Logan Mailloux victim of Gary Bettman's ridiculous decision

Despite getting the green light last night to play his first NHL game, young Montreal Canadiens prospect Logan Mailloux was living the dream, but the bill promises to be a hefty one this morning.

Like Lane Hutson the day before, Logan Mailloux jumped on the ice for his solo turn without his helmet. Under the rules introduced by Gary Bettman some time ago, the CH prospect was fined $2,500 for not wearing the proper equipment during the warm-up period.

The National Hockey League must be short of cash. And yet, the NHL has been boasting record profits for the past few seasons. Surely, with every NHL rookie receiving a $2,500 bill, that's going to boost the cash flows of the league.

With all due respect to Gary Bettman, this decision is highly unusual, to say the least, given that it's a well-integrated tradition. It's probably his way of reminding young players who's the big boss.

A $2500 lap of honour for Logan Mailloux, thanks to Gary Bettman

It goes without saying that regular players have something to laugh about. However, the collective agreement clearly states that this is forbidden.

This rule is not new; it has been in place for several years. Offenders are fined $2,500 by the commissioner. According to our sources, the bill is in the mail.

One has to wonder if the Montreal Canadiens don't have a team fund to pay such fines. Do veterans contribute? Good question...

With an annual NHL salary of $875,000, Logan Mailloux earns around $10,670 per game. In other words, nearly a quarter of his NHL salary from his first game's goes to the NHL.