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Get absolutely hammered by league!
The Western Hockey League Wednesday announced what are believed to be unprecedented penalties against the Portland Winterhawks.
The junior hockey league issued a ban from the first five rounds of the 2013 Bantam Draft and forfeiture of the team's first-round picks for four seasons after that. In addition, coach and general manager Mike Johnston has been suspended for the remainder of this season, including the postseason, and the team has been fined $200,000.
Veteran observers have told me they do not remember a penalty this severe handed down by the league. "We were shocked," Johnston said.
"I met with the team today," Johnston said Wednesday. "You meet with your team hundreds of times during a season, but I have to say this was the toughest one I've ever had."
Johnston said he believes he will be totally restricted from any contact with his team, including practices. Assistant coach Travis Green will take over the coaching on an interim basis.
Johnston said, "We believe that apart from recruiting trips and parents' weekend, there is no prohibition in the rules governing flights for parents, which were the majority of the infractions."
He also said, "We are exploring our options with the league and our appeal options."
Not even in the early 1990s, when Swift Current Coach Graham James pleaded guilty to sexually abusing one of his players, has a WHL team been penalized this severely. Earlier this season, the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League also were nailed with a similar penalty
The WHL determined:
-- The Winterhawks signed a player in 2009 and promised flights for the player's family and a summer training program.
-- Over the last five years seven families have been provided flights two to four teams per season based on financial need and distance from Portland.
-- Twice in the last five years the Winterhawks paid for two players to have a one-week summer training program.
-- The Winterhawks provided a cell phone for their captain for a period of three seasons.
I spoke with Johnston earlier this week amid rumors of a WHL investigation into his team's recruitment of players and he said that he expected a resolution this week but did not expect anything severe to come of it.
The league's statement on the matter:
“All WHL Clubs understand they are required to fully comply and respect our League Regulations or they will face significant consequences,” stated WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. “WHL Clubs are required to fully disclose all commitments they make to a player in the WHL Standard Player Agreement. Our independent investigation in this case revealed there were multiple violations over an extended period for player benefits that are not permitted under WHL Regulations and were not disclosed to the WHL. It should also be noted through the course of the investigation there was no evidence of any payments or enhanced education benefits provided to players that would be contrary to WHL Regulations as previous media reports indicated.” The Western Hockey League will not make any further public comments on this matter.
The Western Hockey League Wednesday announced what are believed to be unprecedented penalties against the Portland Winterhawks.
The junior hockey league issued a ban from the first five rounds of the 2013 Bantam Draft and forfeiture of the team's first-round picks for four seasons after that. In addition, coach and general manager Mike Johnston has been suspended for the remainder of this season, including the postseason, and the team has been fined $200,000.
Veteran observers have told me they do not remember a penalty this severe handed down by the league. "We were shocked," Johnston said.
"I met with the team today," Johnston said Wednesday. "You meet with your team hundreds of times during a season, but I have to say this was the toughest one I've ever had."
Johnston said he believes he will be totally restricted from any contact with his team, including practices. Assistant coach Travis Green will take over the coaching on an interim basis.
Johnston said, "We believe that apart from recruiting trips and parents' weekend, there is no prohibition in the rules governing flights for parents, which were the majority of the infractions."
He also said, "We are exploring our options with the league and our appeal options."
Not even in the early 1990s, when Swift Current Coach Graham James pleaded guilty to sexually abusing one of his players, has a WHL team been penalized this severely. Earlier this season, the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League also were nailed with a similar penalty
The WHL determined:
-- The Winterhawks signed a player in 2009 and promised flights for the player's family and a summer training program.
-- Over the last five years seven families have been provided flights two to four teams per season based on financial need and distance from Portland.
-- Twice in the last five years the Winterhawks paid for two players to have a one-week summer training program.
-- The Winterhawks provided a cell phone for their captain for a period of three seasons.
I spoke with Johnston earlier this week amid rumors of a WHL investigation into his team's recruitment of players and he said that he expected a resolution this week but did not expect anything severe to come of it.
The league's statement on the matter:
“All WHL Clubs understand they are required to fully comply and respect our League Regulations or they will face significant consequences,” stated WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. “WHL Clubs are required to fully disclose all commitments they make to a player in the WHL Standard Player Agreement. Our independent investigation in this case revealed there were multiple violations over an extended period for player benefits that are not permitted under WHL Regulations and were not disclosed to the WHL. It should also be noted through the course of the investigation there was no evidence of any payments or enhanced education benefits provided to players that would be contrary to WHL Regulations as previous media reports indicated.” The Western Hockey League will not make any further public comments on this matter.
