The 19-year-old defenseman, who was selected by Montreal in the first round (No. 31) of the 2021 NHL Draft, had requested prior to the draft that teams not pick him because of a criminal charge he incurred while playing in Sweden.
"This is a decision that we have thought through carefully," Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said Wednesday. "Having Logan around members of our team and hockey operations staff for a good part of the summer allowed us to gain a greater appreciation of Logan Mailloux the person. He has an opportunity to effect positive change and we will work to support him in any effort towards that goal. Logan recognizes the impact of his gesture and of course, the process continues."
After being drafted, Mailloux said he regretted the actions that led to the conviction when he was playing for SK Lejon in Sweden's third division. He was also fined for invasion of privacy and defamation.
He did not attend Montreal training camp last season.
"During an intimate moment with a young woman, I took a picture of us without her consent," Mailloux said in a statement after he was drafted in July 2021. "I sent it to my teammates to impress them. It was totally irresponsible and a stupid act that I committed without thinking twice. For that lack of judgment on my part I was fined by Swedish law.
"I do not think that I earned the right to be drafted. I just think my main goal is bettering myself as a person and as a character and [from] a community standpoint moving forward. And if that's going to be in Montreal, then I'm going to be looking forward to it."
Marc Bergevin, who was the Canadiens general manager when Mailloux was drafted, said at the time: "The Canadiens are aware of the situation and by no means minimize the severity of Logan's actions. Logan understands the impact of his actions. His recent public statement is a genuine acknowledgement of his poor behavior and the first step on his personal journey. We are making a commitment to accompany Logan on his journey by providing him with the tools to mature and the necessary support to guide him in his development. We are also committed to raising awareness among our players about the repercussions of their actions on the lives of others."
Mailloux had nine points (three goals, six assists) in 12 games with London of the Ontario Hockey League last season.
