Post by John Davidson on Aug 27, 2008 19:31:05 GMT -5
blog.syracuse.com/crunch/2008/08/sugden_shocker_1.html
Sugden shocker
Posted by Lindsay Kramer August 27, 2008 12:42PM
Travis Sugden called me on Wednesday morning with some stunning news about his son, Brandon, the former Syracuse Crunch enforcer.
Travis said he just found out three NHL teams have objected to Brandon returning to pro hockey this season. Brandon had planned on attending camp with the Islanders. If he did not make New York, he said he was eager to explore playing for the Crunch again.
Travis did not yet know which teams blocked Brandon. But the denial means he can't play in the NHL or AHL until next year. Brandon needed to clear this odd tecnhicality because after leaving the Crunch two seasons ago, he announced it as a "retirement.'' Because he "retired'' then came back to play pro hockey (in the LNAH) within one year, every other NHL organization had to give him a thumbs up to return.
I don't know the purpose behind this rule, or how many other players have been impacted by it. All I know is that it applies to Brandon.
But that's just the hockey side. The story gets much more sad. Travis said he has cancer, and told me he has only several more months to live. Part of Brandon's desire to come back was to give it one last shot at letting his father see him play in the NHL. If Brandon has to sit out this season, that dream is in danger.
Until we find out who the blocking NHL teams are and what their reasoning is, it does no good to speculate on motives. On the face of it, there doesn't seem to be a logical reason to block Brandon. He has a colorful past, but has rebounded from drug and alcohol abuse to become a popular fugure, one who was a great ambassador for the Crunch. It's not like he went out of his way to burn bridges through his career, breaking rules and getting in trouble, and now he wants a favor. He was going to give the Islanders first crack, but I know for a fact that several other organizations were interested in taking a look as well.
Let's face it. As fun as it is to watch Sugden play - and he's obviously very energetic and theatrical - it's not like letting him back into the NHL or AHL is going to swing any balance of power. So I can't imagine one team was simply trying to keep him from another just for competitive reasons. I'd hate to think it was spite, but it kind of sounds like that right now.
Obviously, Travis is very upset, coming close to tears on the phone. Brandon couldn't even speak at first, and when he came to the phone his voice was barely audible. Anybody who knows him and how generally upbeat he is about everything understands how out of character it is for him to be so down. He said he was just driving around his home in Toronto when he heard the news, and couldn't think of anything to do but head on over to his parents.
There is, of course, a lot more of this story to come. Travis said he's checking with the players union to see what can be done. I have a call into Brandon's agent. I'll have more updates when they are available.
[avatar]http://th65.photobucket.com/albums/h235/victoria716/NHL/th_hockey-2.gif[/avatar]
Sugden shocker
Posted by Lindsay Kramer August 27, 2008 12:42PM
Travis Sugden called me on Wednesday morning with some stunning news about his son, Brandon, the former Syracuse Crunch enforcer.
Travis said he just found out three NHL teams have objected to Brandon returning to pro hockey this season. Brandon had planned on attending camp with the Islanders. If he did not make New York, he said he was eager to explore playing for the Crunch again.
Travis did not yet know which teams blocked Brandon. But the denial means he can't play in the NHL or AHL until next year. Brandon needed to clear this odd tecnhicality because after leaving the Crunch two seasons ago, he announced it as a "retirement.'' Because he "retired'' then came back to play pro hockey (in the LNAH) within one year, every other NHL organization had to give him a thumbs up to return.
I don't know the purpose behind this rule, or how many other players have been impacted by it. All I know is that it applies to Brandon.
But that's just the hockey side. The story gets much more sad. Travis said he has cancer, and told me he has only several more months to live. Part of Brandon's desire to come back was to give it one last shot at letting his father see him play in the NHL. If Brandon has to sit out this season, that dream is in danger.
Until we find out who the blocking NHL teams are and what their reasoning is, it does no good to speculate on motives. On the face of it, there doesn't seem to be a logical reason to block Brandon. He has a colorful past, but has rebounded from drug and alcohol abuse to become a popular fugure, one who was a great ambassador for the Crunch. It's not like he went out of his way to burn bridges through his career, breaking rules and getting in trouble, and now he wants a favor. He was going to give the Islanders first crack, but I know for a fact that several other organizations were interested in taking a look as well.
Let's face it. As fun as it is to watch Sugden play - and he's obviously very energetic and theatrical - it's not like letting him back into the NHL or AHL is going to swing any balance of power. So I can't imagine one team was simply trying to keep him from another just for competitive reasons. I'd hate to think it was spite, but it kind of sounds like that right now.
Obviously, Travis is very upset, coming close to tears on the phone. Brandon couldn't even speak at first, and when he came to the phone his voice was barely audible. Anybody who knows him and how generally upbeat he is about everything understands how out of character it is for him to be so down. He said he was just driving around his home in Toronto when he heard the news, and couldn't think of anything to do but head on over to his parents.
There is, of course, a lot more of this story to come. Travis said he's checking with the players union to see what can be done. I have a call into Brandon's agent. I'll have more updates when they are available.
[avatar]http://th65.photobucket.com/albums/h235/victoria716/NHL/th_hockey-2.gif[/avatar]