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Logan Mailloux in the NHL: the Players’ Association could get involved in his case

 Manuel Sperandio-Lemay
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Logan Mailloux in the NHL: the Players’ Association could get involved in his case

As you know, Logan Mailloux couldn’t officially play in the NHL tomorrow morning – if there were any games tomorrow morning, that is. After all, I know the calendar doesn’t start this week.

Why not? Because even though he signed his entry-level contract with the Habs, the young right-handed defenseman was still drafted under the conditions we now know.

The Ontarian had asked (for form’s sake, perhaps?) not to be drafted, but Marc Bergevin and the Habs still made the decision to select him 31st overall.

Gary Bettman wasn’t exactly pleased with the CH’s decision, saying that if they wanted him to play in the NHL, it would take his OK to make it happen.

The bottom line? We know that Mailloux met with the commissioner last month to make his voice heard on the subject. But what we don’t know is what came of it.

Last week, Kent Hughes wasn’t too forthcoming on the subject. He simply stated that the Habs had not heard back from Bettman on the matter.

In reality, even if Gary Bettman isn’t happy to see that Geoff Molson’s club has made this decision, we should expect the young man to be allowed to play in the NHL. Unless there’s a big surprise.

I believe Kent Hughes when he says he hasn’t heard anything. I don’t think he has any news and refuses to share it, because if he had, he would surely have said he couldn’t comment on the matter.

But it’s starting to seem like a long time to many people for what, I remind you, was supposed to be just a formality. And if anything has changed in the last week, nothing has been announced.

On Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast, Stu Cowan and Pat Hickey discussed the subject. And as we can also read on the TVA Sports website, if the OK doesn’t give in to Mailloux, things could get messy.

According to Hickey, it’s completely illogical to think that the CH hasn’t yet received the green light. And it’s true that on paper, the young man’s progress suggests it’s time to move on.

As Cowan points out, would punishing Mailloux also be punishing the CH for drafting him in the first place? After all, Marc Bergevin and Trevor Timmins may be gone, but Geoff Molson is still here.

Is the commissioner waiting until closer to the season to better “camouflage” the news? Perhaps. After all, if it were to come out this lunchtime, for example, it would be the big story of the moment. But in a few weeks’ time, it would be something else.

But in the end, it’s true that it’s logical to believe that the OK will be given. If not…

If they don’t give him permission to play, there will be a strong reaction from the Players’ Association. – Pat Hickey

I don’t see the basis for the Commissioner saying no to the Habs and Mailloux at this time. The kid did what he had to do since what happened in 2020-2021 and he paid his debt, in the end.

People who want to boo him will have the right to do so, but he has the right to play, at this point. That said, it should wait, since the chances of him starting the season in Laval are good.


Breaking news

– Sad news.

– Some people forget that it’s 2023.

– The importance of Quebecers at CF Montreal. [BPM Sports]

– The NBA looks bad.

– To be continued.

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