The Maligne River is a medium-sized river in the Canadian Rockies. It runs through parts of Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. The Maligne is a major tributary of the Athabasca River. The river takes its name from the French maligne, meaning "malignant" or "wicked". Pierre-Jean De Smet created this name in reference to the current of the river near its confl…The Maligne River is a medium-sized river in the Canadian Rockies. It runs through parts of Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. The Maligne is a major tributary of the Athabasca River. The river takes its name from the French maligne, meaning "malignant" or "wicked". Pierre-Jean De Smet created this name in reference to the current of the river near its confluence with the Athabasca River.