It was in the second third of the game against the Devils. Like Wile E. Coyote, Mailloux set out to find the non-villainous Jack Hughes. A few seconds later, Dawson Mercer scored while Mailloux stood empty-handed, a bit like the poor coyote without the crazy sign.

Where does the feedback come from when games like this take place? Coach on the bench or in the video room the next day?

“It was a bit of both, but I didn’t necessarily have to tell myself, I noticed it when I came back to the bench!” Mailloux said after Friday’s optional training session. It might not be a good idea to force yourself shorthanded against one of the NHL’s best players. So you won’t see me as F1 anymore [premier attaquant en échec-avant] soon to be understaffed! »

Mailloux will have a chance to recover on Friday when the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Bell Center for CH’s third preseason game.

“It was my first professional game,” he recalled. I will read the game differently. I have watched the video and will make adjustments. »

As in Monday’s game, Mailloux will once again form a duo with Jordan Harris. “Playing with Logan was good. He is talented, he likes to support the attack. With two mobile defenders together, we can create plays,” Harris said.

A few words of French

In addition, at the end of his press conference, Mailloux was asked to answer a question in French. He was known to have some mastery of the French language, as he came from Belle River, where there is a Franco-Ontarian community.

But opportunities to prove this have been few and far between over the years. In particular, the day after the Canadian was selected in the draft, in 2021, he read a statement about his problems with the law, and that statement was written in English and French.

On Friday, his colleague Jonathan Bernier asked him to comment on the evening’s game. “It will be great to play against the Leafs. It’s my mom’s team, I want to beat them tonight, that would be it Cool “, he answered.

A duel between the B teams

However, those hoping to catch either of the two preseason games this weekend may want to try their luck on Saturday, as the Canadiens and Maple Leafs’ Friday lineups aren’t exactly full of stars.

Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares will be missing on both sides.

The Canadian will still have 11 veterans at his disposal according to NHL rules. However, among these “veterans” there are also players like Gustav Lindstrom and Jesse Ylönen.

Speaking of veterans, forwards Tanner Pearson, Jake Evans and Brendan Gallagher are eligible for their first game and will form a trio. This also applies to defenders Lindstrom and Nicolas Beaudin as well as strikers Joel Armia, Jan Mysak and John Parker-Jones.

It will be exciting to follow Lindstrom’s case. There are already two injuries on the Habs’ blue line: Chris Wideman, who has not yet put on skates, and Mike Matheson, who missed Wednesday’s game and has not been seen at a rink since. Lindstrom, a defenseman acquired from the Red Wings this summer in exchange for Jeff Petry, shoots from the right. He was effectively Detroit’s seventh defenseman last season.

Kaiden Guhle and Juraj Slafkovsky, the only two to appear in the first two games, receive their first bye.

Cayden Primeau should start the game for CH. Strauss Mann will also be in uniform, but it is unknown if he will play or if Primeau will play the entire game.

The Leafs will also arrive with a modest squad, but in which we will find Matthew Knies, a forward drafted at 2^e Tour in 2021, trying to secure a spot in Toronto’s top trio.

Many have noted the presence of the impressive Ryan Reaves on the Leafs roster. CH will count on Arber Xhekaj, but the big defender didn’t speak like someone who expects to take the gloves off.

“Reaves is a tough player, I am one too. We’ll maybe try it a few times, we’ll see. [Me battre] is not my goal in preparation games. I just want to show the coaches what I can do. »