So how good will Mailloux be?

[StlFanInVA]

Secondly, it’s wrong. He’s scored 4 playoff goals, not 2. Heck, he had 3 just this past season against the Jets.

It’s not wrong. He has goals in 2 playoff games in his career

Ah, I see how you worded it a now…purposely worded in that precise way to frame it in a way that fits your agenda. Yes, he’s scored 4 goals in those 2 games. Interesting how you cut out and didn’t respond to the rest of my post where I called out your cr@p.

My agenda because you read something wrong? He has scored a goal in 2 games over his playoff career.

The rest of my (bleep)? He’s been a poor playoff performer imo. He’s not a driver and has been a peripheral player. Sorry my opinion upsets you. Appears more you’re the one with an agenda when you get upset.

Someone else already pointed this out, but buchnevich has 19 points in 19 playoff games as a blue. That’s not a “poor playoff performer.” Stats aren’t everything, but surely they count for something when we’re judging a players performance, right?

They mean a lot, especially when you move them around multiple different ways and they still say the same thing. If your goal is to put up points, Buchy gets you points. He did it in 12 of 19 games, he got 19 in 19. so that means 2 out of 3 games in the playoffs, Buchy is going to register a point. And a few of those games, he's going to multi point it. Now that's of course in a Blues uniform. Nobody else on the roster is doing the same thing from an offensive standpoint. So if he's the best at it on a roster, what does that tell you?

Just to give everyone a heads up, minimum 50 games played there were 9 guys who registered a PPG prior to this playoff (can't find the stat that includes this seasons.) Those guys were Mcdavid, Draisitl, Mackinnon, Rantanen, Kucherovc, Makar, Pastrnak, Point, Guentzel. After that it was below a point a game. I think I will take PPG production from our lowly Buchy in a Blues uniform. And if you want to take his career, its still .74 ppg which is just a tick under his career .77 during the regular season.

Buchy as a Blue. .90PPG during regular season. 1PPG during playoffs. Best performer we have had since acquiring him. FACTS.

Great post!

[dr0zombie]

A good perspective on Mailloux before the trade. Let's hope this one works out like the Sergachev trade did.

https://thehockeywriters.com/canadiens- ... -mailloux/

[Bluesfan1978]

I think the Canadians did well in making the trade. Picking up a RHD entering their prime while the rest of the Dis still young can’t be a bad move. In saying that by all accounts it sounds like Mailloux is trending in the right direction. I’m excited to see how he develops. Would love to see him turn into a 20 goal, 50 plus pt a year D.

[dhsux]

I believe he was a great prospect and I think he has faced a fair amount of adversity since being drafted that has likely interrupted/interfered with his natural learning progress.

This is what I consider a second chance, maybe a second start is a better way to say it. He could easily be the gem the Blues have been looking for.

I do see this trade working out for both teams and I am also interested in just how well Zach is going to manage his own path as well in Montreal.

[Old_Goat]

Secondly, it’s wrong. He’s scored 4 playoff goals, not 2. Heck, he had 3 just this past season against the Jets.

It’s not wrong. He has goals in 2 playoff games in his career

Ah, I see how you worded it a now…purposely worded in that precise way to frame it in a way that fits your agenda. Yes, he’s scored 4 goals in those 2 games. Interesting how you cut out and didn’t respond to the rest of my post where I called out your cr@p.

My agenda because you read something wrong? He has scored a goal in 2 games over his playoff career.

The rest of my (bleep)? He’s been a poor playoff performer imo. He’s not a driver and has been a peripheral player. Sorry my opinion upsets you. Appears more you’re the one with an agenda when you get upset.

Well that’s great dialogue

Actually it is. Really no better polite way for someone to response to the continual [nonsense] that is not dialogue.

[Old_Goat]

No. It wasn't. One guy had stats much alike most first year, NHL hall of Famers, The added value of the premium position means little when talking future 1st line winger and the hope of a overpaid 3rd pair, defensive liability.

Come on now. You’re now saying Bolduc projects as a future HOFer or at least 1st liner?? In no way shape or form is a 40 pt pace what future HOFers do at age 21. Bolduc is a good young player and I’m sad to lose him but once again, you’re way overrating him.

