Prospect Info: Logan Mailloux Part 3 The Only Hockey Talk Thread

[ChesterNimitz]

Remember the title of this thread, The Only Hockey Talk Thread.

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In recognition of your admonition, here are my observations of Mailloux's play against the Barrie Colts last night.

Once again , Mailloux was the most noticeable player on the ice during the game. His combination of skating, passing and shooting was clearly notch above most players that he played with and against. He still displayed that distinctive swooping skating style that allows him to accelerate and gain separation when he carries the puck. His passing again was elite as he made both pinpoint passes from deep in his zone to breaking forwards in the neutral zone and subtle outlet passes that countered the Colts' forechecking pressure.

Defensively, he used his skating, positioning and reach to break up and seal off multiple opposing offensive rushes. Most impressively, he was able to use his elite straight line, recovery speed to chase down and neutralize at least 4 threating opponent rushes. His combination of speed and reach frustrated the Colts throughout the game. He was particularly effective when he was challenged when having to defend one on one rushes. He stopped them all cold. It remains to be seen if Mailloux will have similar rate of success in the NHL when much faster and stronger opponents will challenge the current weakest part of his game : lateral skating ability.

Offensively, he made only a few end to end rushes choosing rather to pass to breaking forwards. Mailloux had 5 official shots on net, but had at least half a dozen shots blocked and he missed the net at least 6 times. This kid is a shooting machine. He mostly used his wrist shoot and the one time he used a slap shot late in the third period, the puck was travelling at such a high speed, I couldn't even see where the puck went. While there is no question that opposing teams are keying on taking away Mailloux's shot, he still has to learn how to get shots through to the net with greater frequency. He does however walk the line effectively and he uses the delayed/drag shot to gain better shooting angles. Mailloux demonstrates a high hockey IQ and vision in the offensive zone, His passes are accurate, crisp and flat. He sees the ice well and is creative. His pass to his teammate that resulted in a one-timer that tied the game at 4 was a thing of beauty. I believe he would greatly benefit from playing with players who had superior talent. On numerous occasions, after making a pass, Mailloux would jump into an open space and make himself available for a return pass that never came.

On a negative note, Mailloux made a few lazy passes in the defensive zone that resulted in turnovers. Also, his delay in closing the gap on a Colt player behind the Knights' net resulted in a fluke goal being scored against his team.

Overall, it was another impressive game for Mailloux as Hunter used him a ton including power plays and penalty kills. Maybe I'm being overly critical, but the elements of his 'laziness' that I noticed may well be a manifestation of Mailloux's lack of game conditioning. We shall see. Nevertheless, Mailloux did play most of the overtime and, in the open ice, was a constant threat. This kid is built for 3 on 3 hockey.

If Mailloux continues to develop, adds 10 pounds and half a step to his game and, most importantly, stays healthy, he will be an impact player at the next level.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

In recognition of your admonition, here are my observations of Mailloux's play against the Barrie Colts last night.

Once again , Mailloux was the most noticeable player on the ice during the game. His combination of skating, passing and shooting was clearly notch above most players that he played with and against. He still displayed that distinctive swooping skating style that allows him to accelerate and gain separation when he carries the puck. His passing again was elite as he made both pinpoint passes from deep in his zone to breaking forwards in the neutral zone and subtle outlet passes that countered the Colts' forechecking pressure.

Defensively, he used his skating, positioning and reach to break up and seal off multiple opposing offensive rushes. Most impressively, he was able to use his elite straight line, recovery speed to chase down and neutralize at least 4 threating opponent rushes. His combination of speed and reach frustrated the Colts throughout the game. He was particularly effective when he was challenged when having to defend one on one rushes. He stopped them all cold. It remains to be seen if Mailloux will have similar rate of success in the NHL when much faster and stronger opponents will challenge the current weakest part of his game : lateral skating ability.

Offensively, he made only a few end to end rushes choosing rather to pass to breaking forwards. Mailloux had 5 official shots on net, but had at least half a dozen shots blocked and he missed the net at least 6 times. This kid is a shooting machine. He mostly used his wrist shoot and the one time he used a slap shot late in the third period, the puck was travelling at such a high speed, I couldn't even see where the puck went. While there is no question that opposing teams are keying on taking away Mailloux's shot, he still has to learn how to get shots through to the net with greater frequency. He walks the line effectively and uses the delayed/drag shot to gain better shooting angles. Mailloux demonstrates a high hockey IQ and vision in the offensive zone, His passes are accurate, crisp and flat. He sees the ice well and is creative. His pass to his teammate that resulted in a one-timer that tied the game at 4 was a thing of beauty. I believe he would greatly benefit from playing with players who had superior talent. On numerous occasions, after making a pass, Mailloux would jump into an open space and make himself available for a return pass that never came.

