The St. Louis Blues didn’t just bring in Mason McTavish to fill a spot down the middle. They brought in a 23-year-old center with pedigree, a heavy shot, and a clear need for a more stable runway.
McTavish arrives from the Anaheim Ducks after a stretch that showed exactly how much his usage can shape his production. In 2024-25, his ice time rose by 240 minutes from the season before, and he averaged 16:53 per game.
That bigger workload fueled a career-best 22 goals and 52 points in 76 games. But last season, the clock swung the other way.
His ice time dropped by 133 minutes to 15:19 per game, and his output slid to 41 points in 75 games.
Part of that dip came from the way Anaheim’s roster evolved around him. A younger core started taking over, with Leo Carlsson moving into the main offensive spotlight and veteran Mikael Granlund picking up more responsibility. McTavish, caught in the middle, wound up in a kind of “no-man's land”.
St. Louis should look different.
The Blues are expected to give McTavish a clear second-line center role behind Robert Thomas, along with the kind of consistent top-six minutes that can settle a player’s game. Under Jim Montgomery, he should also get regular power play chances, a setup that fits his 6-foot-1, 213-pound frame.
There’s also a faceoff angle here that could matter. Thomas, now the established No. 1 center, can help guide McTavish the way former Blues captain Ryan O'Reilly once helped Thomas early in his own career. That kind of built-in mentorship could be useful for McTavish, whose faceoff win rate sat just below 49%.
Then there’s the shot volume, which may be the most obvious fit of all. McTavish plays with a shoot-first edge that St.
Louis could use more of. Even in a frustrating 25-26 season in Anaheim, he still put up 325 shot attempts and 146 shots on goal.
Those numbers would have mattered in St. Louis.
Last season, 146 shots on goal would have ranked fourth on the Blues, ahead of Pavel Buchnevich. The 325 shot attempts would have been third on the team, behind only Jordan Kyrou and Jimmy Snuggerud.
That kind of profile should help a Blues attack that has at times leaned too hard on the extra pass in dangerous areas. McTavish gives them another center who wants the puck on his stick and the puck on net, while Thomas keeps the top line humming with playmaking.
If the role is right, the production should follow. With top-six minutes, power play reps, and some help sharpening his game at the dot, McTavish has a path to becoming a 25-goal, 55-point or more weapon for St. Louis.
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The most intriguing battle may come down the middle, where the second-line center spot has turned into a crowded race. Dalibor Dvorsky, Mason McTavish, Connor McMichael and possibly Pius Suter give Jim Montgomery plenty of options, but also a difficult call as the Blues sort through who is ready to seize a bigger role and who will have to wait for another opening. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Should Avoid Letting Patrik Laine Disrupt Their Young Core
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St. Louis is in a different kind of phase now, one that asks more from patience and development than from chasing a shortcut. Bringing in a high-profile scorer with recent performance concerns could complicate the path for the younger players the Blues are trying to grow into larger roles. If the organization wants to keep its young core moving forward, it has every reason to be careful about adding a veteran whose upside no longer outweighs the risk. [Read more 🡒]