When the Montreal Canadiens traded Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues, the deal looked like a solid hockey trade.
At the time, the Habs had just acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. With Lane Hutson winning the Calder Trophy, Kaiden Guhle rising through the ranks, and veteran Mike Matheson anchoring the blue line, it was evident that the Canadiens could make a deal from a position of strength.
In return, Montreal got Zack Bolduc from the Blues. The former first-round pick from the 2021 NHL Draft seemed to hit a wall in his development. Like Mailloux, the talent was there, but the results just weren’t.
So, the Blues and Canadiens pulled the trigger. Both got pieces they needed to boost their individual lineups.
Right off the bat, Bolduc was a hit for the Habs. He scored three goals in his first three games. It looked as though the Habs had found the sort of top-six piece they were looking for. Then, Bolduc failed to continue the momentum. He scored just one goal in his next 18 games, leading coach Martin St. Louis to push him down the lineup.
After 66 games this season, Bolduc has 10 goals and 26 points. While that’s not awful, it seems like a massive letdown after his hot start.
Meanwhile, Logan Mailloux went the opposite direction. And that’s what makes this deal all the more frustrating for the Canadiens.
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Mailloux Establishes Himself in St. Louis
As for Mailloux, he struggled out of the gate for the Blues. He didn’t overly impress in training camp. He didn’t quite fit in the team’s blueline, leading him to the press box a couple of times.
On the Blues’ end, the deal looked like a major flop. Bolduc was seemingly thriving in Montreal while Mailloux appeared out of place in St. Louis. The early returns were that the Canadiens had fleeced the Blues in the deal.
But time always delivers the best answers. Those answers revealed two players trending in opposite directions. Mailloux gradually found his footing with the Blues. He’s now on the team’s top pairing with Philip Broberg. The duo is now running the show on the St. Louis blue line, looking increasingly confident with each game.
That prospect allowed the Blues to confidently move veteran Justin Faulk at the NHL trade deadline. And it also makes it seem like the Blues have one of the best young D-pairs in the league.
Canadiens Can Still Win This Trade
The bottom line is that one season is not enough to write off young players. Developing players takes time. And in Bolduc’s case, time is on his side. He’s still only 23 and has plenty of runway to grow into his first-round pedigree.
Now, Bolduc may never become a true top-six forward with the Canadiens. That’s something that the organization might have to decide if they can live with. But as long as he remains a serviceable player, the club could live with the situation.
It’s also worth pointing out that players sometimes take a bit longer to reach their potential. The Canadiens hope that’s the case with Bolduc. That’s why patience could be the best path forward.
Canadiens Trade Doesn’t Look Too Good in Hindsight