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Rep Power: 2  | Roenick finished in Phoenix after Gretzky benching?
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Jeremy Roenick wants to retire at the end of the year, but he may not have to wait that long.
"End of the [NHL] year, absolutely [I'll retire]," Roenick told the East Valley Tribune on Wednesday. "The way it seems to be going right now, I don't think anybody would want to give me another chance to tell you the truth."
However, Phoenix Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky announced that Mike Ricci will replace Roenick in Phoenix's lineup Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The move comes two days after Roenick stormed out of General Motors Place after learning he wouldn't play against the Vancouver Canucks because of back spasms.
"I treat players like men and they should act like men," Gretzky told reporters Wednesday. "J.R., all and all, has been pretty positive. But the reality is, last night he made a mistake. ... There will be ramifications for what happened."
The Arizona Republic reported that Gretzky would inform Roenick of his benching and discuss his future with the team Thursday morning.
"I'm not disappointed with him because J.R. is a very emotional young man, and he's a good person, but what he did last night wasn't right," Gretzky told the Tribune on Wednesday.
Asked when Roenick might play again, Gretzky said, "I don't know, but it won't be [Thursday]. I' ve got one of two guys to put in: him or Mike Ricci. I'm going to put Ricci in. ... I think I would lose respect from my players if I played one guy over the other. I really do."
Meanwhile, Roenick told The Republic on Wednesday that he felt he was healthy enough to play Tuesday and that he left the arena because he didn't want to talk to the media. He also said that although he respected Gretzky's decision, he didn't regret leaving.
"I was at the game for part of the game and then I went for dinner," Roenick said. "I don't think there is anything wrong with going and having a nice dinner, having a beer and watching the hockey game. I don't know why everybody is trying to create a stir or create a controversy."
Gretzky said that because no Coyotes personnel knew of Roenick's whereabouts during the game, Roenick had broken an unwritten rule that says players who aren't playing stay for the game.
Roenick said he didn't know about the rule.
"What, do you give your support from the press box? Give support with pom-poms from the press box?" Roenick told the Tribune. "We're not allowed to go into the locker room in between periods and tell the guys what they're doing wrong or cheer the guys on. We're not allowed to be around the guys during game action. ... There's nothing that a player that's not playing can do. If anything, they want players that are not playing away because it's a distraction."
But by leaving, Roenick did become a distraction.
"Obviously I'm a proud guy," he told the Tribune. "I've worked my ass off this year. Obviously I can't get a break to save my life offensively. I feel I've worked hard, and I will continue to work hard. So it frustrates me when you want to play, and you think you can play, but you don't play."
Gretzky, however, said that he chose to rest Roenick after the center received treatment for back spasms he first suffered Monday night.
"He was legitimately hurt," Gretzky told the Tribune. "He could hardly get through the game in San Jose. If he were 21 years old and had 25 goals, then yeah, you throw him in the lineup. Reality is -- and nobody likes to face it -- he's not 21 years old and he doesn't have 30 goals right now, so I was giving him a break and a night off to rest his back, to regroup and come back."
Roenick, 36, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract in July, is averaging 15:24 of ice time in 28 games and has one goal and five assists and is minus-9. However, he said he's happy enough with his production and the Coyotes that "I'm not going to retire in the middle of the year and quit on anybody."
And, according to Gretzky, the Coyotes don't plan to force him out, either.
"I'm never going to tell him to do anything [regarding his career]," Gretzky said. "I have too much respect for what he's done for the game and how much he loves the game."
| Doesn't surprise me here really sense the Coyotes now he won't be the team next year and has no real purpose and plus he isn't really have a spectalur season, so there better of realesing him and doing him a favour.
Thoughts? |
12-14-2006, 02:18 PM
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