A Veteran Journalist Has Erupted In Commenting On The Situation Of Logan Mailloux And It's Creating A Buzz

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Joe El-Khoury
August 21, 2023 (10:32)

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Logan Mailloux's situation has garnered a lot of attention since his selection at the 31st spot of the 2021 draft.

Despite the young man having done a lot of work on himself, undergoing significant personal development guided by the Montreal Canadiens, he still has not received the green light to officially join the NHL by receiving a pardon from Commissioner Gary Bettman.

Recall that Bettman previously denied him access to the league, citing a mandatory meeting before reevaluating his case to allow him to play in the National League.

However, it has been confirmed by Kent Hughes himself that Mailloux indeed had a meeting with the league commissioner in early July. Nevertheless, despite this conversation, Bettman has not yet made his final decision on this matter, which is causing increasing concern as everyone awaits an outcome.

During an appearance on Tony Marinaro's podcast, veteran and legendary journalist Pat Hickey was simply astounded that the finalization of this case is taking so long. He even called the situation absurd.

"It doesn't make any sense that Mailloux hasn't received the green light yet." - Pat Hickey

Another experienced journalist, Stu Cowan, raised the possibility that if the process is this complicated, it might be because Gary Bettman has not yet accepted Mailloux's selection by the Canadiens in 2021.

"If there's a suspension, it's almost as much a suspension against the Canadiens as it is against Logan Mailloux. Bettman was furious when the Canadiens drafted him. And Bettman doesn't like it when people refuse to follow his orders." - Stu Cowan

If this is indeed true, it makes absolutely no sense for Bettman to be the sole person making this decision. There should be a committee jointly composed of league executives and the Players' Association to make a final decision on this matter.

The verdict on Mailloux's fate should not be left to just one person, especially one who may harbor resentment to the point of overlooking the progress and development of the situation.

Hickey concluded by mentioning that "if they don't give him permission to play, there will be a strong reaction from the Players' Association."