Friedman Reveals How In The Dark Franchises Were When It Came To Disgraced Players

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Matt Garland
February 6, 2024 (9:53)

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The Calgary Flames organization took a ton of negative criticism last week when it was revealed that forward Dillon Dube was one of five players from Team Canada at the 2018 World Junior Hockey championships who have been asked to surrender to police in London, Ont., in connection with an investigation into an assault.

On January 21st, Dube was granted a leave of absence from the team with the reasoning revealed that he wanted to work on his mental health. This was the similar reason used when defenceman Oliver Kylington stepped away from the team last year.

Fans jumped all over the Flames making the assumption that the organization was trying to cover for Dube.

The Flames front office released a statement confirming that had no knowledge of the pending charges that Dube faced, trying to slow down the fierce negative criticism storm.

At the NHL All-Star game this past weekend, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman held his media availability to discuss topics of the NHL with the ongoing case coming up in discussion.

Insider Elliotte Friedman took some time in his 32 thoughts column to further highlight the commissioner's sentiments.

«The second thing that Bettman said that confirmed a lot of things that I believed was that the teams had no idea what was going on. There were times over the past couple of years I would ask teams about this and they would say: «we honestly don't know,» and I didn't know whether or not to believe it. I came to believe it but in the beginning, like a lot of people I didn't believe it, but Bettman did confirm that which is that they kept the teams in the dark about what they learned, and I know that bothered teams. It bothered some of the teams, it frustrated some teals to a great deal.

"Look at Calgary, a week ago they allowed Dube a mental leave and then two days later Carter Hart goes on mental leave and we start to realize what is happening and the Flames took a lot of criticism for it. But based on what Bettman said it's pretty obvious here the Calgary Flames did not know how close this was getting or how serious this situation or even more how more serious this situation has become. I know the teams were really bothered by it, but Bettman clearly felt this was the best way to do it. It just confirmed that a lot of these teams were in the dark.»

There is no doubt that the players facing charges are done in the NHL. For Dube this is especially true with how in the dark he left the Flames, how can anyone trust him?

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