Mason McTavish isn’t hiding the fact that he’s leaving Anaheim with a chip on his shoulder. The 23-year-old forward told reporters straight up that he feels slighted by the trade that moved him to St. Louis. On June 26 during the NHL Draft, the Blues landed him in exchange for the 15th and 29th selections in the 2026 draft. While the Ducks secured those two future picks, McTavish walked away with a six-year, $42-million deal signed the summer before. That contract locks him in at $7 million a year, but his last season in orange and black didn’t go as planned.
His previous campaign concluded with 24 assists and 17 goals, representing a decline compared to the 52-point season preceding it. His ice time got cut by the new coach, Joel Quenneville, who reduced his minutes from 16:53 to 15:19 per game. McTavish missed two playoff games, appearing in just 10 of the team’s 12 post-season contests. St. Louis, a club that failed to reach the playoffs last year with a 37-33-12 record, is now his destination. He wants to fix his game, and he is ready to show why he belongs.
Why the Chip Matters
McTavish was an alternate captain for Anaheim since the 2023-24 season, yet he was the third-overall pick from 2021 so expectations were always sky high. When a player with that kind of pedigree gets traded after a rough year, the fire usually burns brighter. He told The Athletic that he is not happy with how things went down in Anaheim. That honesty is rare for a young player, but it shows he is ready to fight.
The Ducks did well overall, finishing with a 43-33-6 record and reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2018-19. They advanced to the second round before falling to the Vegas Golden Knights, who reached the Stanley Cup Final. But McTavish fell out of favor with the coaching staff during that run. His average ice time dropped to just 12:25 when he did play. That kind of bench time hurts a player’s confidence, but it also builds a hunger to get back on the ice and prove everyone wrong.
Welcome to St. Louis
Despite the rough ending in California, McTavish sounds ready to move forward. He said the reception in St. Louis has been positive so far. “It’s been awesome so far,” McTush told Rutherford regarding his new side. “The guys have been super welcoming and just meeting everybody is a lot, so it was nice to come in a little earlier and put names to faces.” Those words matter. A player needs a clean slate to rebuild a career, and the Blues seem to be giving him one. The Blues need offense. They missed the cut last year, and adding a player who has something to prove could help them get back in.
McTavish knows the price of the trade. He knows the numbers on his contract. He knows he needs to score more than 17 goals to justify the $7 million annual salary. The Ducks finished with a playoff spot, but McTavish did not. Now he has a chance to change that narrative in a new city. The Blues hope he brings that extra fire to the roster this season. If he does, St. Louis fans will be happy to see him skate with that chip on his shoulder.