On a negative basis, Mailloux made a few lazy passes in the defensive zone that resulted in turnovers. Also, his delay in closing the gap on a Colt player behind the Knights' net resulted in a fluke goal being scored against his team.

Overall, it was another impressive game for Mailloux as Hunter used him a ton including power plays and penalty kills. Maybe I'm being overly critical, but the elements of his 'laziness' that I noticed may well be a manifestation of Mailloux's lack of game conditioning. We shall see. Nevertheless, Mailloux did play most of the overtime and, in the open ice, was a constant threat. This kid is built for 3 on 3 hockey.

If Mailloux continues to develop, adds 10 pounds and half a step to his game and, most importantly, stays healthy, he will be an impact player at the next level.

Thanks for the report!

I think his biggest hurdle by a mile is his IQ as he makes poor reads at times that are very noticeable in the dzone but is also too tunnel visioned in the O zone where he forces way too many shots instead of exploiting defenders who are too aggressive in their attempts to take away his shot. There are many instances where you can see him making Bantam level decisions and really struggling with weak side positioning and gap control but he is improving and we need to be patient with him.

He has so little experience that it is entirely plausible that he may be able to make huge strides in the mental processing side of the game and if that is the case then we may really have a gem. Like almost every kid his age he needs work on his skating as his edgework and pivots need work as well as needing to fill out a little more. I am hoping to see him continue to make strides for the remainder of the season as he has alot of development ahead of him before being considered a candidate to compete for an NHL job.

Did you see him live or on tv? I am definitely going to see him Beck and Mesar a few times this season

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Thanks for the report!

I think his biggest hurdle by a mile is his IQ as he makes poor reads at times that are very noticeable in the dzone but is also too tunnel visioned in the O zone where he forces way too many shots instead of exploiting defenders who are too aggressive in their attempts to take away his shot. There are many instances where you can see him making Bantam level decisions and really struggling with weak side positioning and gap control but he is improving and we need to be patient with him.

He has so little experience that it is entirely plausible that he may be able to make huge strides in the mental processing side of the game and if that is the case then we may really have a gem. Like almost every kid his age he needs work on his skating as his edgework and pivots need work as well as needing to fill out a little more. I am hoping to see him continue to make strides for the remainder of the season as he has alot of development ahead of him before being considered a candidate to compete for an NHL job.

Did you see him live or on tv? I am definitely going to see him Beck and Mesar a few times this season

Thanks for the kind words.

I have never seen Mailloux play live. But in my current position, I have to travel extensively across Ontario to attend numerous sporting events. If the Knights are ever playing in close proximity to where I am, I will definitely try to go out and watch him. Over the past decade I have had the opportunity to catch a few OHL and QMJHL games. A few years ago I was in the GTA and went to a Marlies game in order to catch a glimpse of the supposed next great player, Joshua Ho-Sung play. I came away singularly unimpressed. A few years later, one of my staff pointed out that another 'special' young player was also on the ice when I was there. The player? Connor McDavid. I never took notice of him. I always remind myself of that when I pompously think that I know everything. My staff never let's me forget it.

When you say that Mailloux sometimes engages in bantam level play, your observation is closer to the truth than some of his biggest supporters, including this writer, care to acknowledge. When you consider that for the past 3 years his development as a player has been stagnated by the combination of COVID, suspension and injury, Mailloux really isn't playing with the same level of development as other 19 year olds who had and enjoyed those three full years of development that he lost. Those three lost developmental years can't be easily re-captured or replaced. Nevertheless, what I am seeing in Mailloux at 19, despite the hurdles he has had to overcome, is very encouraging. He has all the tools and skills to be an impactful player. I'm betting that he reaches that potential.

Cheers.

 

[cphabs]

Mailloux's actions were juvenile and thoughtless, but it was a one-off. He didn't intentionally do it to cause the girl harm. Miller's actions were ongoing and deliberately targeted to do harm.

He was a “juvenile” under the law. The other participant was? An “adult” under the law.

 

[Tyson]

He was a “juvenile” under the law. The other participant was? An “adult” under the law.

Weren't they both juveniles?

