HabsWorld.net -- 

When Logan Mailloux signed his entry-level deal last year, word came out that he was not eligible to play in the NHL.  It appears that’s no longer the case according to a report from TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie.

In a press conference earlier this month, GM Kent Hughes indicated that Mailloux had met with Gary Bettman back in July.  There was no real need for the meeting to happen sooner since Mailloux had been loaned back to the OHL last season and thus wasn’t on the immediate horizon to make his NHL debut.

That debut still might not come in 2023-24 with Montreal’s back end still relatively deep.  However, Mailloux is now eligible to play in the pros in 2023-24 and this ruling should also carry over to AHL eligibility.  With a good showing in Laval (or if the injury bug rears its head once again), he could be an option for a midseason recall.

With London last year, he led all OHL blueliners in goals with 25 while chipping in with 28 assists and should be tasked with providing some offence from the back end with the Rocket this season.  Having said that, it’s likely he will be in somewhat of a limited role on the depth chart considering how much playing time he has missed over the last three years.

Mailloux will now be eligible to be a full participant in training camp next month and be able to suit up in exhibition games.  The Habs didn’t permit him to speak to the media at Development Camp citing a need for his meeting with Bettman to happen first.  Now that it has and he has been cleared to play, this storyline is likely to get plenty of attention when camp opens up in a few weeks.