Mailloux is back, here’s who should come out of the lineup

The St. Louis Blues have recalled defenseman Logan Mailloux from his AHL conditioning stint following surgery on September 28, 2026. With Mailloux's return to the active roster, head coach Jim Montgomery faces a crowded blue line with seven defensemen competing for six spots ahead of their matchup against the Nashville Predators.

Bleedin' Blue writer Joe DeMarini argues that waiver-exempt rookie Adam Jiricek is the most likely candidate to be scratched or demoted to AHL Springfield to preserve development minutes. However, DeMarini notes that scratching veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo instead would allow the Blues to keep Jiricek's strong underlying play-driving metrics in the NHL lineup.