Logan Mailloux Out Eight Weeks As St. Louis Blues Also Lose Tyler Tucker To Injury

The St. Louis Blues will start the regular season without two defensemen after placing Logan Mailloux and Tyler Tucker on injured reserve. Mailloux underwent successful surgery on his right hand Sunday and will be re-evaluated in eight weeks, while Tucker is dealing with a lower-body injury and is considered week-to-week. The timing leaves St. Louis down two defensemen just days before its season opener against the Dallas Stars. Both players were expected to be part of the NHL roster, with Mailloux coming into the season after making five goals and eight assists in 67 games last year.

Logan Mailloux Placed On Injured Reserve

The Blues announced on Monday that Mailloux was placed on injured reserve, after he suffered an upper-body injury during Saturday's preseason finale against the Chicago Blackhawks. He did not return after the first period, and the Blues later confirmed that he needed surgery on his right hand.

The procedure was performed by team physicians from Washington University Orthopedics. Mailloux is now expected to miss at least eight weeks before being re-evaluated. He had been expected to start the season on one of the Blues' top defense pairs alongside Philip Broberg.

General Manager Alexander Steen said, “He's had a great (training) camp but that's the game. These things pop up sometimes when things are going good and it's not the right timing. But it's part of the game and Logan is in a good headspace, everything went well yesterday. Now his main goal is to rehab and get himself as prepared as he was for camp for when he's able to return. At that time, grab an oar and start rowing with the boys again.”

Mailloux recorded 13 points and 48 penalty minutes in 67 games last season, his first full NHL campaign.

Tucker listed as week-to-week

Tucker was also placed on injured reserve because of a lower-body injury. He is considered week-to-week after tweaking his knee in practice last weekend.

The 26-year-old defenseman played 69 games for St. Louis last season, recording 17 points, 81 penalty minutes and 100 hits. He has dealt with lower-body injuries before, including a six-game absence late last season.

Blues add defensive depth

St. Louis had already made moves to add depth before the injury news. The Blues recalled Adam Jiricek from Springfield of the AHL and claimed Justin Barron off waivers from the Nashville Predators.

Barron, 24, shoots right and could help fill the spot left by Mailloux. He recorded 21 points in 97 games with Nashville over the past two seasons.

Steen said, “We brought Adam (Jiricek) up, and we felt organizationally we had depth on our left side. This helps create more depth on our right side.”

Jiricek, the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, has yet to make his NHL debut. The Blues open the regular season Friday in Dallas and then visit the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.