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

[Habs Halifax]

I always felt myself for having played both RW and RHD it is much easier to read the play on D. You’re almost always facing the play and there is much less improv to the game. I obviously never played at these guy’s level, but I’m more worried about say Slaf’s IQ than Barron or Mailloux’s. D’s could always play within a system and rely on being big, mean and having a long reach.

It's more about NHL quality and that is high level. Guys like Barron and Mailloux are build from the front in vs the back out. We went through this with Beaulieu. Some figure it out and many don't. I have hope in both of them but it's up to them to figure it out. If they do, we got two very good assets. Learning to be the right position and limiting forwards from scoring chances is not easy. NHL forwards are clever and they know how to take advantage of guys who don't neutralize well.

Slaf is 18. I'll be harder on him when he is 20 or 21. He looked good against men at both the WC and Olympics but NHL is tough. Time and space is a big deal and Habs are focusing at the right area where we are trying to build good habits before we let him loose offensively. What he learns this season and how he prepares for next year will reveal a lot about his development direction at age 19 next year.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

we already thin at RD why would we convert our best RD prospect to forward? Mailloux missed almost 2 years of hockey we just need to be patient with him

Calling Mailloux our best righthanded defenceman is indeed a case of damning him with the faintest of praise.

As some know here, there is no bigger booster of Mailloux as a prospect. But watching him closely this year (most games) I am concerned about his defensive instincts. He is at times a huge liability in the defensive zone. Often, instead of closing the gap on an opposing forward, he drops to one knee and tries to play goalie. While that may work at times at the OHL level, it is a prescription for failure in the NHL. On the other hand, Mailloux is strong if not dynamic, when he is on the rush. He has excellent offensive vision/creativity; skates as well if not better than most forwards, has size and one of the best shots in the OHL.

After watching Mailloux more than twenty times this year, I just don’t see an intuitive defensive approach to his game. Can he ultimately play defense in the NHL? Definitely. But from what I see so far, Mailloux may well prove to be a more impactful player playing forward than defence at the next level.

As I said earlier, the large periods of inactivity has caused chaos in Mailloux’s development. Let’s see what happens over the last half of the OHL season. Trying to gauge the pace of any player’s development is an inexact science. Maybe, just maybe, Mailloux can overcome the arrested development that has so clearly undermined his path to the NHL: whether as a defenceman or a forward.

 

[1909]

Calling Mailloux our best righthanded defenceman is indeed a case of damning him with the faintest of praise.

As some know here, there is no bigger booster of Mailloux as a prospect. But watching him closely this year (most games) I am concerned about his defensive instincts. He is at times a huge liability in the defensive zone. Often, instead of closing the gap on an opposing forward, he drops to one knee and tries to play goalie. While that may work at times at the OHL level, it is a prescription for failure in the NHL. On the other hand, Mailloux is strong if not dynamic, when he is on the rush. He has excellent offensive vision/creativity; skates as well if not better than most forwards, has size and one of the best shots in the OHL.

After watching Mailloux more than twenty times this year, I just don’t see an intuitive defensive approach to his game. Can he ultimately play defense in the NHL? Definitely. But from what I see so far, Mailloux may well prove to be a more impactful player playing forward than defence at the next level.

As I said earlier, the large periods of inactivity has caused chaos in Mailloux’s development. Let’s see what happens over the last half of the OHL season. Trying to gauge the pace of any player’s development is an inexact science. Maybe, just maybe, Mailloux can overcome the arrested development that has so clearly undermined his path to the NHL: whether as a defenceman or a forward.

A full season or two at AHL level could possibly help him find and refine his defensive game (hopefully).

 

[Skip Bayless]

I truly believe he can be a Jeff Petry clone if he spends a couple of seasons in the AHL. I hope to God we don't rush him. He's my top habs prospect right now.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

A full season or two at AHL level could possibly help him find and refine his defensive game (hopefully).

Maybe.

 

[1909]

Maybe.

No choice If he wants to play at NHL level.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

No choice If he wants to play at NHL level.

Less of a problem if he is playing as a power right winger. Regardless, Mailloux is playing in the NHL, for Montreal or some other team.

