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

[ChesterNimitz]

as you know - I too run sport leagues, the above statement is accurate. It really is a shame, but I've gotten to the point where I openly say to "parents" this league isn't for you. If it makes you this frustrated to the point of yelling at teenaged referees, then it's best to take a vacation from the club for a while. Most of them are shocked, as I doubt they've ever been talked to calmly (and a matter of factly). It is a real eye opener for them, as most don;t even realize what they are doing. The ones who've heeded my advice, have become great contributors and to this day thank me for telling them to wake up. the other's tend to disappear or latch on to "other leagues" in an effort to find the right pathway for their child (who has marginal skills) to make pro.

Unrealistic and overbearing parents are unpleasant challenges of our respective positions. I still haven’t decided which are more unrealistic: soccer or hockey parents. With respect to the latter, I start my pre-season speech with the advice that there is a greater chance that their son will own a NHL team than play for one. It doesn’t work.

 

[FormerLurker]

Thanks for your kind comment.

I watched the London Knights/Kitchener Rangers game last night which provided me with an opportunity to observe two of Montreal's most touted prospects: Mailloux and Mesar.

This is my assessment of their play:

Mailloux

Overall: This impressive, young defenceman played a steady, controlled game. Offensively, he wasn't as noticeable as in previous games while he was equally unnoticeable defensively. While this lack of noticeability may be disappointing with respect to the former, it is a significant improvement with respect to the latter. Overall, Mailloux played a lesser role than he usually assumes. He played his normal shift and on all power plays, but rarely played on the penalty killing unit.

On Defence: Mailloux exhibited excellent positioning and anticipation, shutting down opposing forwards in the defensive zone (see below with respect to my comments on Mesar) and closing the gap with determination and force. He regularly used his great reach to break up passes and to steer opposing forwards away from the danger areas. He also used his elite straight forward speed in recovery situations and to disrupt and deny passing lanes. Mailloux delivered several heavy hits as it appears he is starting to gain more confidence as to the health of his surgically repaired shoulder. Most importantly, he made prudent pinches at the offensive blueline and wasn't beaten wide by opposing forwards off the rush. Mailloux was mainly paired with Isaiah George. In this writer's opinion, this was an excellent move by Hunter as George is already an NHL level skater and his presence relieved Mailloux from having to be the main puck transporter when he was on the ice. This 'relief' allowed Mailloux, who I strongly believe is yet to be in top game shape, to have more energy later in the game. I still can't understand how Montreal's scouts while observing Mailloux's progress didn't identify George's potential. The failure to move up and draft this young defenceman as he 'fell' in last year's draft is an oversight that we will all come to regret in a few years. I am hoping that Team Canada's management will not be as equally myopic when selecting defencemen for Team Canada at the upcoming WJC. George's skating reminds me of Morgan Reilly's when he skated for Moose Jaw. All in all, it was Mailloux's strongest defensive performance to date, albeit, against a weak opponent.

On Offence: As noted above, Mailloux, compared to previous games, had a relatively quiet game offensively. While he made several end to end rushes, they were few and far between as he let his defensive partner, George do the heavy lifting in this regard. Where Mailloux did shine was on the power play. He showed excellent vision and creativity, often finding the open man resulting in multiple scoring chances. Interestingly, London used Mailloux on the half-board (a la Caufield) on power plays. I think this was done to take advantage of Mailloux's underestimated play-making ability and as a decoy to open up other areas of the ice since all teams have to over commit to take away Mailloux's shot (a la Caufield). While Mailloux did display his NHL shot, he still has to learn how to get that shot through the first defender who challenges him. Too many of his shots continue to be blocked. Once Mailloux learns how get his shot through or past that 'pressure' or challenging forward ( its a real talent that most NHL defencemen never can achieve) this kid will be a consistent 15 to 20 goal scorer at the next level. Mailloux again displayed his passing skill and total vision in completing several several three zone passes. His passes are missiles that recipients cringe when they see the incoming blurring object. Notwithstanding the pass of the night was the three zone seam pass executed by George under duress that sprung Barkey on a clean break-a-way that led to London's third goal.

