Philippe Maillet

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Philippe Maillet

| image =Philippe Maillet.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption =Maillet with the Hershey Bears in 2020

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|11|07}}

| birth_place = Lachenaie, Quebec, Canada

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 10

| weight_lb = 185

| position = Centre

| shoots = Left

| league = NL

| team = HC Ambrì-Piotta

| prospect_team =

| prospect_league =

| former_teams = Washington Capitals
Metallurg Magnitogorsk

| ntl_team =

| draft = Undrafted

| draft_year=

| draft_team=

| career_start = 2017

| career_end =

}}

Philippe Maillet (born November 7, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for HC Ambrì-Piotta of the National League (NL). Originally undrafted by teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), Maillet has previously played for the Washington Capitals.

Early life

Maillet was born on November 7, 1992, in Lachenaie, Quebec (now Terrebonne, Quebec){{cite web |title=Philippe Maillet |url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/68740/philippe-maillet |website=Eliteprospects.com|access-date=July 17, 2020}} to firefighter Mario Maillet and consultant Line Richard.{{cite web |title=UNB Varsity Reds hockey player named a top Canadian university athlete |url=https://blogs.unb.ca/newsroom/2017/05/unb-varsity-reds-hockey-player-named-a-top-canadian-university-athlete.php |website=University of New Brunswick|access-date=July 17, 2020 |date=May 2, 2017}}

Playing career

=Minor=

Maillet began his youth hockey career with the Collège Esther-Blondin Phénix of the Ligue de hockey Midget AAA du Québec (QMAAA), where he set the franchise record for most assists in a season with 34. His record, which was achieved during the 2008–09 season, stayed intact until the 2011–12 season when it was topped by Laurent Dauphin.{{cite web |title=Laurent Dauphin premier Phénix avec 100 points |url=https://www.rds.ca/hockey/m18-aaa/laurent-dauphin-premier-phenix-avec-100-points-1.459237 |website=RDS.ca |access-date=July 17, 2020 |language=French |date=February 7, 2012}} Following his record-setting season, Malliet was drafted by the Victoriaville Tigres of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) but requested that they allow him to stay in midget AAA in order to develop.{{cite web |title=Philippe Maillet en tête |url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq-tigres/philippe-maillet-en-t-te/ |website=CHL.ca |publisher=Victoriaville Tigres|access-date=July 18, 2020 |language=French |date=March 11, 2011}} He returned to Phénix where he recorded 10 points in four games before earning a chance with the Victoriaville Tigres. After playing three games for the team and recording one goal, the Tigres agreed to keep him for the remainder of the 2009–10 season.{{cite web |title=Philippe Maillet à Victo pour y rester |url=https://www.rds.ca/hockey/lhjmq/philippe-maillet-a-victo-pour-y-rester-1.301361 |website=RDS.ca|access-date=July 17, 2020 |language=French |date=September 29, 2009}} During the season, he remarked that "I prefer to play with better players than me, it pushes me to go further and it allows me to evolve faster. Besides, my ability to follow the game has greatly improved since the start of the season."{{cite web |last1=Cousineau |first1=Karine |title=Philippe Maillet: un joueur vaillant et déterminé |url=https://www.larevue.qc.ca/philippe-maillet-un-joueur-vaillant-et-determine/ |newspaper=La Revue de Terrebonne|access-date=July 19, 2020 |language=French |date=April 7, 2010}}

