After reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, the Montreal Canadiens had the second last pick in the upcoming draft. The team, despite having made the Final, had a lot of holes, especially with the loss of Carey Price and Shea Weber. General Manager, at the time, Marc Bergevin, made the most controversial pick of the draft in Logan Mailloux.
To get this out in the open early, this is not going to mention the controversy revolving around Mailloux and his drafting in 2021. It is obvious that the NHL and Canadiens have made amends with the situation and at this point it is not a factor.
Logan Mailloux's toolbox
There's no question that Mailloux has upside in the NHL and some really good tools in his toolset. There is no question in what Logan Mailloux is an offensive defenseman. He is more than capable of putting up points in the AHL, but the question is if he can hold his own in the defensive zone.
There has been one thing that has stood out about Mailloux since his drafting, and that is his shot. Mailloux has a rocket from the blueline. And the most important thing? It's pretty accurate too. His shot is genuinely elite, and you can put it up against most NHL players.
He is also a very good skater for a player of his size. He is 6'3" and 213 pounds. That is not inconsiderable when it comes to throwing his weight around, but he can also skate very well. He picks up speed well in the neutral zone, and likes to jump up on the rush and provide offense.
Mailloux's weaknesses
Unfortunately, as good as Mailloux is in the offensive zone, he is pretty poor in his own zone. He has good skills, but his hockey IQ can leave most people watching him scratching their heads.
He has a history of some pretty heinous turnovers, and he will think offensively too often and be found pinching high too often, giving his opponents breakways and odd-man rushes.
Because just looking at the numbers he posted at the start of this year in the NHL, you could be confused why Mailloux was sent down to the AHL after just 7 games.
After all, Mailloux scored two goals and two assists for four points in those seven games, which on the surface is really good. After all, Lane Hutson scored no goals and seven assists in his first month in the NHL in 11 games. And Hutson wound up winning the Calder Trophy.
But watching the actual games, showed that Mailloux really did struggle in his own zone, just as much, if not more as he succeeded in the offensive zone. Now plus/minus is not perfect, but can show trends in an okayish way. And in his seven NHL games this season, Mailloux had a minus-5, and that is while scoring four points.
However, for the second season in a row, Mailloux dominated and had an All-Star level season. Laval, as a whole, had an awesome season, which culminated into a long playoff run. Mailloux was good for stretches in the playoffs, but really struggled against the Charlotte Checkers. But the whole team struggled in that series.
Mailloux's future
If this were any other team, the conversation around Logan Mailloux wouldn't even be considered. There are some teams where Mailloux possibly could have spent a lot more time in the NHL.
But Mailloux plays for the Montreal Canadiens, and the Montreal Canadiens have the deepest prospect pool in the NHL. The Habs have stud prospects in all positions, and the back-end is rapidly running into a logjam.
One spot has opened up at the NHL level for sure, with the retirement of David Savard. But other than that, the Canadiens have a lot of their young defensive core locked up for a long time.
Looking at the most used Canadiens defensemen last year, practically all of them will be sticking around. Mike Matheson will stay as the veteran presence and offensive catalyst. Carrier is under contract for the next two seasons, and was a huge stabilizing force when he was acquired mid-way through last season.
The others are all very young, and all look to be the backbone for the Habs for a long, long time. Lane Hutson won the Calder, and even got a few points for the Norris. Kaiden Guhle is rock solid. Arber Xhekaj is a force of nature on the ice and a fan favourite. And Jayden Struble came into his own this season.
That is not a lot of space. The only one that Mailloux might be able to beat out of a spot is Struble. All the others have played full seasons, and solidified their spots in the NHL. With only six defenders per roster in the average game, that doesn't leave a lot of room.
And Mailloux isn't the only player vying for an NHL spot. David Reinbacher, 2023's fifth overall pick, as looked fantastic when he hasn't been injured, and Adam Engstrom also had a strong year with Laval. Not all of them can make the Habs this season.
Strike while the iron is hot
Logan Mailloux has perhaps never been hotter than he is right now. He had a really good season in Laval, put up decent numbers in the small time he was in the NHL, and played well for long stretches in the AHL playoffs.
But you have to give up something good if you want to get something good in return. The Canadiens have a need and Logan Mailloux represents an excess.
The Canadiens have some major holes up front, and it is going to take some work to fill them. The biggest, most pressing issue for the Canadiens is the second line centre. They don't have a great one right now, and no one seems to be lining up to take it. Kirby Dach is the closest, but has had so many injury and consistency issues.
The easiest way to fill this hole is through trading, and Mailloux is a pretty great trade chip. Reinbacher has a higher ceiling than Mailloux, and Engstrom doesn't have as much value.
This isn't saying that Mailloux could be traded one-for-one for a second line centre, but he could be the main piece in a package that could bring in a pretty big name player.
Its all a question of where you see Mailloux's future, and where his current value is. If his ceiling is a lower pair defenseman due to his defensive woes, would you not want to move him for a really good middle-six centre?
More from A Winning Habit