NHL commissioner Gary Bettman makes some puzzling comments on the Habs drafting of Logan Mailloux

We've heard just about everyone weigh in on the Montreal Canadiens' choice to take Logan Mailloux in the most recent entry draft. From fans to analysts and everyone in between, just about everyone has had something to say, except the NHL itself. That has changed after Commissioner Gary Bettman was asked about the situation Thursday.

While appearing on Siruis XM's NHL channel, Bettman said he was stunned that the Canadiens chose to take Mailloux. He also stated that as the father of two daughters, surprised didn't begin to describe it.


There are a couple of things that are puzzling about these comments. First off, the whole "father of daughters" thing. It shouldn't take someone raising a daughter to know what Mailloux did was wrong or that it could have a lasting impact on the woman involved. Secondly, if Bettman didn't want this to happen, why didn't he step in to stop it? Yes, there are rules in place under the collective bargaining agreement that make players eligible or ineligible for the draft. However, as the Commissioner of the league, the highest position available, if you weren't comfortable with anyone taking Mailloux, which is exactly what the 18-year-old requested, why not call general managers and let them know that? Perhaps this entire situation could have been avoided from the get go.


Whether Mailloux deserves a second chance or not is entirely a matter of personal opinion, and there are plenty of strong ones on both sides. That said, these comments from the head of the NHL just add more confusion to the situation. When Mailloux asked teams not to draft him to give him more time to mature, that was the time for Bettman to act. If he couldn't entirely suspend Mailloux from the draft, make the request that GMs leave him untouched until next year.

Mailloux was charged and convicted of sharing an intimate photo of an 18-year-old woman with teammates while on loan from the OHL to a league in Sweden last November. He paid a fine, part of which went to the victim in the incident. Montreal drafted the defenceman 31st overall.

Related: CANADIENS' SPONSORS REPORTEDLY APPEASED BY MOLSON'S APOLOGY FOR DRAFTING MAILLOUX