A surprising's scene about Logan Mailloux
In front of a crowd of supporters waving encouragement signs in Habs territory, young Logan Mailloux received his traditional rookie lap amidst fan support.
The scene was quite surprising, considering that many fans had strongly criticized the Montreal Canadiens' selection in 2021.
A few weeks before the NHL draft in June 2021, Logan Mailloux had asked to all NHL organizations to not draft him, as he felt he needed more maturity. During his time in Sweden, the young defenseman had been involved in a scandal of intimate photos sharing with a young woman.
This event had led to legal issues with the Swedish authorities. Three years later, the young defenseman stepped onto the ice at the Bell Center with a smile on his face and a relaxed demeanor. Seeing hundreds of fans gathered near the glass with encouragement signs for the Montreal Canadiens' #94.
It didn't take long for him to gain new supporters. The team's first-round pick in 2021 recorded an assist on the first goal of the game. It was his first in the Bettman circuit.
With a playing time of 21 minutes and 14 seconds, the defenseman directed two shots on the opposing net, delivered a hit, and finished with a positive differential of +1.
His composure, puck decisions, skating ability, and positioning suggest that he will be ready to start the next season with the big club. Even though the sample size is rather limited, it must be acknowledged that he had a good first outing.
It will be interesting to see how he will be able to establish himself right from the beginning of training camp. Mailloux scored 47 points in 70 games with the Laval Rocket this season. He finished the campaign ranked third among defensemen in scoring leaders.
| POLL | ||
Which one you prefer? | ||
| Logan Mailloux | 43 | 10.2 % |
| Lane Hutson | 124 | 29.5 % |
| Both | 254 | 60.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
