The Montreal Canadiens made numerous moves this past offseason. The biggest one was landing top blueliner Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders.
That move not only solidified the club’s defense core but also made former first-round pick Logan Mailloux expendable.
So, a hockey trade became apparent. The Canadiens, with a flush of solid defensemen, needed another top-six forward. The St. Louis Blues, apparently flush with talented young forwards, needed another NHL-caliber defenseman.
That situation led to the Canadiens and Blues swapping former first-round picks.
Initially, the Logan Mailloux-Zack Bolduc trade largely flew under the radar. The move was seen as both clubs moving on from disappointing prospects. But three games into the 2025-26 season, and it looks like the Canadiens could have fleeced the Blues in this trade.
Bolduc has looked fantastic in his first three contests with Montreal. He’s got three goals and one assist for four points. But beyond the point totals, he’s looked great on the ice. He’s gelled with Kirby Dach and Brendan Gallagher on the Habs’ third line.
Bolduc has scored in each of his first three games with Montreal, looking increasingly confident on the ice. His ice time has climbed dramatically in those three games. He skated for 13:34 in the Hab’s Opening Night loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He then hit the ice for 14:52 against the Detroit Red Wings in their first win of the season. Last night, he was on the ice for nearly 17 minutes. That situation shows he’s earned coach Martin St. Louis’ trust in just three games this season.
Canadiens were right to move on from Mailloux
Meanwhile, it looks like the Canadiens made the right choice by moving on from Mailloux. It didn’t look like he had a role in Montreal once Dobson was acquired. The emergence of Lane Hutson further pushed Mailloux down the depth chart.
But Mailloux is still a talented young blueliner who could become a solid NHLer down the line. So, trading Mailloux was the right move. The Canadiens drew from a strength to address a need.
Mailloux has appeared in two games for the Blues this season and hasn’t looked bad. While he hasn’t dazzled anyone yet, there’s no reason to count Mailloux out. In the long run, this deal could look a lot better for the Blues.
But for now, it looks like the Habs got the better end of the trade. Bolduc looks poised to have a terrific season, while Mailloux could have a pedestrian one in St. Louis.
There’s still plenty of hockey to be played this season. But judging from the early returns, it looks like the Canadiens hit a home run with this trade.