=Junior=

Upon completing the previous season with 12 points in 58 games, Maillet returned to the team for his first full-length campaign. During the 2010–11 season, the Tigres traded their captain Philip-Michael Devos, forcing Maillet to step up in scoring.{{cite web |title="Son meilleur match en carrière"|url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq-tigres/son-meilleur-match-en-carri-re/ |website=CHL.ca|publisher=Victoriaville Tigres|access-date=July 18, 2020 |language=French |date=January 31, 2011}} He finished the season with a new career high of 69 points in 67 games. The following season, Maillet continued to lead the team in scoring but felt he lacked consistency. He recorded 60 points in 52 games but admitted that "since the start of the campaign, I have produced in sequence... have to work on my consistency to help the team."{{cite web |title=Maillet souhaite prendre sa vitesse de croisière avant les séries |url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq-tigres/maillet-souhaite-prendre-sa-vitesse-de-croisi-re-avant-les-s-ries/ |website=CHL.ca |publisher=Victoriaville Tigres|access-date=July 19, 2020 |language=French |date=February 22, 2012}}

Going into the 2012–13 season, Malliet acknowledged this would be his last in major junior before joining U Sports.{{cite web |last1=Chenel |first1=Pierre-Luc |title=Dernière saison pour Philippe Maillet |url=https://www.larevue.qc.ca/derniere-saison-pour-philippe-maillet/ |newspaper=La Revue de Terrebonne |access-date=July 19, 2020 |language=French |date=October 30, 2012}} Malliet led the Tigres in scoring with 83 points in 65 games as they qualified for the 2013 QMJHL playoffs. He competed in eight playoff games, recording nine points, before suffering an ankle injury in the second round against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and missing the remainder of the competition. In spite of his injury, he was invited to participate in the Vancouver Canucks training camp that September.{{cite web |title=Maillet au camp des Canucks|url=https://staging.chl.ca/lhjmq-tigres/maillet-au-camp-des-canucks/ |website=CHL.ca|publisher=Victoriaville Tigres|access-date=July 19, 2020 |language=French |date=April 24, 2013}}

=University=

Maillet attended the University of New Brunswick as he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration, playing for the UNB Varsity Reds from 2013–17. Within his first 12 games with the team, he recorded 15 points including five goals.{{cite web |title=Philippe Maillet connaît un bon départ dans les rangs universitaires |url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq-tigres/philippe-maillet-conna-t-un-bon-d-part-dans-les-rangs-universitaires/ |website=CHL.ca|publisher=Victoriaville Tigres|access-date=July 19, 2020 |language=French |date=December 16, 2013}} He completed his rookie season leading the Reds in scoring and finished third in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference with 41 points.{{cite journal |title=Murdock MacLellan honored as Godfrey award recipient |url=https://www.goxgo.ca/sports/mice/2013-14/releases/20140306ixv4iy |website=Saint Francis Xavier University Athletics|access-date=July 19, 2020 |date=March 6, 2014}} He received the A.J. MacAdam Trophy as the 2014 AUS Rookie of the Year, and was selected for the Second Team All-Stars and All-Rookie Team respectively.

Malliet continued his offensive output in 2014–15, leading the AUS with 39 points in 28 games.{{cite journal |title=V-Reds take home AUS MVP, Rookie and Coach of the Year |url=https://goredsgo.ca/sports/mice/2014-15/releases/AUS_Men-s_Award_Winners_2015 |website=University of New Brunswick Athletics|access-date=July 19, 2020 |date=March 4, 2015}} He led the Reds to the 2015 CIS University Cup championship final, where they lost to the University of Alberta Golden Bears.{{cite web |title=Golden Bears hockey does it again |url=https://www.folio.ca/golden-bears-hockey-does-it-again/ |website=University of Alberta|access-date=July 16, 2020 |date=March 16, 2015}} As a result of his play, Malliet was awarded the 2015 Kelly Trophy as League MVP and was selected as a First Team All-Star.