Mesar

Overall: Mesar was easily the Rangers' most dangerous and creative player who displayed high end speed and play making ability. His skating ability and quickness challenged the Knights' defencemen all game, including one time, when Mailloux was forced to try to cover and contain him in London's defensive zone for an extended sequence. Mailloux was successful, which says more about Mailloux's growing defensive capabilities than Mesar's current offensive abilities. Mesar sees the ice well and would be greatly assisted if he could play with more talented line mates. The Rangers use Mesar on the power play exactly like the Canadiens use Suzuki, as the main puck transporter. For a smallish player, Mesar showed no reluctance to go into high traffic areas and charge the net. On one such foray, Mesar 'hit' the crossbar. For Mesar to play effectively in the NHL, he will have to get stronger. Much stronger. With such increased strength will come additional speed. His shot is already NHL ready and his hockey IQ, in particular, his on ice vision and offensive processing, is impressive. If Mesar gets stronger and fills out, he projects as a Jesper Bratt level type of player who could be another potential power play option for the Canadiens in 2 to 3 years. Bottom line, I came away impressed with this young player's potential. He will play in the NHL. How well he plays will largely depend on how much strength he can add over the next few years.

I took my 12 year old son to see the London-Kitchener game. My boy was on the ice in Mississauga until 6pm so we arrived at the parking lot in Kitchener at 7:30, game time. I'm used to the low attendance Steelheads games where you can park 90 seconds from the arena entrance and sit at center ice 6 rows up. Parking lot in Kitchener was full so we parked on the street a brisk 5 minute walk away and took our nosebleed seats 5 minutes into the game.

The Knights were killing a penalty when we arrived, and took another about two minutes after the first one expired. Mailloux did not PK and didn't even get a shift between penalties, despite multiple line changes. Presumably he saw some action before we arrived, but his first shift that we saw was at the halfway point of the period, then quickly on the ice again for a power play.

I'm no scout and I can't provide the kind of insightful analysis that you do, however I can say that I left this game disappointed.

I felt that Mailloux was not used enough and was misused on the PP. Hunter had him on the right side half wall and it seemed his teammates couldn't find him. When he did get the chance to shoot, he was too low and the angle was bad as a right shot on the right side. When he missed the net, the puck rung around the boards and back into the Knights zone.

At 5 on 5, I saw nothing special. Maybe my expectations were too high, I honestly expected him to see way more minutes, and be dictating the game when he was on the ice. The Knights were pretty much on cruise control and built an early lead and won 4-0, so perhaps the minutes were spread out more evenly and there just wasn't the urgency to push hard.

One final thought on Mailloux. When he's on the bench between shifts, he's standing up waiting to get back on, and talking to his defence partner and to the players on the ice. Fully engaged.

Poor Mesar seemed to be alone on an island. He's fast and can break through traffic, but you can't do much on a 1 on 2 against a better team. At times I could tell that he was looking for help from linemates that weren't there. As you noted he was the most dangerous Kitchener player. I'm still baffled that he was lined up for the penalty shot then swapped out at the last second for Rehkopf.

 

[jaffy27]

Forget about sport. There's many bad people in plain view everywhere. Prior to my current position, I was a practicing lawyer. I used to tell people the national sport of Canada wasn't hockey but the exercise of bad judgment. I wasn't so much a lawyer as a highly paid janitor that spent most of my time cleaning up messes resulting from good and bad peoples' errors in judgment.

This gotta be post of the month

In this text, your path to humour, ridicule and truth is a subliminal masterpiece lol

 

[ChesterNimitz]

This gotta be post of the month

In this text, your path to humour, ridicule and truth is a subliminal masterpiece lol

Thanks for your kind post. "Humour" ... "Ridicule" ... "Truth". Kind words of praise, indeed. I find in life that's its always best to try to inject an element of humor into all things we do. It serves to alleviate some of the drudgery that we all deal with daily. When I practiced law I had my clients rolling in the aisles until they received my bill when I quickly became the soulless spawn of the devil.

