The cold gleam of the Bell Centre ice catches Logan Mailloux in a moment of solitary focus, his blue jersey stretched taut as he bends low in warm-up, eyes fixed on the boards where his old team, the Montreal Canadiens, waits on the other side. It’s December 7, 2025—a night swirling with anticipation and silent questions, as the young defenseman prepares to face the very organization that once promised him a future but ultimately sent him packing. The camera’s lens captures more than just a player stretching before a game; it freezes a crossroads in a career, a story still unfolding beneath the surface.

Mailloux’s journey through Montreal was never ordinary. Drafted amid controversy, scrutinized for every move, he became a lightning rod for debate both on and off the ice. Fans and pundits alike saw flashes of brilliance—a booming shot, a fearless rush, a hint of the elite defenseman he could become. Yet, opportunity proved elusive. The Canadiens, flush with young blueliners and veterans alike, never seemed able to carve out the space Mailloux needed to truly prove himself. Every shift was shadowed by uncertainty, every game a reminder that the path to NHL stardom is rarely straightforward.

On July 1, everything changed. In a move that sparked headlines across Quebec, Mailloux was traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for promising forward Zachary Bolduc. For some, it was a routine transaction; for others, a seismic shift. But for Mailloux himself, it was liberation. Speaking candidly to Radio-Canada’s Marc-Antoine Godin, the young defenseman laid bare his truth: “I just want my chance. I don’t think I would have had an honest opportunity (in Montreal) with all the defensemen they have. So I think it would have been difficult. I’m really lucky to be here and to have an opportunity.”

The words hang in the air, heavy with meaning. Mailloux didn’t leave Montreal bitter or broken—he left searching for fairness, for a place where his potential could finally be unleashed. In St. Louis, he finds himself surrounded by new faces, new expectations, and, most importantly, a real shot at NHL ice time. The depth chart in Montreal was simply too crowded; the promise of a “fair” opportunity was just out of reach. Now, with the Blues, Mailloux is determined to seize the moment, to transform hope into reality.

But the story doesn’t end with Mailloux’s departure. As he skates out under the Bell Centre lights, the question looms: who will win this trade in the end? Will Mailloux blossom into the star many predicted, or will Zachary Bolduc, now wearing Canadiens colors, rise to greater heights? The answer remains hidden in the grind of the season, in the battles to come, and in the hearts of fans who watch every shift with anticipation.

For now, all eyes are on Mailloux, the young defenseman who chose courage over comfort, and who may finally be ready to write the next chapter of his career—one stretch, one shift, one game at a time.

Dec 7, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; St. Louis Blues defenseman Logan Mailloux (23) stretches on the ice during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The young defenseman Logan Mailloux certainly made headlines during his time with the Montreal Canadiens.

He absolutely seems to have the tools to become an excellent defenseman in the National Hockey League, but he struggled to get a real opportunity with the big club.

We recall that Mailloux left the Canadiens organization on July 1, when he was traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Quebec forward Zachary Bolduc.

In the end, Mailloux was not too disappointed to leave Montreal, because he simply realized that it was probably a good thing for him.

He had to leave to get a real opportunity in the NHL.

Logan Mailloux realized he had to leave the Montreal Canadiens to get a truly “fair” opportunity

Here’s a noteworthy comment from the young defenseman, delivered to Radio-Canada journalist Marc-Antoine Godin:

“I just want my chance. I don’t think I would have had an honest opportunity (in Montreal) with all the defensemen they have. So I think it would have been difficult.

I’m really lucky to be here and to have an opportunity.”

– Logan Mailloux

The young defenseman clearly did not see a place for himself in Montreal.

He made it clear that earning an honest opportunity in Montreal would have been difficult given the Canadiens’ depth on defense, and that he feels fortunate to have a real chance with St. Louis.

We sincerely wish him success with his new team.

And according to you, which of Logan Mailloux and Zachary Bolduc will have the better NHL career?