In the 2015–16 AUS season, an injury held back Maillet to 31 points in 17 games played.{{cite web |title=Laval's Roy-Petitclerc, UNB's Maillet Named U Sports Athletes Of The Year|url=https://www.blg.com/en/about-us/news/2017/05/lavals-roy-petitclerc--unbs-maillet-named-u-sports-athletes-of-the-year |website=Borden Ladner Gervais|access-date=July 29, 2024 |date=May 1, 2017}} Without his assistance, the Reds won the 2016 CIS University Cup Championship.{{cite web |last1=Nugent-Bowman |first1=Daniel |title=UNB Varsity Reds Win Another University Cup |url=https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/unb-varsity-reds-win-another-university-cup |website=The Hockey News |access-date=July 20, 2020 |date=March 20, 2016}}

In the 2016–17 AUS season, Maillet recorded a conference leading 55 points, in what head coach Gardiner MacDougall referred to as a "breakout season".{{cite news |last1=Mingo |first1=Rita |title=Maillet one step closer to the ultimate dream |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/maillet-one-step-closer-to-the-ultimate-dream |access-date=July 16, 2020 |newspaper=Calgary Herald |date=April 20, 2017}} The Varsity Reds won the 2017 U Sports University Cup national championship, with Maillet winning the Major W.J. "Danny" McLeod Award as Most Valuable Player of the tournament.{{cite web |title=Past Awards - University Cup Tournament MVP (Major W.J. ‘Danny’ McLeod award)|work=U Sports |url=https://universitysport.prestosports.com/championships/mice/past_awards |access-date=July 29, 2024}} He also received the 2017 U Sports Player of the Year Award and the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan trophy.{{cite journal |title=Maillet Hat-Trick Lifts UNB To UCup Win |url=https://goredsgo.ca/sports/mice/2016-17/releases/201703171jfpdp |website=University of New Brunswick Athletics|access-date=July 19, 2020 |date=March 16, 2017}} Maillet received UNB's 2017 Male Athlete Of The Year Award{{cite journal |title=Kaye And Maillet Named Athletes Of The Year |url=https://goredsgo.ca/general/2016-17/releases/Awards |website=University of New Brunswick Athletics |access-date=July 19, 2020 |date=April 5, 2017}} and was named the Top Male University Athlete across Canada. Maillet concluded his collegiate career with a total of 166 points in 101 games for the UNB Reds.

=Professional=

On March 27, 2017, just days after winning the 2017 University Cup, Maillet signed an Amateur tryout (ATO) agreement with the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League (AHL).{{cite web |title=Reigns Add University Cup Champion Philippe Maillet|url=https://www.ontarioreign.com/news/detail/reign-add-university-cup-champion-philippe-maillet |website=Ontario Reign|access-date=July 18, 2020 |date=March 27, 2017}}

He made his AHL debut on March 31, 2017, where he scored his first professional goal in the 3–1 win over the Bakersfield Condors.{{cite web |title=Maillet nets first pro goal in debut, Reign roll past Condors 3-1 |url=https://www.ontarioreign.com/news/detail/maillet-nets-first-pro-goal-in-debut-reign-roll-past-condors-3-1 |website=Ontario Reign|access-date=July 18, 2020 |date=March 31, 2017}} He later recorded his first multi-point game in a 3–2 overtime win against the Stockton Heat on April 12.{{cite web |title=Maillet and Amadio Roll Reign Past Heat In Overtime |url=https://www.ontarioreign.com/news/detail/maillet-and-amadio-roll-reign-past-heat-in-overtime |website=Ontario Reign|access-date=July 18, 2020 |date=April 12, 2017}} Maillet completed the 2016–17 season with the Reign and was invited to the Los Angeles Kings training camp prior to the 2017–18 season.{{cite web |title=Kings Assign 23 players TO Ontario Reign |url=https://www.ontarioreign.com/news/detail/kings-assign-23-players-to-ontario-reign |website=Ontario Reign|access-date=July 18, 2020 |date=September 27, 2017}} He returned to the Reign for the season and increased his previous seasons scoring output to set a new career high in goals, assists, and points. As a result of his play, he upgraded his ATO for a standard player contract with the Reign on July 19, 2018.{{cite web |title=Reign Add Two On AHL Contracts |url=https://www.ontarioreign.com/news/detail/reign-add-two-on-ahl-contracts |website=Ontario Reign|access-date=July 18, 2020 |date=July 19, 2018}}