 

[muzion]

Weren't they both juveniles?

He was 17, she was 18

 

[admiralcadillac]

Cocaine possession is illegal and a felony in the States that can lead to 3yrs in jail.

Showing a picture to your buddies (not spreading the pics on social media) of a woman performing a sex act is in bad taste, and illegal but in no way are you doing jail time.

In the end they are both wrong and should not be tolerated but one player has to jump through multiple hoops while the other is just business as usual.

I don’t like it

Legality and morality are two different things.

Which one makes you a worse person?

Just because a drug is illegal doesn’t mean using it is in the same realm as being an asshole.

 

[John B]

Watched the majority of the Windsor/London game tonight (missed the first 5 minutes and about first 10 minutes of the 3rd). It was a tough game to watch. First period looked like pick up hockey. No flow, lots of turnovers, very little possession time for either team. Just plain sloppy. Mailloux wasn't that noticeable for most of the game. Had three give aways in a row (2 in the offensive zone and one in the neutral zone) in the first period. He did show some creativity during the game, puck handling for the most part, and skated well. You can see the tools, but not the best game to judge talent because of the sloppiness from both sides. London scored one of their goals on a rebound from a Mailloux wrist shot from the point. So pretty sure he got an assist, but I didn't hear/see the official score sheet. Other than that it was quiet night for him. He didn't seem to play that much. George, Edwards, Bonk, Leonard, Federkow all seemed to get more ice time. Or maybe they were just more noticeable.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Watched the majority of the Windsor/London game tonight (missed the first 5 minutes and about first 10 minutes of the 3rd). It was a tough game to watch. First period looked like pick up hockey. No flow, lots of turnovers, very little possession time for either team. Just plain sloppy. Mailloux wasn't that noticeable for most of the game. Had three give aways in a row (2 in the offensive zone and one in the neutral zone) in the first period. He did show some creativity during the game, puck handling for the most part, and skated well. You can see the tools, but not the best game to judge talent because of the sloppiness from both sides. London scored one of their goals on a rebound from a Mailloux wrist shot from the point. So pretty sure he got an assist, but I didn't hear/see the official score sheet. Other than that it was quiet night for him. He didn't seem to play that much. George, Edwards, Bonk, Leonard, Federkow all seemed to get more ice time. Or maybe they were just more noticeable.

My take.

This was a game where it was very hard to assess any player. The London Knights jumped to a quick, big lead and the game, with the result no longer in doubt, devolved into a glorified game of shinny. There is no question, Mailloux wasn't as noticeable in this game. But then again, he didn't have to. There were very few power plays and penalty kills where Mailloux usually dominants time wise. It was also the second game of three games in a row for the Knights. I don't care what anyone says, with less than 30 OHL games over the past 3 years, Mailloux is still not top game condition. Nevertheless, he played effectively in the 'limited' time he was on the ice (including two shifts where he played almost two minutes), had 5 official shots, several big hits, made his usual precision two zone passes; had two assists, including one that resulted from his elite wrist shot from the point and displayed his end to end speed on several occasions in supporting the offence.

Let's see how he performs today. His third game in a row.

 

[McGees]

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Let's see how he performs today. His third game in a row.

My take:

Mailloux played an impactful role in the Knight's third win in three nights. . He again played in all high leverage situations had 6 shots, 1 power play goal and played a steady game in all three zones of the ice. I think the toll of three games in a row effected Mailloux's usual game. He fumbled the puck on several occasions, flubbed several one-timer chances and his puck distribution was far less efficient than what I have come to expect. . He made two grievous defensive errors: a weak clearing effort at the end of the first period almost ended up in his team's net and he let a Soo forward slip by him in the second period which resulted in a break-a-way against his team. His shot remains a weapon. Aside from the 35 foot one-time slap shot that tied the game at 2, an earlier hard half slap shot from the half board stung the goalie. This kid has an elite NHL level shot that will be a real weapon for Montreal at the next level. I will enjoy watching his progress over the coming months.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[Puck Off]

My take:

Mailloux played an impactful role in the Knight's third win in three nights. . He again played in all high leverage situations had 6 shots, 1 power play goal and played a steady game in all three zones of the ice. I think the toll of three games in a row effected Mailloux's usual game. He fumbled the puck on several occasions, flubbed several one-timer chances and his puck distribution was far less efficient than what I have come to expect. . He made two grievous defensive errors: a weak clearing effort at the end of the first period almost ended up in his team's net and he let a Soo forward slip by him in the second period which resulted in a break-a-way against his team. His shot remains a weapon. Aside from the 35 foot one-time slap shot that tied the game at 2, an earlier hard half slap shot from the half board stung the goalie. This kid has an elite NHL level shot that will be a real weapon for Montreal at the next level. I will enjoy watching his progress over the coming months.