For those who believe that the odious condition of bad judgment and its twin sister, incompetency, magically stop at the door of sport management, all I can say is: Marc Bergevin or any of the other members of the merry band of managers and administrators who have driven their respective team or organizations into the shoals of disarray. After walking the halls of the sport world for the past decade I can confidently say that the human frailties of incompetence, nepotism and greed affect the sport world as much as any other human endeavor. The fiasco at Hockey Canada is just a mere glimpse into the sometimes unseemliness condition of the sport world. Other revelations await.

But there is one segment of the sport world that I can never acknowledge and thank enough: the volunteers who selflessly devote and donate their time and resources in helping deliver sport events, programs and activities across the country. Without their generous assistance, the many sport events, programs and activities that enhance the lives of us all would not be possible. If you are reading this and you are or have been a volunteer, I thank you.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I took my 12 year old son to see the London-Kitchener game. My boy was on the ice in Mississauga until 6pm so we arrived at the parking lot in Kitchener at 7:30, game time. I'm used to the low attendance Steelheads games where you can park 90 seconds from the arena entrance and sit at center ice 6 rows up. Parking lot in Kitchener was full so we parked on the street a brisk 5 minute walk away and took our nosebleed seats 5 minutes into the game.

The Knights were killing a penalty when we arrived, and took another about two minutes after the first one expired. Mailloux did not PK and didn't even get a shift between penalties, despite multiple line changes. Presumably he saw some action before we arrived, but his first shift that we saw was at the halfway point of the period, then quickly on the ice again for a power play.

I'm no scout and I can't provide the kind of insightful analysis that you do, however I can say that I left this game disappointed.

I felt that Mailloux was not used enough and was misused on the PP. Hunter had him on the right side half wall and it seemed his teammates couldn't find him. When he did get the chance to shoot, he was too low and the angle was bad as a right shot on the right side. When he missed the net, the puck rung around the boards and back into the Knights zone.

At 5 on 5, I saw nothing special. Maybe my expectations were too high, I honestly expected him to see way more minutes, and be dictating the game when he was on the ice. The Knights were pretty much on cruise control and built an early lead and won 4-0, so perhaps the minutes were spread out more evenly and there just wasn't the urgency to push hard.

One final thought on Mailloux. When he's on the bench between shifts, he's standing up waiting to get back on, and talking to his defence partner and to the players on the ice. Fully engaged.

Poor Mesar seemed to be alone on an island. He's fast and can break through traffic, but you can't do much on a 1 on 2 against a better team. At times I could tell that he was looking for help from linemates that weren't there. As you noted he was the most dangerous Kitchener player. I'm still baffled that he was lined up for the penalty shot then swapped out at the last second for Rehkopf.

He wasn't on the ice at the time of the infraction.

 

[themilosh]

I agree and if the officials and leagues would do their jobs their wouldn't be any need for fighting. And of course the coareographed fights should result in automatic 5 game suspensions

Unrealistic and overbearing parents are unpleasant challenges of our respective positions. I still haven’t decided which are more unrealistic: soccer or hockey parents. With respect to the latter, I start my pre-season speech with the advice that there is a greater chance that their son will own a NHL team than play for one. It doesn’t work.

Luckily for me, i own the club too.. so if it comes from me, they are truly faced with a choice: sit down and cheer for positive plays, or get a full refund.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Luckily for me, i own the club too.. so if it comes from me, they are truly faced with a choice: sit down and cheer for positive plays, or get a full refund.

Its good to be the owner.

 

[HuGort]

I was able to attend this afternoon's game between the London Knights and the Mississauga Steelheads which gave me the opportunity to closely watch two of the Canadiens' most notable prospects Logan Mailloux and Owen Beck. This is my assessment of these two players after watching them in person:

Logan Mailloux: Mailloux was as impressive in person as he is on tape. Perhaps more so. Mailloux played a very strong game and was, for the first two and half periods, clearly the most dominant player on the ice. His combination of skating, size, positioning, reach and skill level allowed him to adopt a commanding approach to the game. Very, very impressive. It was clearly a case of a man playing among boys.

