The Canadiens have sent defenseman Logan Mailloux back to AHL Laval, as announced by the team on Wednesday. This move leaves two vacancies on their active roster, one of which will be filled by activating Kaiden Guhle from injured reserve shortly. The team confirmed that Guhle is traveling with them after missing the last five games due to an upper-body injury.
Defenseman Justin Barron is also close to returning from an upper-body injury that sidelined him for the past three games and will join the trip as well, according to the team. With both defenders expected to return, Mailloux’s playing time would be limited, prompting his return to the AHL for more top-four minutes.
Mailloux, who is 21 years old, has performed reasonably well in his limited NHL appearances. The 2021 first-round draft pick was called up nearly two weeks after Guhle’s injury and participated in five consecutive games, registering one goal and two assists with a -4 rating. He has actively used his 6-foot-3, 213-pound frame, recording seven blocks and six hits while averaging 16:30 of ice time per game. However, he needs to improve his play without the puck, as his possession numbers are not encouraging considering his protected offensive role. The Canadiens managed just 44.3% of shot attempts and 39.2% of expected goals while he was on the ice at even strength, despite 63.2% of his zone starts occurring in the offensive zone.
Before being called up earlier this month, Mailloux had scored twice and added two assists in his first two games with Laval. Last season, he ranked third in scoring for the minor league team, accumulating 47 points (14 G, 33 A) over 72 games, and earned a spot on the AHL’s All-Rookie Team. He remains on his entry-level contract, which runs through the 2025-26 season and carries an $875K cap hit.
