In the summer of 2021, former Montreal Canadiens general manager (GM) Marc Bergevin used what would be his final first-round selection with the team to draft defenceman Logan Mailloux 31st overall. After a tumultuous three seasons since, the beginning of which Mailloux played a limited amount of games due to various off-ice factors, the Ontario native finds himself up with the big club after an incredibly successful inaugural season in professional hockey with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Laval Rocket.
Mailloux, who turned 21 on Monday (April 15), scored an impressive 14 goals and 47 points in 70 AHL games this season, representing the Rocket at the 2024 All-Star Game. He transitioned to the professional stage after a 25-goal, 53-point campaign with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), despite having played in only 16 OHL games prior.
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He will look to make an impression with the Canadiens as they play their final regular season game Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings. His recall shortly follows the much-anticipated signing of fellow defensive prospect Lane Hutson, who made his debut Monday night, recording his first NHL point on Brendan Gallagher’s tally in addition to playing over 21 minutes.
Selection Shrouded in Controversy
As many fans may be aware, Mailloux’s selection did not come without backlash or controversy — surely some never even expected he would suit up for an NHL game. The 6-foot-3 rearguard infamously renounced himself from the 2021 Draft, yet Bergevin overrode his decision and ultimately used the team’s only first-round selection that season to choose him. Coming right off of the heels of the team’s unforgettable 2021 Stanley Cup Final run, perhaps the negative reaction this selection received from the public was a foreshadowing of things to come, as the Canadiens would go on to finish dead last in the entire league just one season removed from their magical run.
Mailloux, following being selected, was deemed ineligible to play in the NHL by commissioner Gary Bettman and was suspended indefinitely by the OHL. This resulted in him only playing 12 games that season for London, scoring three goals and nine points. Despite making noticeable strides to better himself off of the ice, Mailloux was far from becoming an endeared prospect in the team’s deep prospect pool. Entering 2022-23, his selection was still surrounded by controversy and given the small sample size of action, he had yet to win over the fanbase.
However, after posting a staggering 0.42 goals-per-game in his first and only full OHL season (a rate of 35 goals per 82 games), in addition to scoring 24 points in 21 playoff games, he had slowly begun to show the team and the fanbase why Bergevin had taken the gamble on him.
Rapid Growth During First Pro Season
Mailloux transitioned to the AHL for his age-20 season in 2023-24, and many fans anticipated how he would acclimate to professional hockey. While there were immediate growing pains to begin the season, with maturity questions and his defensive game needing refining, he greatly benefitted from the atmosphere of a professional hockey club, becoming the team’s highest-scoring rookie defenceman with 14 goals. The brief stint he spent playing alongside Arber Xhekaj (from ‘Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj is making the most of AHL demotion and paying it forward in Laval’, 1/4/24, The Athletic), had been a tremendous positive influence on his game, and perhaps he will look to gain some minutes with the fellow OHL graduate ahead of his anticipated NHL debut.
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Mailloux still has maturing and refining to do, just like any NHL prospect ahead of their debut in the big leagues. He has shown impressive strides and growth since being selected in the first round, and has quickly climbed the ranks of the team’s strong defensive prospect pool. Being one of the few right-shooting defencemen in their pool, he will be given every opportunity to display his impressive offensive instincts, his powerful and quick shot and explosive strides. This first impression will likely give the Canadiens an idea of where the Belle River, Ontario native stands among their crowded blue line when the 2024-25 season rolls around and expectations for the team grow higher.