Logan Mailloux, a defenceman with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights, has asked NHL teams not to draft him this weekend.
He was going to be a full-time member of the team’s blue line this year before the pandemic delayed, and eventually cancelled, the OHL season.
That’s how Mailloux landed in Sweden, joining Sweden’s SK Lejon on loan as he prepared for the 2021 NHL draft.
A story from the Daily Faceoff reported that while he was with his Swedish team, Mailloux took photos of an 18-year-old woman performing a sex act on him and shared the photos with his teammates.
Mailloux was 17 at the time of the incident, and gave permission to Daily Faceoff for his story to be released.
He was convicted in Sweden and paid fines in relation to the incident.
Mailloux has apologized for the incident, and on Tuesday morning issued a statement on his Twitter account asking teams not to draft him.
“Given the circumstances I don’t feel I have demonstrated enough maturity or character to earn that privilege in the 2021 Draft,” Mailloux wrote.
“I feel this would allow me the opportunity to demonstrate an adequate level of maturity and character next Season with the London Knights in the NHL and provide NHL Teams the opportunity to reassess my character towards the 2022 NHL Draft.
According to a report in The Athletic, the victim suggested all she wanted from him was “a heartfelt apology,” but did not receive one.
The 18-year-old was an affiliate with the Knights during the 2019-20 season, while playing full-time with the GOJHL’s London Nationals.
A strong season with the Nationals put him on the NHL draft radar, and he was a lock to make the Knights’ blue line this past season, had there been one.
Speaking with Global News, Knights general manager Mark Hunter says they are working with Mailloux.
“We’re making sure he’s taking the proper steps to improve himself. It’s every day, we’re just monitoring it and make sure he has the proper channels he needs to improve as a person,” said Hunter.
Mailloux says he plans to rejoin the Knights for the 2021-22 OHL season, while Hunter says both the team and the league will continue to monitor the situation closely.
“He’s got professional help, he’s got counselling, to make sure he knows what he needs to do as a person to improve himself,” said Hunter.
“He’s done a lot on the counselling side. We spent a lot of time on that to make sure to get him in the right direction so he can get help.”