Logan Mailloux could well make his debut in the National Hockey League with the Canadian on Tuesday evening.
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This means that commissioner Gary Bettman has given his approval for Mailloux to play in the NHL. It was a condition and the league confirmed, in a short statement sent by email Tuesday morning, that it gave its blessing to the Canadiens defender.
“We have met with Logan Mailloux numerous times over the last 8 to 10 months. We judge that he recognizes the seriousness of his conduct in the past and that he is serious in his desire to make better and more serious decisions in the future. He has the green light to play in the National League.
According to colleague Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports, Mailloux had a discussion with NHL leaders about a month ago.
Controversial
It must be remembered that the Canadian caused controversy by making Mailloux his first choice, 31e overall, in the 2021 draft.
You have to go back to the previous year to understand the situation. Mailloux was then playing in the Swedish league. He distributed a very personal photo of a sexual partner to his teammates. He was charged and ordered to pay a fine.
It was for this reason that Mailloux had asked that he not be drafted, but the Canadiens’ administration, led at the time by Marc Bergevin, ignored the request, which caused an outcry.
Both fans and politicians have made their dissatisfaction known.
Mailloux returned to London, in the Ontario League, where he had to prove himself for two seasons. He was able to sign a first professional contract in the fall of 2022 and, last fall, the doors of the American League opened for him.
Happy season
In his first professional season, Mailloux did very well with the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League.
The 20-year-old Ontarian collected 47 points in 70 games. He is third in scoring among defensemen in the American League, tied with Brad Hunt who is second because he has two more goals on his record. He is also fourth among all AHL rookies. He is the third pointer for the Rocket.
His play improved greatly throughout the season and he was rewarded with an appearance in the AHL All-Star Game.
The Rocket is fighting for its survival, but will not play its next match until Friday evening. The time was therefore right to offer a reward to Mailloux while testing him at the next level.