Jeff Gorton addresses controversy around Habs prospect Logan Mailloux.

The Montreal Canadiens initially caught quite a bit of flack when they drafted defenseman Logan Mailloux in the first round (31st overall) of the 2021 National Hockey League Entry draft, but since that time the uproar has quieted down considerably.

Although there is far less outrage surrounding Mailloux today, there are still plenty of questions being asked about whether or not the 20 year old blue liner will ever be allowed to play in the NHL. Mailloux, is set to enter training camp along with the rest of the Habs roster on September 21st and there is a growing sense that he could very well make the team this season.

With that in mind, the questions surrounding his future feel more urgent than ever but on Monday Canadiens vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton appeared to put those questions to rest. Gorton was among those who spoke to the press on Monday during a large media availability from the Canadiens, and he seemed confident that Mailloux would get the green light to play this season.

According to Canadiens insider Eric Engels, Gorton made the whole thing sound like it was merely a formality at this point, with Gary Bettman expected to rubber stamp Mailloux's eligibility should he in fact make the team.

I suspect that the controversy surrounding Mailloux may get stirred up once again if he is officially announced as part of the roster this season, but we'll have to wait and see if that comes to pass.