Maillet was invited to return to the Reign for the 2018–19 season in what would be his last season with the team.{{cite web |title=Ontario Reign Announced Training Camp Roster |url=https://www.ontarioreign.com/news/detail/ontario-reign-announce-training-camp-roster |website=Ontario Reign|access-date=July 18, 2020 |date=September 23, 2018}} During this season, he recorded his first professional career hat-trick in a 5–4 overtime win against the Tucson Roadrunners.{{cite web |title=Final - Ontario 5, Tucson 4 (OT) |url=https://www.ontarioreign.com/news/detail/final-ontario-5-tucson-4-ot/ |website=Ontario Reign|access-date=July 18, 2020 |date=December 2, 2018}} His second career hat-trick would come within the same month in a 7–6 game shootout win over the San Diego Gulls.{{Cite web |date=December 22, 2018 |title=Game summary: San Diego Gulls – Ontario Reign, December 22, 2018 |url=https://theahl.com/stats/game-center/1018795|access-date=July 29, 2024 |website=TheAHL.com}} He ended the season with a career high 54 points in 68 games, garnering the interest of the Washington Capitals organization. He officially left the Reign on July 1, 2019, after signing a two-year, two-way $700,000 contract with the Capitals.{{cite web |title=Capitals Sign Philippe Maillet |url=https://www.nhl.com/capitals/news/capitals-sign-philippe-maillet/c-308150848 |publisher=Washington Capitals|via=NHL.com |access-date=July 18, 2020 |date=July 1, 2019}}

Maillet began the 2019–20 season with the Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, where he recorded 44 points in 61 games. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in North America, the AHL suspended play and he was invited to the Washington Capitals return to play camp on July 13.{{cite web |last1=Vachon |first1=Matthew |title=Reprise des activités dans la LNH : Philippe Maillet avec les Capitals |url=https://www.lanouvelle.net/2020/07/12/reprise-des-activites-dans-la-lnh-philippe-maillet-avec-les-capitals/|newspaper=La Nouvelle Union|access-date=July 19, 2020 |language=French |date=July 12, 2020}}

After two seasons with the Capitals organization, Maillet, as an impending free agent, left North America and signed a one-year contract with Russian club Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), on June 11, 2021.{{cite web| url = https://www.metallurg.ru/press/club-news/500487/ | title = ФИЛИПП МАЙЕ И "МЕТАЛЛУРГ" ДОСТИГЛИ ДОГОВОРЁННОСТИ О ЗАКЛЮЧЕНИИ КОНТРАКТА | website = Metallurg Magnitogorsk | date = June 11, 2021 | accessdate = June 11, 2021 | language = Russian}}

After two prolific seasons in Russia, on July 1, 2023, Maillet returned to North America as a free agent and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Montreal Canadiens for the 2023–24 season.{{cite web|title=Canadiens agree to one-year contracts with Philippe Maillet and Brady Keeper|url=https://www.nhl.com/canadiens/news/canadiens-agree-to-one-year-contracts-with-philippe-maillet-and-brady-keeper/c-345158530|publisher=Montreal Canadiens|via=NHL.com|access-date=July 1, 2023}} Maillet was unable to add to his NHL experience, and played exclusively with AHL affiliate the Laval Rocket, posting and team leading 21 goals for 53 points in 67 regular season games.

As a free agent following a lone season within the Canadiens organization, Maillet opted for a return abroad in securing a one-year deal with HC Ambrì-Piotta of the Swiss-based National League (NL), on July 28, 2024.{{cite web| publisher = HC Ambrì-Piotta | title = Philippe Maillet in biancoblù, Virtanen rinnova fino al 2028 | date = July 28, 2024 | accessdate = July 29, 2024 | language = Italian | url = https://hcap.ch/it/news/philippe-maillet-in-biancobl%C3%B9-virtanen-verl%C3%A4ngert-bis-2028}}