Montreal Canadiens

Latest On Logan Mailloux’s Contract Talks, Health, Expectations

Published

2 years ago

October 7, 2022

The Montreal Canadiens signing Logan Mailloux to an entry-level deal was a shock for some, but it had been a process that was long in the works, and now the organization is looking to take a positive step forward.

It’s been an eventful couple of months for the youngster, despite not being able to play during that time, and he has now cemented himself in the future of the club moving forward.

Montreal Hockey Now took some time to talk with his agent Dylan Liptrap of Quartexx Management, in order to get a sense of how the contract negotiations came about and what the expectations are moving forward:

Hughes’ Quick Move From Evaluation To Action

General Manager Kent Hughes had promoted the idea of having Mailloux spend time around the team this summer as a means of evaluating his ability to integrate within the group and his growth as a person.

“Logan had a very positive experience with the organization and the city over the summer. Montreal is a first-class organization that has provided tremendous support to Logan throughout his shoulder rehab,” said agent Liptrap on the feedback he’s received from Mailloux during his time in Montreal. “He loved the city and the opportunity to be around the team and learn from the leaders and veterans of the organization.”

Once Hughes felt confident in his evaluation, the Canadiens general manager moved quickly to get the club’s 2021 1st round pick signed to his entry-level contract.

“Discussions began very recently,” said Liptrap regarding the process to contract negotiation, “Once Montreal made the determination that they wanted to sign Logan, the contract came together rather quickly.”

Similarly to Owen Beck, Hughes likely wanted to send his top prospects back to junior with contracts as both a source of motivation, but also as a sign of confidence that they’re in the plans of the organization moving forward.

What’s Next?

Mailloux has been spotted on the ice all summer in a light-blue, non-contact jersey while practicing with other prospects and members of the organization. There’s been an anxious wait to see when he will be ready to get back to business and start playing meaningful hockey again, and that wait could be over in short order.

“The testing that has been done on his shoulder has all come back very positive, and the hope is that he will be cleared for full contact practice,” said Liptrap on Mailloux’s health status. “It is very likely that Logan will then be assigned to London after he is cleared for games, as this should provide the best option for his development.”

However, Mailloux has remained in excellent shape during his time in Montreal, and the wait is not expected to be very long before he’s able to shed the non-contact jersey.

“It should be within the next week or so,” said Liptrap on when the expectation for Mailloux to be cleared for contact. “Then, once he’s cleared, it’ll be anywhere between one to three weeks to get into game shape.”

With a return to London likely to be around late October or early November, the expectations for him in London will be quite high, as he will want to pick up right where he left off last season prior to his shoulder injury.

“The expectation for him in London this year is that he’s going to come in and push to be the top guy in London,” said Liptrap on the expectations for Mailloux upon his return to the London Knights. “They’ve got a lot of good depth on the backend that’s going to push him to get better and become of of the OHL’s go-to guys.”

The Canadiens will continue to monitor his growth, both on and off the ice, but the positive momentum and the security of an NHL contract should further motivate Logan Mailloux to take his game to new heights in the OHL this year.