Montreal reporters ask Canadiens to release Logan Mailloux

Logan Mailloux had been hiding in the dark in the past months until a few days ago, the OHL announced that suspended London Knights defenseman Logan Mailloux will be reinstated on January 1st, 2022.

Mailloux, of course, was suspended from the OHL and requested that he NOT be selected in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft (which then-Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin ignored) after having been charged in Sweden with defamation.

Mailloux was ordered to pay a $1,650 fine after recording and sharing a video of an 18 year old performing oral sex on him without the women’s consent. In other words: He got busted for being a sleaze ball.

Once news of Mailloux’s charge became public the backlash against him and the Knights has been swift. Mailloux himself apologized for his actions and paid his fine. Again, he requested that he NOT be drafted at the 2021 Draft so that he could have a chance to redeem himself this season. Then Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin drafted Mailloux anyways and faced even more backlash than Mailloux himself.

Now that Bergevin is gone, Mailloux will be alone to face the music in Montreal. This prompted hockey reporters at 98.5 FM Dany Dube and Martin McGuire to ask for the Habs to release Mailloux and offer him a chance to play elsewhere, where he has less chances to be eaten alive by media for his past actions. (We will not go into how the poor victim was never considered this way, but sure, poor Mailloux).

The kid has apparently learned from his mistake and this could be why the reporters believe he deserves a clear shot at making it in the NHL - and we all know how the fanbase and media get in players’ faces and under their skin in Montreal.
Could a start elsewhere be what Mailloux needs?

Mailloux is not under contract with the Canadiens, though they do hold his rights. If the Habs release him, Mailloux could be eligible for the 2023 NHL draft and you have to wonder if another NHL would want to select him. Maybe with this scenario, the situation he got himself into would be one that truly had time to learn from…

Now it is Jeff Gorton who is in charge in Montreal and we will just have to see if he agrees with Dube and McGuire, or if he wants Mailloux to handle the heat in a Canadiens’ jersey.