 

[themilosh]

I truly believe he can be a Jeff Petry clone if he spends a couple of seasons in the AHL. I hope to God we don't rush him. He's my top habs prospect right now.

If ges a jeff petry clone its gonna be another 6 years to see the fruits of his labour.. "if"..

 

[Skip Bayless]

If ges a jeff petry clone its gonna be another 6 years to see the fruits of his labour.. "if"..

I think Mailloux has the upper hand in that aspect because his identity as a player is more obvious. Petry found out he had a shot and could rush the puck up the ice when Subban left the team at the age of 28.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I truly believe he can be a Jeff Petry clone if he spends a couple of seasons in the AHL. I hope to God we don't rush him. He's my top habs prospect right now.

Mailloux , while a good skater, does not have Petry’s fluidity nor his explosive lateral skating. Petry was for years one of the most underrated players in the league. His skating ability made Montreal a threat on 3 on 3’s. Once his shift was over, we had no chance of scoring.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Calling Mailloux our best righthanded defenceman is indeed a case of damning him with the faintest of praise.

As some know here, there is no bigger booster of Mailloux as a prospect. But watching him closely this year (most games) I am concerned about his defensive instincts. He is at times a huge liability in the defensive zone. Often, instead of closing the gap on an opposing forward, he drops to one knee and tries to play goalie. While that may work at times at the OHL level, it is a prescription for failure in the NHL. On the other hand, Mailloux is strong if not dynamic, when he is on the rush. He has excellent offensive vision/creativity; skates as well if not better than most forwards, has size and one of the best shots in the OHL.

After watching Mailloux more than twenty times this year, I just don’t see an intuitive defensive approach to his game. Can he ultimately play defense in the NHL? Definitely. But from what I see so far, Mailloux may well prove to be a more impactful player playing forward than defence at the next level.

As I said earlier, the large periods of inactivity has caused chaos in Mailloux’s development. Let’s see what happens over the last half of the OHL season. Trying to gauge the pace of any player’s development is an inexact science. Maybe, just maybe, Mailloux can overcome the arrested development that has so clearly undermined his path to the NHL: whether as a defenceman or a forward.

would an overager season help possibly?

 

[ChesterNimitz]

would an overager season help possibly?

Its not an issue of the level of competition. But his innate intuitive abilities. I just haven’t seen enough that convinces me that Mailloux will be an impactful player as a defenceman at the NHL level. That may change. If we want to take the next step we need to accumulate as many impactful players as possible. Mailloux will play in the NHL. We need more than just that.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Mailloux speaks french lol

 

[Tetragrammaton]

Mailloux is one of the main reasons we'll need a better development coach in the AHL as soon as possible.

He has the skills to be an effective player in the NHL, but he'll need someone to work with to help put everything together and improve on his weaknesses.. not someone who will sit him for veterans if he makes mistakes.

He should be put in the AHL for at least 1 season.

 

[Matthew McConaughay]

3 goals for Mailloux, the last one with a Michigan.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Bruh, if the NHL doesn't allow Mailloux we get hurt so bad.

I can't imagine they don't at some point, but maaan

 

[McGees]

 

[Kojo]

Bruh, if the NHL doesn't allow Mailloux we get hurt so bad.

I can't imagine they don't at some point, but maaan

I don't see why the NHL would ban him for life. They're just pretending that they care, to look good for PR reasons.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[waitin425]

The other two goals were decent as well. He's a beauty. Looking forward to see what he does in camp next year.

 

[red devil]

 

[jrom]

Mailloux speaks french lol

While he was in MTL this summer he was staying with a franco billet family to improve his french (had immersion classes in ONT before).

 

[26Mats]

While he was in MTL this summer he was staying with a franco billet family to improve his french (had immersion classes in ONT before).

He sounds pretty natural, like if he gets back into a Francophone milieu he'll speak pretty well.

 

[McGees]

Its a cool stat but also very unfair since he is in his D2 season lol

 

[Kojo]

Its a cool stat but also very unfair since he is in his D2 season lol

It's not a good excuse but Mailloux lost some development time due to some unfortunate circumstance including covid. It's a cool stat and very fair imo.