The OHL’s indefinite suspension of Montreal Canadiens first-round pick Logan Mailloux will end on Saturday, clearing the defenceman to play for the London Knights.
The league gave Mailloux an indefinite suspension at the start of the season for violating the league’s expectation for appropriate conduct by a player. The punishment related to an incident that took place while the Knights defenceman was on loan to SK Lejon in Sweden in November 2020.
Mailloux has previously said he “deeply regrets” taking a photo of himself and a young woman without consent during an “intimate moment” and then sharing that photo with his teammates “to impress them.”
“Since the time of suspension, with the support of the London Knights, Logan Mailloux has participated in therapy and counselling with Dr. Lindsey Forbes, and a personal development plan under the leadership of Wendy Glover. Ms. Glover is a London-based, experienced holistic athlete development practitioner, academic and personal development advisor, teacher and member of the Ontario School Counsellors Association,” the OHL said in a statement Wednesday. “After reviewing the program, speaking with the player and Ms. Glover, and receiving a commitment from the player to continue with his personal development program, the League is satisfied that Logan Mailloux has undertaken the necessary steps and will reinstate him, effective January 1, 2022.”
The suspension will end up being for a total of 26 games.
The Knights are scheduled to cross the border to face the Erie Otters on Saturday.
The act resulted in the 18-year-old native of Belle River, Ont. being charged and fined under Swedish law.
Days before the draft, Mailloux posted a statement on Twitter asking teams not to pick him this year but the Canadiens defied the request and selected the six-foot-three, 213-pound defenceman 31st overall, with then-general manager Marc Bergevin defending the move to reporters shortly after the selection.
“We will work closely with him, give him the support that he needs. I know he’s been remorseful about the incident, which we truly don’t agree with it in all sense of the word,” Bergevin said. “But he’s a young man who made a serious mistake of judgment. And we need to work with him and we did talk to him and he’s very aware of that and very remorseful. So that is a big step.”
Bergevin has since been fired.
The pick was widely criticized, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying the Canadiens “showed a lack of judgement.” Montreal later announced Mailloux would not participate in rookie camp or the team’s main training camp this year.
