Defenseman had surgery on right hand Sunday, will be re-evaluated in eight weeks
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- This wasn’t how the St. Louis Blues envisioned starting the season off, but circumstances force one to alter the hand and the team feels like it’s in a good spot.
With general manager Alexander Steen announcing on Monday morning that defensemen Logan Mailloux and Tyler Tucker will each start off the season on injured reserve – Mailloux will be re-evaluated in eight weeks after having a procedure Sunday on his right hand and Tucker being out week-to-week with a right knee injury that will require a second opinion – the Blues have options that they feel will hopefully make for a seamless transition after recalling Adam Jiricek, a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and claiming Justin Barron off waivers from the Nashville Predators.
But nonetheless, Mailloux’s injury, the result of a first-period fight in a 3-2 preseason loss to the Chicago Blackhawks with Cole Smith – comes at a tough time.
“Very good. He’s had a great camp,” Steen said of Mailloux. “That’s the game. These things pop up when things are going good, and it’s not the right timing, but this is part of the game. Logan is in a good head space.
“Everything went well (with the surgery). Now his main goal is to rehab and to get himself as prepared as he was for camp for when he’s able to return and at that time grab an oar and start rowing with the boys again.”
Mailloux was penciled in to begin the season paired with Philip Broberg on the top pair, as they were to end last season when that duo really started to take off.
“I think he looked great,” Broberg said. “He was moving his feet, passing the puck well, shooting it. He was looking very good, so it’s unfortunate. He’s got to work his way back and get back as quick as he can.”
Nonetheless, the Blues feel they will have a hole to fill.
“That’s a pretty significant loss just because he was playing so aggressively, trusting his instincts, taking away time and space, impacting the game at both ends of the ice,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said of Mailloux, who finished last season with 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 67 games.
Mailloux jumped in to confront Smith after the Blackhawks forward clipped Broberg near his knee that resulted initially into a tripping minor before the two scrapped.
“Yeah, I think we've shown a lot of that, not just throughout the preseason but discussions going into the year,” Steen said. “The guys feel like they're growing in those areas and that was obviously a big play by Logan.”
Broberg appreciated his teammate jumping to his defense.
“I jumped out of the way, I saw (Smith) coming,” Broberg said. “He just got a piece of me. It’s hockey. It happens. I appreciate (Mailloux) sticking up for me. Unfortunately, the fight went as it went and just go from there.”
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