The St. Louis Blues announced Monday that defenseman Logan Mailloux will miss at least the first eight weeks of the season after needing hand surgery.
The 23-year-old Mailloux, expected to team up with Philip Broberg to serve as St. Louis’ top blue-line pairing, injured his right hand fighting the Chicago Blackhawks’ Cole Smith during the preseason finale Saturday.
Mailloux, the Montreal Canadiens’ first-round pick in 2021, posted five goals, eight assists and 48 penalty minutes in 67 games last year during his first full NHL season. He and fellow defenseman Tyler Tucker will open the season on injured reserve.
“(Mailloux) will be reevaluated at eight weeks,” Blues general manager Alexander Steen told reporters Monday. “He’s had a great camp, but that’s the game. These things pop up, sometimes when things are going good and it’s not the right timing. But this is part of the game. Logan’s in a good headspace. Like I said, everything went well (with his surgery).”
To fill the team’s open spots on the blue line, St. Louis signed veteran Justin Barron off waivers from Nashville and recalled 20-year-old rookie Adam Jiricek from AHL affiliate Springfield.
Jiricek, selected 16th overall by the Blues in 2024, has yet to make his NHL debut.
Barron, 24, joins his fourth NHL franchise since entering the league in 2021-22. He’s posted 18 goals and 34 assists over 208 games for the Colorado Avalanche (2021-22), Montreal (2022-24) and Nashville (2024-26). He notched nine assists in 52 games for the Predators last season.
“Our scouts have liked his game when we watched him play,” Steen said while citing Barron’s mobility as a positive. “This is a fresh start for him.”