NHL draft: Canadiens select Logan Mailloux in controversial first-round pick

The Montreal Canadiens made the riskiest move of the NHL draft on Friday night, selecting London Knights defenceman Logan Mailloux near the end of the first round.

Mailloux had asked not to be drafted after it came to light he was charged in Sweden for taking and distributing an offensive photo without consent during a consensual sexual encounter last November. He was a minor, 17, at the time.

The team issued a statement regarding the controversial pick:

“By drafting prospect Logan Mailloux with the 31st overall pick, the Montreal Canadiens organization not only selected a promising hockey player, but also a young man who recently admitted to making a serious mistake. 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 acknowledgment of his poor behaviour 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.”

Nonetheless, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin was on the defensive when he spoke with reporters, being asked to explain what he’d say to the team’s massive female fan base.

“We understand and we are fully aware, and we as organization (what he did) is very unacceptable, but also it’s a young man that made a terrible mistake,” said Bergevin. “Again he’s 17 years old, and he’s willing and remorseful and he has a lot of work to do but he’s already started to put it behind him and has a hockey career.”

Mailloux distributed the offending photo on a team group chat when he was with SK Lejon. He was ultimately charged with both defamation and offensive photography, and ordered to pay about $2,000 Cdn, according to DailyFaceoff.com.

The victim had said all she wanted was an apology and that the one he gave didn’t seem sincere.

It’s a risky, even polarizing, pick by the Canadiens; Mailloux is sure to be under the microscope not just by the fan base but by the public at large.

On Twitter, the backlash was fierce.

“Hockey had an opportunity to set a precedent and demand better of players,” tweeted former junior player Brock McGillis, an activist for gay rights. “This kid could have worked and atoned and then had opportunity. He hasn’t done that work, he hasn’t even apologized. Also how can it be trusted that these teams help him.”

In an ironic twist from a TV viewer perspective, the Chicago Blackhawks chose next. That team is embroiled in its own controversy regarding a lawsuit brought forth by a former player alleging sexual abuse by a former coach. Perhaps in an attempt to rehabilitate its image, the club brought out their female employees as a show of the empowerment of women in hockey.

Poor choices on cultural matters like race and misogyny have not ended well for players.

Brendan Leipsic had his contract terminated by the Washington Capitals after his vulgar and misogynistic texts about the wives and girlfriends of other players became public.

The Arizona Coyotes renounced the rights to 2020 fourth-round draft pick Mitchell Miller after an Arizona Republic report that Miller was convicted in 2016 for bullying a Black classmate with developmental disabilities.

And just Thursday, the Rangers placed defenceman Tony DeAngelo on unconditional waivers for the purposes of buying out his contract after reports of bad behaviour within the locker room.