Sugar Ban

A couple of weeks ago it was reported that Brandon Sugden was blocked from “unretiring” and possibly signing an NHL contract.  The New York Islanders invited Sugar to attend training camp, and have a shot at filling the team’s enforcer role.

Fans react

Within a week, there was a lot of fan reaction, and the online petition to allow Sugar to play still expands.  Someone even started a “Let Brandon Sugden Play” Facebook profile that quickly picked up a couple of hundred friends.

Coverage, big and small

The Toronto Sun gave Sugar some ink today, outlining the situation.  To highlight a few key parts:

And when an invitation to the New York Islanders’ training camp came, it was looking like it all very well could. The 30-year-old Brandon vowed if he made the team he would donate one-third of every pay cheque to the Princess Margaret Hospital.

The dilemma is that the 6-foot-4, 235 pounder played in 40 games in the Quebec fighting league last year. And he got paid per game—totalling about $25,000. Although there is some money, it’s not near the NHL, AHL, ECHL or leagues in Europe in terms of talent level. “It’s kind of a part-time thing,” said Brandon. “None of the guys really consider themselves playing professional hockey.”

But, according to the NHL, it is professional hockey. Brandon’s agent Scott Nornton hated to break the news to him and his dad when he was informed by the Islanders that because of this technicality, he could not legally attend the camp.

From the start, Lindsay Kramer of the Syracuse Post-Standard has had this story covered and has been breaking whatever new facts trickle in.

Chris Botta, former media relations VP for the New York Islanders chimed in earlier this week with his own very human take on the situation

One block revealed

From the start, the New York Rangers were one of the teams rumored to be blocking Sugden’s return.

On Wednesday three were able to confirm this, although none on the record.

Yesterday, Kramer posted this tidbit:

One down, three to go: Word in hockey circles is that the Rangers were one of the four NHL teams to vote no to the return of Brandon Sugden. Makes sense, since Sugden was supposed to try out for the Islanders.

But here’s the interesting rub. A couple of days before Sugden’s rejection became public, a Rangers official contacted the Crunch to get Sugden’s contact information. The Rangers then called Sugden to ask where he was going to try out. Sugden didn’t spill the beans, but maybe the Rangers found out anyways and made their pre-emptive strike against possibly having to face him.

Botta confirmed:

Point Blank has learned the identity of one of the four teams blocking enforcer Brandon Sugden from attending Islanders training camp next week. As you might expect, it is the Islanders’ biggest rival - the New York Rangers.

Makes perfect sense. Why would a team step aside graciously and allow the un-retirement of a player to join your rival? Especially when the player has the ability to land repeated blows to your players’ heads.

While it makes sense, it doesn’t.  As someone who’s enjoyed this rivalry for a long time, it’s still hard to believe anyone knowing even part of Sugden’s story would want to block him from getting a shot at the NHL.  Even taking his family situation out of it, the NY Rangers have put a re-entry block on a player who’s never played a game in the NHL.  Colton Orr can handle himself, it can’t simply be about fighting… can it?

NHLPA gets involved, kinda

Glen Healy, currently Director of Player Affairs for the NHLPA, was on 640AM Toronto today. He had about as much sympathy as one can have.  Healy went on to say there wasn’t anything the NHLPA could do but lobby the teams and give Sugden his chance at the show.

However, a couple of days ago I was able to confirm that the NHLPA and the NHL had been having discussions about Sugden for a few days.  What the discussions were about is currently anyone’s guess, but from the way Healy spoke today, it’s doubtful there’s anything either side can do outside of pressure the teams to reverse the current blocks.

Sugden waits

After years of being in Syracuse with Jody Shelley filling the big club’s enforcer role, he now has a possible shot at an NHL team with the position vacant.

I caught up with Sugar earlier this week.  He’s in as good a mood as someone in his situation can be in.  Between Syracuse and the NHL lockout that wiped out the 2004-05, he didn’t think he’d have the opportunity to earn a spot on an NHL roster.  Now that opportunity has been presented, but due to rules setup for situations quite different from this one, he may not get his chance.

Readers here are familiar with Sugden, not only because of his fights, but because of the turn-around he was able to do with his life.  A man once banned is now a man committed to donating a large portion of his salary to cancer treatment.

I spoke with Sugden again this morning to get his reaction about now knowing the Rangers were one of the teams that blocked him.  He said he understood the rivalry between the New York teams, but was shocked they’d go as far as to block his tryout bid.  He’s hoping that after the Rangers are made completely aware of his situation they’ll reconsider, and that the other teams will do the same.