On the Offence: Mailloux exhibited all the skills that have made him, in this writers opinion, one of the top NHL prospects. He had 4 shots on net , more than any other London player; made a number of excellent outlet passes; executed numerous end to end rushes that created multiple chances and scored a goal on a wrist shot from the high slot after London won a face-off deep in the Steelhead's zone. The goal summed up the potential this excellent prospect possesses. London won the face-off on the left dot and the puck travelled directly back to Mailloux who was playing the left point ( as opposed to his normal right point position). As the Mississauga winger charged the point, Mailloux faked a shot that froze the opposing winger and Mailloux then drifted smartly to his right so that he was in a prime shooting position and fired a wrist shot that whistled into the top left corner of the net. There are very few goalies at any level today who could have stopped that shot. The puck was a blur from forty feet out. It was a very impressive goal. Mailloux had several other scoring chances and assisted on another London goal and placed himself in a position to support his teammates on the offence all game long. While Mailloux put on an impressive offensive performance he still has a tendency of carrying the puck too far ahead of him and making it easy for defenders to poke check him. But you have to be blind not to see this player's immense offensive potential.

On the Defensive: Mailloux's overall defensive game was as impressive as his offensive game. I was really taken back by Mailloux's calmness and confidence in his defensive play. He anticipated the play and using positioning and his great reach broke up numerous Steelhead offensive rushes. Though he didn't deliver any thunderous hits, Mailloux often leaned on a number of opposing forwards, suffocated and contained them on the boards and cleaned up the front area of his net. Mailloux has a long reach and used it to break up passes and contain, and redirect Steelhead forwards. Mailloux was again partnered with the excellent and steady George and this top pairing defensive pair played in all high leverage situations with Mailloux playing the full two minutes on some of the Knights' penalty kills. This was London's sixth game in nine days, and I found that Mailloux's play dropped off midway in the third period as did the whole Knights' team. The one weakness that I have identified in earlier posted assessments: the tendency to be beaten off the rush reared its ugly head in the later stages of the game when he made a poor pinch at the defensive blueline that allowed a Mississauga forward to skate around him (with no damage being done) and allowing another Steelhead forward, to outside/inside him and score a highlight goal.

The Game and Some Other Observations: The score was not indicative of the play as the Knights thoroughly outplayed the Steelheads until the Misa goal at the 8th minute of the third period. Then the Knights seem to hit the proverbial wall and gave up another goal with the Steelhead goalie on the bench. Mailloux played most of the last 4 minutes of the game as the Knights held on for the win. Whether it was a case of a superior team lifting its foot off the accelerator or just running out of steam after a grueling portion of their schedule, a game well in hand suddenly became a close call.

Owen Beck : Beck had a strong game and despite not scoring ( he did set up Mississauga's first goaI) I though Beck was one of the most noticeable players for both teams during the game. Beck was around the net all game and ended up with 6 shots. He's an excellent, strong skater who loses no speed when carrying the puck. He generated great speed through the neutral zone and is very strong on his skates. He possesses a strong, heavy wrist shot and could easily have had two or three goals tonight. The London goalie was very strong tonight and made several great and timely saves on Beck's labeled shots. Surprisingly, the part of Beck's game that really impressed me was his passing and offensive vision. His passes were crisp and on the tape of his line mates. He seemed to always find the open man and never passed to a teammate who was under pressure and therefore likely to lose possession of the puck. In the faceoff circle, Beck won more than 50% of his face-offs. Bottom line, Beck is an excellent, polished prospect who will play in the NHL and be a core player for Montreal in two to three years.

You seem to be really in depth. Have you seen any 2023 OHL draftees play?

 

[ChesterNimitz]

You seem to be really in depth. Have you seen any 2023 OHL draftees play?

Yes and in previous posts I have commented on Bonk, Allen and Ritchie.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Unrealistic and overbearing parents are unpleasant challenges of our respective positions. I still haven’t decided which are more unrealistic: soccer or hockey parents. With respect to the latter, I start my pre-season speech with the advice that there is a greater chance that their son will own a NHL team than play for one. It doesn’t work.

I think hockey parents are much worse as their is such an enormous financial investment that they become something akin to degenerate gamblers trying to recoup their losses after borrowing from the local leg breaker. There are other differences between the two parent groups that create other problems specifically cultural/ethnicity related differences in parenting, power dynamics and conflict resolution that I won't get into but are a bigger problem in soccer.