And also once again, almost certainly way underrating Mailloux as well. He very well may be a 3rd pairing defensive liability guy this season. But he’s projected to improve, like pretty much all 22 year olds are projected to do. His career is just getting started. Far far from a finished product.

I question why we needed to do this sort of gamble based on where the team is.

Is Mailoux the one missing piece that we need? No.
Are we close to a Stanley Cup? No.
Why are we making trades as though we are 1 RHD away from a Cup?
Didn't we draft a RHD in 2024 (Jiricek) that has much of the same up-side as Mailloux?

No matter how you look at this trade? It doesn't make sense. It shouldn't have been needed. We are giving up what we say we need more of (200ft players), to get just what we don't need, another "prospect project".

Anyone that looks at the big picture on this trade realizes that something is badly wrong with the Blues and their talent acquisition. The same can be said with the offer sheets. Getting Holloway and Broberg was great -- BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BE THE BEST PROSPECTS ON THE TEAM. That reflects very poor talent acquisition has been going on outside of the offer sheets.

We can only make trades if the acquired player is the one missing piece now? Why? That makes no sense. We were flush with wingers and shallow on younger d-man. We evened that out.

Jiricek is 19. He’s a potential future RD. Mailloux is 3 years older and thus 3 years farther along on his development curve. We needed one now.

The trade makes plenty of sense to me and many others here clearly. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean the logic isn’t there.

Correct, Jiricek is a few years away. We needed one now, and also not another old guy.
And as far as Mailloux's weaknesses...both Al McGinnis and Chris Pronger live in St. Louis. McGinnis already with a formal position in the organization. I'm quite certain that both of those experienced Defensemen would respond to the call to occasionally give some additional pointers to the young man.

MacInnis has been with the organization(in a managerial role) for 20+ years.
The only defensemen we've developed in that time period to show any real offensive ability were Vince Dunn and Dennis Wideman.
It doesn't seem like Chopper's been much of a factor on that front.

Maybe Pronger has some impact with the kids; but I don't see how that's going to happen from a broadcasting position(Pronger is part of the fanduel broadcast team now).


Being a great player does not mean you're any good at coaching or developing. There are plenty of HOF'ers in every league that prove that point(Tony Gwynn and Wayne Gretzky are just the tip of the iceberg).

I thought that the question about weakness with Mailloux was his defense and positioning decisions? His offense and shooting have been positively highlighted; and those aspects are often driven by physical skills. The Blues have a Defense coach and development personnel. I believe that the occasional encouraging pointers from HOF defensemen, whom are close to the organization can impart some confidence and additional perspective to augment and not counter whatever coaching or system the Coach wants.

Here is the article recently posted by drOzombie that I thought I had read with regard to where the two retired defensemen could offer the occasional input...

by dr0zombie » 26 Aug 2025 21:58 pm

A good perspective on Mailloux before the trade. Let's hope this one works out like the Sergachev trade did.

https://thehockeywriters.com/canadiens- ... -mailloux/

[seattleblue]

Here is the problem with this Mailloux talk before the season. We are hearing inane, inane things bubbling up like he is a "baby Parayko."

Now if you're a casual fan and you know Parayko is an important Blues defenseman and this is being pitched to you as an important new defenseman, then what you want to hear is "baby Parayko." Unfortunately it's a screaming alarm that this player is being understood by pure hopium. You'd be hard pressed to find a less intelligent defenseman comparison than Mailloux and Parayko, since one is a defensive unicorn and the other might not even be able to stick in the NHL because he is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Parayko defensively. However his attributes are also the opposite of Parayko offensively, so there's also that piece of it underscoring even further how bad the comparison is.

So I don't trust anything I'm hearing from "around the team" about this kid. They are entirely guessing because it actually is a true guess.

[DawgDad]

Here is the problem with this Mailloux talk before the season. We are hearing inane, inane things bubbling up like he is a "baby Parayko."

Now if you're a casual fan and you know Parayko is an important Blues defenseman and this is being pitched to you as an important new defenseman, then what you want to hear is "baby Parayko." Unfortunately it's a screaming alarm that this player is being understood by pure hopium. You'd be hard pressed to find a less intelligent defenseman comparison than Mailloux and Parayko, since one is a defensive unicorn and the other might not even be able to stick in the NHL because he is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Parayko defensively. However his attributes are also the opposite of Parayko offensively, so there's also that piece of it underscoring even further how bad the comparison is.

