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Mailloux in action (Photo by Bruce Bennett\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Logan Mailloux\u2019s development path has never followed the traditional playbook. From early injury setbacks<\/a> to adjusting to the professional game, the young defenseman had to take a different route compared to many of his peers. Reflecting on his time in junior and how that shaped his early pro years, Mailloux was honest about the challenges he faced in finding his rhythm.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was obviously a little different for me not playing a lot of hockey in junior. Over those years I had injuries and didn\u2019t play that much hockey coming into my first year of pro,\u201d explained Mailloux in an exclusive interview with RG. \u201cOver the two years I was in Laval, I didn\u2019t miss a game and got a few games with Montreal.\u201d<\/p>\n With a steady schedule in Laval, Mailloux was finally able to build consistency in his habits and gain traction in his game. That wouldn\u2019t have been possible without the infrastructure the Canadiens<\/a> put in place to help their young talent succeed. He credits Montreal\u2019s development staff for their regular presence and willingness to invest in his long-term growth.<\/p>\n \u201cThey do a great job having the developmental staff come into Laval as well and work with us and watching games and stuff,\u201d Mailloux said when asked about the support system in place. \u201cAnd I think getting those reps in was big for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Even with all that guidance, Mailloux quickly learned there\u2019s a steep curve when transitioning from the AHL to the NHL<\/a>. One of the biggest lessons came in understanding just how important it is to be dialed in every shift \u2014 no matter the score, situation, or opponent.<\/p>\n \u201cI think consistency is huge. I feel like in the AHL once in a while, if you take a shift off, people won\u2019t notice as much,\u201d he admitted, drawing from his stint with the Canadiens. \u201cThat\u2019s the biggest difference in the NHL, every time you\u2019re on the ice (consistency) is so big and important.\u201d<\/p>\n At the NHL level, even small lapses can turn into momentum-shifting mistakes. Mailloux emphasized how critical decision-making and positioning become when every move is magnified.<\/p>\n \u201cThe margin for mistakes is small. In the NHL, all the little things that happen.. If you\u2019re not where you\u2019re supposed to be on the ice, guys are so good up there that it can quickly end up in the back of your net and change the whole game.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously mistakes are going to happen, hockey\u2019s a game of mistakes, but just being able to limit them and weigh the chance of making a play and weighing the risk is a big difference.\u201d<\/p>\n Over time, Mailloux matured not just in skill, but in how he approached his role on the ice. While his first pro season showed flashes of offensive upside, it was his second year where things truly began to come together.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cIn my first year, I feel like I put up some points, but , when I go back and watch my games it wasn\u2019t as well-rounded. At the end of this season and into the playoffs I feel like I was playing the best pro hockey of my career. I think being able to contribute at both sides of the puck was key,\u201d explained Mailloux. \u201cI think I was too focused on contributing offensively in my first year; it worked out some times and sometimes it didn\u2019t. But in my second year, everyone had to play their role and I played a different style and it helped out in the long-run, with the season we had and the playoff run we went on.\u201d<\/p>\n Experiencing The Trade to St. Louis<\/p>\n No matter how prepared a player might be, finding out they\u2019ve been traded is always a shock \u2014 especially when it comes out of nowhere. For Mailloux, it began like any normal off-season day: workout, downtime, and a visit with friends. But everything changed with a single call.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just a regular day. I did my work out and went to see a couple of my buddies. When I was there, I got a call from my agent saying I was going to get traded today. He didn\u2019t know to which team, but he said it was going to happen,\u201d explained Mailloux.<\/p>\n RG Media has since confirmed that there were multiple teams with interest in acquiring Logan Mailloux leading up to his trade to the Blues<\/a>, but that St-Louis\u2019 offer was the most intriguing.<\/p>\n