It's baffling that the team owner, GM and draft chief could not see what the reaction would be to selecting Logan Mailloux.
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The Logan Mailloux story is not about second chances. It’s about one of the most influential corporations in Quebec making a terribly irresponsible decision that sends a dangerous message to the world.
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Mailloux deserves a second chance, just like anyone who’s made a big mistake, and he could’ve received that second chance if the Montreal Canadiens had respected his publicly stated wishes and not drafted him this year. He could’ve played another year of junior hockey and, if he’s as good as the hockey pundits say he is, he would’ve been picked up by a National Hockey League team next year.
The anger and disappointment this week is not directed at Mailloux. The people who did the wrong thing are the senior managers of the Canadiens, up to and including owner and president Geoff Molson. The buck stops with the boss. Ultimately, he is responsible for the decisions his company makes, and that’s why Molson needs to come out of hiding and explain why he thought it was okay to pick a player who trampled on the fundamental rights of a young woman in Sweden.
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I’ve heard enough comments from male hockey fans during the weekend about how what Mailloux did isn’t that serious, that it was just a teenager having a little fun and maybe going too far. The focus should be on the victim, who told The Athletic recently that she’s still waiting for “a heartfelt apology” from Mailloux for what he did. He took photos of her without consent in the midst of a sexual act with him and shared the photo and information that identified her with his teammates.
Mailloux asked not to be drafted, saying he had not shown “strong enough maturity or character to earn that privilege in the 2021 Draft.”
Molson, general manager Marc Bergevin and head of scouting Trevor Timmins somehow came to the conclusion that it would just hunky dory to ignore his plea and draft him anyway.
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Mélanie Lemay, co-founder of Le mouvement Québec contre les violences sexuelles, said it best: “It’s really a slap on the face of every woman who has experienced violence because, in a certain way, it normalizes and trivializes what happened.”
Amen. The Canadiens used to be routinely cited as one of the classiest organizations in professional sports and in Quebec society. For decades, during his on-ice career and after, the public face of the Canadiens was Jean Béliveau, the ultimate gentleman. The same organization is sending the message that it’s more important to get a quality hockey player added to its roster than it is to help build a world where sexual harassment is not tolerated.
Why did Molson and Bergevin think this was right? Are they that out of touch with where our society is in this #metoo universe? It also has many wondering about Bergevin’s moral compass. When he hired goalie coach Sean Burke last season, few talked about the fact that Burke was convicted of assaulting his wife in 1997.
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It also reignites questions about Bergevin’s role in the Chicago Blackhawks sex scandal.
Bergevin was director of pro personnel with the Blackhawks during the 2010 playoffs when an unidentified former Blackhawks player alleges he was sexually assaulted by one of the team’s assistant coaches. Paul Vincent, the skills coach at the time, said he went to senior Blackhawks executives, including GM Stan Bowman, and told them they should go to the police to report the allegations. They did not. Bergevin said he was “not aware” of these allegations at the time.
I don’t understand how Molson, Bergevin and Timmins could not see what the reaction would be to selecting Mailloux. It leaves the impression that all they care about is nabbing a player who might’ve been drafted earlier if it wasn’t for the personal baggage. They’re clearly hoping the news cycle will move on and the anger and disappointment will dissipate.
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But they misjudged where our society is in 2021.
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With great power comes great responsibility. The Canadiens are revered by millions and have a huge role to play in Quebec. They’re much more than just a hockey team. The Molson family has owned this team for a good chunk of the past 70 years and until now the family has always understood the responsibility that comes with ownership of this storied franchise that is so much a part of Québécois culture.
It’s time for Molson to take that family legacy seriously and he can do that by breaking his silence and taking a strong ethical stand on this issue.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiggFodHRwczovL21vbnRyZWFsZ2F6ZXR0ZS5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2hvY2tleS9uaGwvaG9ja2V5LWluc2lkZS1vdXQvd2hhdC10aGUtcHVjay1pdHMtdGltZS1mb3ItZ2VvZmYtbW9sc29uLXRvLWV4cGxhaW4taGFicy1kcmFmdC1waWNr0gGwAWh0dHBzOi8vbW9udHJlYWxnYXpldHRlLmNvbS9zcG9ydHMvaG9ja2V5L25obC9ob2NrZXktaW5zaWRlLW91dC93aGF0LXRoZS1wdWNrLWl0cy10aW1lLWZvci1nZW9mZi1tb2xzb24tdG8tZXhwbGFpbi1oYWJzLWRyYWZ0LXBpY2svd2NtLzc3N2E5YjMyLWJmMWItNDNiZi1hNWFiLWU2OWUxYTA2YWMzZC9hbXAv?oc=5
2021-07-26 18:59:30Z
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