So I don't trust anything I'm hearing from "around the team" about this kid. They are entirely guessing because it actually is a true guess.

Your take is just as extreme as the "hopium". "Baby Parayko" wasn't in the NHL at Mailloux's age last season, so there is that. Blues acquired a new player most fans know little to nothing about first-hand. All we have to go on are highlight clips, stats, and first-hand reports. So, for the time being fans wait, some speculate.

The fan-to-fan posts and many of the podcasts are in fact pure rubbish in terms of player evaluation. We even had a podcaster reviewing and commenting on the fan reaction. There is little to no substance there, lots of hyperbole.

[STL fan in MN]

Here is the problem with this Mailloux talk before the season. We are hearing inane, inane things bubbling up like he is a "baby Parayko."

Now if you're a casual fan and you know Parayko is an important Blues defenseman and this is being pitched to you as an important new defenseman, then what you want to hear is "baby Parayko." Unfortunately it's a screaming alarm that this player is being understood by pure hopium. You'd be hard pressed to find a less intelligent defenseman comparison than Mailloux and Parayko, since one is a defensive unicorn and the other might not even be able to stick in the NHL because he is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Parayko defensively. However his attributes are also the opposite of Parayko offensively, so there's also that piece of it underscoring even further how bad the comparison is.

So I don't trust anything I'm hearing from "around the team" about this kid. They are entirely guessing because it actually is a true guess.

Your take is just as extreme as the "hopium". "Baby Parayko" wasn't in the NHL at Mailloux's age last season, so there is that. Blues acquired a new player most fans know little to nothing about first-hand. All we have to go on are highlight clips, stats, and first-hand reports. So, for the time being fans wait, some speculate.

The fan-to-fan posts and many of the podcasts are in fact pure rubbish in terms of player evaluation. We even had a podcaster reviewing and commenting on the fan reaction. There is little to no substance there, lots of hyperbole.

I think his point is that stylistically, Mailloux is not similar to Parayko at all…and he’s not wrong. If you want a “baby Parayko” comp it’s probably Colin Ralph. Mailloux is more like a Sheldon Souray IMO.

In the end though, I just want to see the kid play. Give him some time to make mistakes, adapt to the NHL etc and in a year or two we’ll have a better idea of what we have in him.

[seattleblue]

Here is the problem with this Mailloux talk before the season. We are hearing inane, inane things bubbling up like he is a "baby Parayko."

Now if you're a casual fan and you know Parayko is an important Blues defenseman and this is being pitched to you as an important new defenseman, then what you want to hear is "baby Parayko." Unfortunately it's a screaming alarm that this player is being understood by pure hopium. You'd be hard pressed to find a less intelligent defenseman comparison than Mailloux and Parayko, since one is a defensive unicorn and the other might not even be able to stick in the NHL because he is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Parayko defensively. However his attributes are also the opposite of Parayko offensively, so there's also that piece of it underscoring even further how bad the comparison is.

So I don't trust anything I'm hearing from "around the team" about this kid. They are entirely guessing because it actually is a true guess.

Your take is just as extreme as the "hopium". "Baby Parayko" wasn't in the NHL at Mailloux's age last season, so there is that. Blues acquired a new player most fans know little to nothing about first-hand. All we have to go on are highlight clips, stats, and first-hand reports. So, for the time being fans wait, some speculate.

The fan-to-fan posts and many of the podcasts are in fact pure rubbish in terms of player evaluation. We even had a podcaster reviewing and commenting on the fan reaction. There is little to no substance there, lots of hyperbole.

I think MN explained my point well. I am saying if the comps are opposite comps to what they should be then the same people raving about this young player may in fact be casual or hopium fans. None of us who post here are casual fans so to let ourselves be swept up by the less informed ones is something I don't trust.

Mailloux could be good in a different way and I personally hope he is obviously, but the one player this kid won't be like is Parayko stylistically.

[callitwhatyouwant]

Here is the problem with this Mailloux talk before the season. We are hearing inane, inane things bubbling up like he is a "baby Parayko."

