The St. Louis Blues have made a significant move today, placing veteran defenseman Nick Leddy on waivers. This decision, coming on the heels of the team’s acquisition of Logan Mailloux from the Montreal Canadiens, signals a strategic pivot toward youth and cap management as the Blues reshape their roster. For Leddy, a 34-year-old with one year remaining on his $4 million contract, this could open the door to new opportunities if he clears waivers or prompts a negotiated exit to free up salary cap space.
#stlblues have placed D Nick Leddy on regular waivers. The 34-year-old has one year left at $4m - Leddy and the Blues had been working together to find a trade partner where he’d get more opportunity.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 2, 2025
Trade hasn’t materialized so taking a swing on waivers. Effortless skater.
Leddy, who appeared in 31 games last season with a plus-6 rating, has been a reliable skater but saw his ice time dip to an average of 18:40 per game—his lowest since 2013-14—due to a lower-body injury.
The Blues’ recent trade for 22-year-old Mailloux, who recorded two goals and four points in seven games with Montreal, reaffirms General Manager Doug Armstrong’s focus on integrating younger talent. With this shift, Leddy’s waiver placement could pave the way for increased roles for emerging Blues defensemen.
Mailloux, a 6-foot-3 right-shot defenseman with 12 goals and 21 assists in 63 AHL games last season, is poised to claim a bottom-four spot. The 6-foot-2-inch, Tyler Tucker, had seven points in 38 games during the 2024-25 season, could see his ice time rise above his current 14:35 per game average, especially given his increased role and sandpaper and grit style he brings to the game. Meanwhile, Matt Kessel, a 25-year-old with only 70 games of NHL experience, might solidify his position with more consistent minutes as well. This move promises to open opportunities for the defensemen to truly grab the opportunity out of training camp.
The Blues’ approach with Leddy could mirror a similar cap-clearing strategy seen earlier this year with forward Brandon Saad, whose mutual contract termination in January 2025 freed up $5.425 million after he cleared waivers and signed with the Vegas Golden Knights. While Leddy’s situation may not follow the same exact path, the potential for a similar outcome exists if no team claims him, allowing St. Louis to reallocate resources for future roster moves.
As the waiver period progresses, the focus will be on whether Leddy finds a new team or remains with the Blues, potentially leading to a negotiated departure. For now, this bold step reflects the Blues’ commitment to a retooling phase, blending experience with the promise of a youthful defense.