I am not sure I would use that last sentence in a pre-season speech because it is not remotely true and would just undermine your credibility to the critical thinkers among the parent group. Your hard work is appreciated though and I know that the drama and politics that plague youth sports can be absolutely brutal so thankfully there are people like yourself who are far more patient than I am to help keep our kids in competitive sports.

 

[HuGort]

Yes and in previous posts I have commented on Bonk, Allen and Ritchie.

Bonk I don't think I heard that name before. He must be rated to go later rounds. Allen and Richie were highly rated before season in draft thread. Recently, they all say many negative things about them.

 

[DAChampion]

I start my pre-season speech with the advice that there is a greater chance that their son will own a NHL team than play for one. It doesn’t work.

????

But that isn't true.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

????

But that isn't true.

My god, you sound like so many parents that I have to deal with. I'm not saying it for the truth, but for impact. A needed dose of reality. In my job, I deal with kids ranging from 7 to 19 in a variety of sports. In hockey, I see their parents at try-outs, practices and games, eagerly , intently watching their kid's every move, assured that they have the next Conner McDavid who will be their ticket to glory and riches. You know those parents, the ones who blame every failings of their kid on the coaching, or the wrong line mates and, of course, the all time favorite complaint, the lack of power play time. They're not kids in their eyes, but a commodity. You know them, you see them yourselves at every rink, on every team . I have to deal with them every day. And it never changes. That's why I give them a dose of reality. For some, it never works.

 

[DAChampion]

My god, you sound like so many parents that I have to deal with. I'm not saying it for the truth, but for impact. A needed dose of reality. In my job, I deal with kids ranging from 7 to 19 in a variety of sports. In hockey, I see their parents at try-outs, practices and games, eagerly , intently watching their kid's every move, assured that they have the next Conner McDavid who will be their ticket to glory and riches. You know those parents, the ones who blame every failings of their kid on the coaching, or the wrong line mates and, of course, the all time favorite complaint, the lack of power play time. They're not kids in their eyes, but a commodity. You know them, you see them yourselves at every rink, on every team . I have to deal with them every day. And it never changes. That's why I give them a dose of reality. For some, it never works.

I actually don't know those parents. My parents didn't have the resources to put me in sports as a kid, and my first child is 10 months old.

Given that half her genes are from me, I am certain that she will not be a star in any sport that involves hand eye coordination, lol. I do hope she turns out smart, assiduous, ambitious, though, and I like the curiosity she's showing.

I do have older step kids, who in my uninformed impression do have significant athletic potential, but at this time, they lack confidence and perseverance, so that's unfortunate. One quit karate after two months because she lost interest, in spite of being very good at it. I didn't blame the coach. I thought he was great, actually.

I have trouble believing so many parents could be so stupid, but I'll believe you.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I actually don't know those parents. My parents didn't have the resources to put me in sports as a kid, and my first choice is 10 months old.

Given that half her genes are from me, I am certain that she will not be a star in any sport that involves hand eye coordination, lol. I do hope she turns out smart, assiduous, ambitious, though, and I like the curiosity she's showing.

I do have older step kids, who in my uninformed impression do have significant athletic potential, but at this time, they lack confidence and perseverance, so that's unfortunate. One quit karate after two months because she lost interest, in spite of being very good at it. I didn't blame the coach. I thought he was great, actually.

I have trouble believing so many parents could be so stupid, but I'll believe you.

Good post. I wish all parents would be like you.

Sports, any sport, should not be a profession for a kid. It should be fun. If they are having fun, they will learn so much ( responsibility, inter-personal skills, leadership, discipline, team work, etc.) that will greatly benefit them as they grow. I have coached and managed several young players who are now playing in the NHL. You can tell in one glance those that have that potential. It's their on ice presence, skill and athleticism that separates them from their peers. It's also their off ice demeanor and how important the game is to them: their drive to get better. Yes, there are some late bloomers, I've coached and managed those too. But they are, by in large, the rare exceptions. If they aren't largely dominating AAA by the time they are 12, their parents should be ensuring that they get a good education.