Agree was at the game. IMO he was the best player on the ice. Plays the full 2mins on most PP.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I think the first clip puts to rest the suggestion that Mailloux doesn't see the ice well in the offensive zone. In fact, he tries to do too much and squanders scoring chances that are there for him and his over powering shot. Sometimes being selfish is a good thing.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

I think the first clip puts to rest the suggestion that Mailloux doesn't see the ice well in the offensive zone. In fact, he tries to do too much and squanders scoring chances that are there for him and his over powering shot. Sometimes being selfish is a good thing.

With all due respect, you are taking one example and filtering it through your confirmation bias.....He made a good play here and that is called progress. He looks to shoot far more than he looks to pass and he does it to a fault.

He needs to continue to make the right choice from now on to "put to rest" questions about IQ/vision.

Has Hoffman put to rest any concerns with his scoring lately? Has Montembault put to rest concerns of not being a quality NHL goaltender? Will Dadonov put to rest concerns about his production if he scores next game? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding "No" as is the question concerning Mailloux's apparent lack of IQ/vision being put to rest.

Like I alluded to earlier, the kid has missed a ton of development and rightfully is going to take some time to catch up. Remaining patient with measured criticism and praise is the only prudent avenue to reasonable discussion. Hyperbolic declarations, whether negative or positive are just noise and the only observations worth noting are those that document sustained habits over a much longer period than a few games.

I am pulling for the kid as much as anyone but let's keep our **** in our pants. (maybe not the best thread for this analogy lol, but it was not intentional therefore I'm leaving it in)

 

[Goldenhands]

If TC left this kid off the team because of what he has done, they might end up to regret it big time, kid has been awesome lately...

 

[WeThreeKings]

If TC left this kid off the team because of what he has done, they might end up to regret it big time, kid has been awesome lately...

It's less about what he did and more about what they did.

They wouldn't survive the PR if they put Mailloux on the team.

 

[lillypad33]

If TC left this kid off the team because of what he has done, they might end up to regret it big time, kid has been awesome lately...

They've got enough other regrets. They won't feel this one.

 

[Goldenhands]

It's less about what he did and more about what they did.

They wouldn't survive the PR if they put Mailloux on the team.

Yeah, that sucks, kid should be on the team, but they are probably going to avoid him at all cost.

 

[McGees]

 

[Schooner Guy]

His wrist shot is elite by pro standards.

 

[417]

Am I the only one who doesn't really care about all the concerns with his defensive play?

We got a lot of prospects who defend well or project too, we don't have any who have the offensive tools Mailloux has.

I'm sure that he’ll improve in that area over time, but for now, it's not a concern for me. I'd rather see him continue to pile up the points.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

His wrist shot is elite by pro standards.

Yeah if that's not quite Ovi/Matthews level wrist shot it's a lot closer than I would've ever thought.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Am I the only one who doesn't really care about all the concerns with his defensive play?

We got a lot of prospects who defend well or project too, we don't have any who have the offensive tools Mailloux has.

I'm sure that he’ll improve in that area over time, but for now, it's not a concern for me. I'd rather see him continue to pile up the points.

Defensive play is a lot easier to teach than his bag of high end tools. He's huge, hasn't grown into his body, has a long reach and he's a pretty good skater. Even if he can be coached up to being mediocre defensively and how to use his size properly in the d-zone, those offensive tools are top drawer.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Am I the only one who doesn't really care about all the concerns with his defensive play?

We got a lot of prospects who defend well or project too, we don't have any who have the offensive tools Mailloux has.

I'm sure that he’ll improve in that area over time, but for now, it's not a concern for me. I'd rather see him continue to pile up the points.

I've thought the same myself but there is a minimum that needs to be met. There were things I saw in his own zone early on that were just putrid.

I think he'll be fine as long as he stays healthy. He really can't miss more time. I'm okay if he's ultimately weak defensively if his O translates.

I do think Hutson has the offensive tools that Mailloux has. Well different but definitely has high. He just doesn't have a high end shot. Seems good enough. Just nowhere near Mailloux's which is scary high end.