The St. Louis Blues find themselves at a crossroads early in the 2025-26 NHL season, clinging to a .500 record after four games with a 2-2 mark. While the offense has shown sparks, the defense has been a point of concern. With the number of odd-man rushes given up, along with the periods of play looking flat-footed, the time has come where the coaching staff may want to consider potential lineup adjustments.
As the Blues prepare for the final three games of their home stand at Enterprise Center, the adjustment could start on thee blue line. Unfortunately, that could mean a temporary sidelining of young defenseman Logan Mailloux, whose adjustment period has been bumpy, in favor of giving Matt Kessel his first look of the season.
Mailloux, the 22-year-old right-shot blueliner who joined the Blues via a blockbuster offseason trade from the Montreal Canadiens, entered the year with high expectations. Drafted in 2021 amid off-ice controversy, he's battled to prove his worth, showcasing offensive potential in the AHL before cracking the NHL roster. However, his start in St. Louis has been uneven, shown especially in his plus-minus ratings: -4 in a home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, -2 against the Minnesota Wild, -1 in a road defeat at Calgary, and an even 0 in a hard-fought win at Vancouver.
While Mailloux may still be figuring out the new coaching staff's systems and the demands of a full-time NHL role, the pressure appears to be mounting. In just 12 career NHL games, he's navigating a fresh environment with significant external expectations. Blues captain Brayden Schenn addressed this postgame, offering support:
“He has played 11 or 12 games in the NHL and there’s a lot of pressure on him coming from the outside. We believe in Logan Mailloux. He’s coming in to new coaching, new systems. There’s a lot of stuff that goes into that...there’s no reason to put pressure on the kid.”
“We’re going to put that one behind us… it’s early on and I hope we can learn from that as a group.”
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 16, 2025
Hear from Colton Parayko, Brayden Schenn and Jim Montgomery after Wednesday’s game against Chicago. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/93V5EfnpBM
Veteran defenseman Colton Parayko echoed that sentiment, when asked if Mailloux might be pressing too hard: “I don’t know exactly what it is, but at the same time, it’s got to be difficult. Obviously going into your team and you want to play well. He’s a great player, full of confidence in him and I’m looking forward to him, to watch him continue to grow and keep building.”
While these comments from team leaders echo the organization's faith in Mailloux's talent, his booming shot, strong skating, and physical edge, there is also acknowledge the challenges of adaptation to the NHL, a new city, and organization.
Sitting Mailloux for a game or two isn't about punishment; it's about providing a mental breather to hit the reset button. With Kessel available, this move could allow Mailloux time to adapt to the system without the weight of immediate performance demands, ensuring he's available for the club in peak form and offering the best version of himself this season. Young defensemen can often benefit from such pauses, emerging more composed and effective.
In the end, this potential swap is ultimately one that needs to be handled delicately with a balance between development and pushing toward long-term, postseason aspirations. Benching Mailloux temporarily could foster his growth, while swapping for Kessel injects fresh energy. As the home stand concludes, the Blues aim to climb above .500 and solidify their identity.