New York Islanders owner Charles Wang has pulled the plug on the team's planned nine-day trip to China, Newsday reported on Monday.
Arrangements for the nine-day trip had previously been agreed upon by the team, the NHL and the NHLPA. But when the NHLPA began to follow through on making sure logistics including arenas, transportation and lodging met the union's standards, Wang became angered, according to the report.
General manager Garth Snow confirmed the trip was off, according to the report.
NHLPA spokesman Jonathan Weatherdon told ESPN.com Monday that the union's planned logistics check was standard operating procedure for any event involving the union's membership and was not in any way a sign of disrespect for Wang or the Islanders.
"It's what we do," Weatherdon said.
Weatherdon said the NHLPA always sends staff in advance to other North American events, as well as Premier Game sites in Europe, to ensure there are no surprises for players taking part.
Weatherdon pointed out that when the Tampa Bay Lightning were preparing to play an exhibition game in Bratislava, Slovakia, in the fall of 2008, the NHLPA staff that visited the arena noted that there were nails sticking out of the boards. New boards were installed before the Lightning arrived.
Furthermore, Weatherdon said, the NHLPA had waived its normal percentage fee for participating in international events for the China trip, instead asking for a donation to Goals and Dreams, the union's grassroots hockey program, to benefit youth hockey in China.
The union conducted a formal review of the trip with Rick DiPietro and a few other Islanders players. Said the official: “Once an appropriate training camp schedule was determined between the Islanders, the NHL and the NHLPA, the tour had the support of the Players Association.”
It all sounded so unofficial, hazy and preliminary, but that could be hindsight. You have to wonder: why didn’t the Islanders just cancel the trip and not say anything? Between the team, Chinese officials and the union, it would not have been difficult to keep a lid on it.
So now the Islanders move on, after staff members spent months buttoning down the details of the complicated training camp in China with trips to four cities over nine days. As much as the players and coaches knew the opportunity might be once in a lifetime, their legs, hearts and minds will thank them in October. And quite honestly, thank god this trip isn't happening. I thought it was a terrible idea from the start, but I digress.
A source told Point Blank this morning that the city of Saskatoon would welcome a second straight visit by the Islanders. Saskatoon had a two-way option with the Islanders for a training camp before the team decided to go to China. The Islanders also have an operative in Canada who set up the team-friendly deal in Moncton, although that city is not an option this time around.
Since the Islanders operate Iceworks and the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, perhaps the organization will make the best of the China syndrome and bring the hockey team closer to its fans in New York during the month of September.
No comments:
Post a Comment