Now if you're a casual fan and you know Parayko is an important Blues defenseman and this is being pitched to you as an important new defenseman, then what you want to hear is "baby Parayko." Unfortunately it's a screaming alarm that this player is being understood by pure hopium. You'd be hard pressed to find a less intelligent defenseman comparison than Mailloux and Parayko, since one is a defensive unicorn and the other might not even be able to stick in the NHL because he is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Parayko defensively. However his attributes are also the opposite of Parayko offensively, so there's also that piece of it underscoring even further how bad the comparison is.

So I don't trust anything I'm hearing from "around the team" about this kid. They are entirely guessing because it actually is a true guess.

Your take is just as extreme as the "hopium". "Baby Parayko" wasn't in the NHL at Mailloux's age last season, so there is that. Blues acquired a new player most fans know little to nothing about first-hand. All we have to go on are highlight clips, stats, and first-hand reports. So, for the time being fans wait, some speculate.

The fan-to-fan posts and many of the podcasts are in fact pure rubbish in terms of player evaluation. We even had a podcaster reviewing and commenting on the fan reaction. There is little to no substance there, lots of hyperbole.

I think his point is that stylistically, Mailloux is not similar to Parayko at all…and he’s not wrong. If you want a “baby Parayko” comp it’s probably Colin Ralph. Mailloux is more like a Sheldon Souray IMO.

In the end though, I just want to see the kid play. Give him some time to make mistakes, adapt to the NHL etc and in a year or two we’ll have a better idea of what we have in him.

Can someone explain to me where the "baby parayko" came from. I listen and follow a lot of Blues stuff. Maybe I missed it. But I haven't heard anyone say he has defensive comps to Parayko. Everything I have heard is that the guy has top end possibilities and if it works out, he can be a Blues lifer. If that is the "baby Parayko" comparison it has nothing to do with playstyle and everything to do with being a young guy that gets his shot in the NHL and finds a fit.

why seattleblue always hating on the blues?

[seattleblue]

that can't possibly be a serious comment

[theograce]

that can't possibly be a serious comment

Haytah

[callitwhatyouwant]

that can't possibly be a serious comment

maybe it's not an all the time thing, but in this thread alone, ripping on buchy and now making some pretty wild statements on comps on a recent acquisition. overexaggeration by my part on "always" hating, but you didn't respond 1 time defending your buchy thoughts other than "feels" and now are setting an acquisition up for failure comparing him to a defender coming off a top 10 in the league defensive performance.

and the guy that seems to comment when you "log off" seems to be an interesting character.

[theograce]

that can't possibly be a serious comment

maybe it's not an all the time thing, but in this thread alone, ripping on buchy and now making some pretty wild statements on comps on a recent acquisition. overexaggeration by my part on "always" hating, but you didn't respond 1 time defending your buchy thoughts other than "feels" and now are setting an acquisition up for failure comparing him to a defender coming off a top 10 in the league defensive performance.

and the guy that seems to comment when you "log off" seems to be an interesting character.

Buchnevich was shredded by loads of Rangers fans. They couldn’t get rid of him fast enough. They all haters

[seattleblue]

that can't possibly be a serious comment

maybe it's not an all the time thing, but in this thread alone, ripping on buchy and now making some pretty wild statements on comps on a recent acquisition. overexaggeration by my part on "always" hating, but you didn't respond 1 time defending your buchy thoughts other than "feels" and now are setting an acquisition up for failure comparing him to a defender coming off a top 10 in the league defensive performance.

and the guy that seems to comment when you "log off" seems to be an interesting character.

the other day, I posted something like "outstanding posts, bluetunehead and callitwhatyouwant." The basis of this expression of appreciation was you had a detailed response about the relationship between Cup winners and point totals and I appreciated the effort you put into that post. 

Now I want to know if it's a two way street or not. Like, I can retain information about you, but you can't retain it about me, yet are also confident to state an absurd unrealtiy. Really, a hater of the Blues is watching Theo Lindstein's games in Sweden? Is that not a fact you can hold in your head about me? 

If that's too much time, that's pretty bad. Instead of doubling down, try to emulate a strong poised man who could admit a mistake instead of this weak [shirt] double down reply. But, could you at least recognize in this exact thread on this exact topic where you sweepingly conclude I only hate the Blues all the time I used the word "obviously" to say I was hoping for Mailloux to succeed? To remember would only take the attention span of a rabbit. Do you have the attention span of a rabbit?