'I know I caused a lot of harm': Habs draft pick Logan Mailloux apologizes for sharing sexually explicit photos without consent
Warning: This story covers content some might find distressing.
Montreal Canadiens draft pick Logan Mailloux apologized Saturday for sending explicit pictures of a sexual act without the consent of his partner.
Last year Mailloux secretly took photos of a woman while they were engaged in a sexual act, and shared them -- and the identity of the woman -- with members of his hockey team in Sweden.
He was charged with defamation and criminal photography, and ordered to pay a fine.
"I know I caused a lot of harm to this person and her family," he said. "I regret doing this stupid and egotistical act. What I did now is, unfortunately, a part of both her life and mine."
Robyn Flynn hosts the TSN 690 radio show She's Got Game, and said the Canadiens' decision to draft Mailloux reeks of hypocrisy.
"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," she said.
The defenceman was selected 31st overall in the first round of Friday night's NHL draft. He previously posted a statement asking teams not to draft him.
He spoke on Saturday about his decision to enter the draft, and his hopes for playing for the Habs.
"I know I'd said that I did not want to be drafted this year, but as a young man who wants to become a better person, I feel that being accompanied by the Montreal Canadiens organization will help me greatly, he said. "They are committed to helping me grow as a person, and I thank them for this."
The Canadiens issued a statement shortly after the pick was announced saying the club was "aware of the situation and by no means minimize the severity of Logan's actions."
"Logan understands the impact of his actions. His recent public statement is a genuine acknowledgment of his poor behaviour and the first step on his personal journey," read the statement.
Reaction across social media was a mix of shock, anger, confusion and some support after he was drafted.
Former Team Canada women's hockey team head coach Danièle Sauvageau told CTV News that she would like the NHL to develop clear and strong protocols to help its members, but also make sure that they send a strong statement that sexual assault is completely unacceptable.
"The first question I had was, the NHL should have a process and a clear philosophy or view on those behaviors - active or non active - and to have some sort of probation," said Sauvageau.
She said by putting an active or prospective player on probation for a year or two would send a strong message.
"If the league would have something like that in the case of young man coming up and being drafted, well, in that particular case, maybe the draft this year would not have been available for him," said Sauvageau, who spent 24 years in policing with the SPVM and RCMP. "Show maturity, show that it was a mistake, show that this is where you want to go and you will continue to work hard as a hockey player, but this year's draft is not available for you."
CRIME, NOT A MISDEMEANOR
Sauvageau added that what Mailloux did was a criminal offence, and should be treated as such.
"There has a lot of work being done over the years to teach, to educate the organization and the young men to say, you know, you're a young man, you do what young men do, but at the end of the day, there are situations that are criminal, and this is obviously a criminal offense," she said. "And being a criminal offense, at the end of the day, needs to have consequences."
Flynn echoed Sauvageau's reminder of what Mailloux was found guilty of.
"Mailloux didn’t just make a mistake," she said. "He committed a crime, one he was convicted for. I believe in second chances, but I also believe that playing in the NHL is a privilege, not a right."
Mailloux, who plays for the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League, was on loan to SK Lejon in Sweden's third division at the time and was charged and fined under Swedish law. The 6'3", 213-pound defenceman is from Belle River, Ontario.
"I just hope that she does know that I'm sincere about this. I am sorry," said Mailloux. "It's the dumbest thing I've ever done and I know it impacted her."
"I really hope that she does know how remorseful I feel. I have apologized to her multiple times. And I do hope that that she does know how remorseful and how sorry, I do feel about this whole situation."
Mailloux turned 18 on April 15 and the incident occurred when he was a minor.
Others on social media reacted with disappointment in the decision after the Habs did so much to endear themselves to the hockey world with their Cinderella run to the finals in the playoffs.
"I have always supported the Habs, but as a female and mother of a daughter, I'm having a bit of a hard time with the decisions by the Canadiens to draft Logan Mailloux," wrote one Twitter user.
"Being a female sports fan actually sucks," wrote another. "The amount of men defending what this loser Logan Mailloux did is gross and actually scary... It's not okay what happened. Legal action was literally taken. I think you guys should specify that hockey is for everyone, except women who get preyed on by NHL players and their prospects."
Flynn said that regardless of the remorse and growth Mailloux has claimed, NHL players and prospects are role models for young people, who will know what he did, and how he still wound up with the possibility of wearing the bleu-blanc-rouge sweater.
"The message being sent to kids right now is that you don’t have to face any consequences for distributing revenge porn. In fact, you’ll be rewarded," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.