I wish all of your kids good luck, happiness and success, regardless of their genes.

 

[Hacketts]

jesus..

 

[BenchBrawl]

jesus..

Sick!

 

[the valiant effort]

Kovalchukian

 

[ZUKI]

jesus..

just to think that he nearly didn't play last 2 seasons...

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

jesus..

Connor Mailloux.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

He’s Subban 2.0

 

[John B]

jesus..

He made that look so easy. When it started, I thought it was warmups or something the way he was skating back (even when he started up with the puck). Then I saw the Generals' player. Unbelievable.

 

[Rapala]

I liked the way he moved that puck up the left side as a right hand shot.

 

[KevSkillz4]

Why Habs need a top RD defenseman when we already have one with Logan Mailloux.

I'm really hype about him!

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Why Habs need a top RD defenseman when we already have one with Logan Mailloux.

I'm really hype about him!

I watched the London's game last night against Oshawa Generals and here is my assessment of Logan Mailloux's play:

The Good: Mailloux was again paired with Isaiah George and has clearly become London's go to, number one defenceman who Hunter looks to and relies on to play in all high leveraged situations. Offensively he was one of the Knights most prominent players showing the skating, passing, shooting and offensive vision that has made him such a compelling prospect. Last night Mailloux showed his elite staright forward speed including once when he exploded up the ice to create a 2 on 1 opportunity on a penalty kill. He made numerous excellent break out passes and, in the offensive zone, completed a number of highly creative passes (think Suzuki-like) that created scoring chances and one goal on the power play. Mailloux was a bit more active in carrying the puck into the offensive zone , including one rush that led to a spectacular solo effort goal. (I won't describe the goal as the videos of same posted above speak for themselves.) Mailloux had much greater success in getting his shot through to the net, ending up with six shots on net. Mailloux had a very strong game on defence using his superior mobility, size, reach and anticipation to frustrate and block most Oshawa offensive efforts. While Mailloux didn't deliver any big hits, he used his size advantage prudently to mirror, track and smother opposing forwards. All in all, it was one of Mailloux's best games as he looked like a true leader on the ice and assumed a confident and commanding posture.

The Bad: Not really much was bad with Mailloux's game last night. I could nit pick and say that he made improvident pass in his zone that created a scoring chance against his team, that he showed a little lack of discipline that drew a penalty, or that he failed to convert on several scoring chances. But that would be truly, nitpicking. More importantly, I didn't see Mailloux get beat wide or make risky pinches that I have seen and commented on before. Also, he actually used the dump and chase play several times instead of his penchant of trying to beat three opponents ( and usually failing) at the offensive blueline. My biggest 'concern' continues to be Mailloux's conditioning. He still shows elements of fatigue that are a drag on his level of play at times. You just have to compare his consistency of play to his defense partner, George, who seems as fresh at the start of his shift as at the end. Is it a question of physiology, like what has plagued Gallagher all his career, or is the lingering effects of having missed almost two years of playing time? I certainly hope it's the latter.

The Ugly: Team Canada's management having to watch Mailloux play and knowing that he constitutes forbidden fruit for selection to the Team Canada upcoming evaluation camp. I was able to watch a part of Ottawa 67s' recent game and observed one of Team Canada's invitees on defence, Jack Matier. Not to be cruel, all I saw was a replica of a slightly slower version of Edmundson. Maybe it was a bad game, but if Matier makes the team, opposing skilled forwards will go around him, as Howie Meeker used to gleefully say: 'like a hoop in a barrel". Matier, who is largely a static defenceman, is nowhere near the level of player Mailloux is: well, at least at this stage of their respective development. Also, I know that many have questioned some of the Team Canada invites. The omission of Oshawa's, Brett Harrison, a Boston 3rd round pick in 2021, is to this observer, truly puzzling. Already 6'3" and 184 lbs, Harrison is a big, fast and skilled forward. He scored three goals last night and could have scored 5 with a little luck. As I said in my assessment after the previous London/Oshawa game, Harrison is a certain NHLer and a player that we will have to deal with for the next decade. If our own Team Canada invitee Roy, turns out to be as good as I think Harrison will be, all of us should, and will be, very happy.