Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ‘deeply disappointed’ after Canadiens drafted Logan Mailloux

MONTREAL —
As a lifelong Habs fan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “deeply disappointed” with the Montreal Canadiens’ decision to draft Logan Mailloux, who was charged and fined in Sweden for sharing explicit sexual photos without the consent of the woman in the pictures.

“As a lifelong Habs fan, I have to say, I am deeply disappointed by the decision,” Trudeau said. 

Canadiens’ GM Marc Bergervin said after drafting the defenceman with the 31st pick in the first round of the NHL Draft: “He’s a young man who made a serious mistake of judgment and we need to work with him and we did talk to him and he’s very aware of that and very remorseful.”

Bergevin and the Canadiens’ statements, as well as Mailloux’s apology in a Zoom news conference the day after he was selected did little to curb the criticism from many, who saw the Habs as placing on-ice skill far above off-ice behaviour.

“This move is extremely frustrating and upsetting, especially from a team and general manager that have spent the past decade harping on the importance of character. It’s clear that off-ice character is trumped by on-ice performance,” said TSN 690 She’s Got Game host Robyn Flynn.

Ryerson University’s Office of Sexual Violence Support and Education consent educator Farrah Khan told CTV News on the weekend that it’s important that Mailloux was open about his actions, and asked not to be drafted in a statement before the draft. However, the Habs picked him anyway, which Khan called disappointing, a sentiment the prime minister echoed on Tuesday.

“What was disappointing, was that his own opinions, own thoughts, weren’t being respected by the team,” said Khan. “If he’s saying this, then why is this team saying, ‘Oh, we want to draft you in the first draft.’ That’s something that I find really confusing.”

Trudeau said the decision showed a lack of judgment on the part of the Canadiens organization.

“They have a lot of explaining to do to Montrealers and fans across the country,” he said.