optimistic.
With the team seemingly out of playoff reach, Mailloux offers enough raw potential that they have little to lose in giving it another year. By the end of the extension, the righty will be 24, still on the young side, but at an age in which their evaluations can be grounded. St. Louis features accomplished veteran puck movers Justin Faulk and Cam Fowler, who the youngster can lean on.
Typically regarded as the Blues’ top defense prospect, if he’s unable to pan out, thankfully the team has Adam Jiříček coming along, who offers the same size as Mailloux with potentially more sound defensive play. Selected 16th overall in 2024, the Czech is still a ways away from contribution. Philip Broberg, another former first rounder brought in by the team in their retool, has flourished in a big way. The lefty earned a six-year extension last Saturday.
Things have yet to work out for Mailloux, but still in need of youth, the Blues will give it another year to try and unlock his potential.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Wow! Offensive defender? That’s an oxymoron.