Hazing in Hamilton ‘a foreign issue’
In a statement issued after three former players went public with allegations of hazing last week, the Ontario Hockey League called the practice reprehensible and pledged zero tolerance.
It also demanded action.
“In light of the recent attention that has been paid to the issue of hazing, the league has spoken with team management and all of our member teams are providing a refresher to all staff and players about this most important topic,” it said on the OHL website.
In Hamilton, at least, players, coaches and others say that refresher has already happened — via informal talks.
“I’ve brought it up with them,” Bulldogs general manager Steve Staios said prior to the team’s 5-1 loss to the visiting Niagara IceDogs Sunday. “The players looked at me like, ‘why are you bringing this up?’
“For sure for us, and I think throughout the league, there is none of it going on. You always need to remind them about this, but it’s such a foreign issue to this group. It’s a non-issue.”
In interviews with The Canadian Press, Daniel Carcillo, Dave Pszenyczny and Charles Amodeo described being physically and emotionally abused by their veteran teammates when they were rookies in Sarnia during the 2002-03 and ’03-04 seasons.
Carcillo complained to OHL commissioner David Branch at the time and reform followed.
In 2005, the league suspended Windsor Spitfires GM and coach Moe Mantha for a hazing incident involving several of his players and it beefed up its antihazing police a year later.
All players are now educated about hazing annually — in Hamilton, through early season seminars delivered by staff and the team’s police liaison.
Those steps appear to have helped.
Like Staios, head coach Dave Matsos said the league has changed dramatically since his playing days in the early 1990s and described hazing in Hamilton and elsewhere in the OHL as “a non-issue.”
And like Staios, he also said he had discussed the issue with players in informal settings over the past week. “Obviously when this stuff comes out, you re-ask the question, you talk to the players about it, but our guys are like, ‘No, we’re just one big group,’ ” he said after his team downed the Windsor Spitfires 3-2 at home Saturday.
“I don’t want to blow this up because it’s not a massive deal,” he added.
“It’s just, ‘you know what, guys, something has come out, are we doing what we should be doing?’ And the answer was, ‘yeah, 100 per cent.’”
Mackenzie Entwistle confirmed a team meeting took place when news of Carcillo and the other former OHLers broke. He said players, coaches and staff, including trainers, were present, along with Staios and Matsos. Their message was two-fold — first, he said, they reiterated that hazing was unacceptable, and second, they reinforced that if it were to happen and they found out about it, the whole team would be held accountable.
“Dave said something on the ice as well,” he added.
What he and his teammates, along with Staios and Matsos, also agree on is that hazing is not a problem in Hamilton. On that point, they are adamant.
“There is none of it, especially in this organization,” said Entwistle, who led the way with a pair of goals against the Spitfires. Defenceman Kade Landry, meanwhile, said he has never seen or heard of it happening since he was traded to the Bulldogs around a year ago.
“Of course, there are responsibilities if you’re a first year guy,” he said, including packing the bus and collecting pucks at the end of practices and warm-ups. “But we don’t treat anyone different because they’re a rookie.”
“It just doesn’t happen,” Matsos added.
On top of Entwistle, Navrin Mutter tallied in Saturday’s win over the Spitfires — the second in as many days for the Bulldogs, who also beat the host Mississauga Steelheads 5-2 Friday.
Brandon Saigeon had the lone goal Sunday against the IceDogs, while Nick Donofrio backstopped both Hamilton wins.
NOTES: Hockey Canada is expected
to unveil its roster for world junior camp Monday. Entwistle, the Bulldogs captain, is a top contender to make the short list, having played in both of the OHL’s Canada Russia Series games and taking part in the world junior showcase over the summer.