Au Revoir Mike Cammalleri

Stunning news out of Montreal as the Canadiens have traded Forward Mike Cammalleri, Goaltender Karri Ramo and 5^th round pick to the Calgary Flames for Rene Bourque, Patrick Holland and next year's 2^nd rounder. This comes almost exactly 24 hours after Cammalleri made some ugly but some say truthful comments about the state of the most famous franchise in hockey.

"I can't accept that we will display a losing attitude as we're doing this year. We prepare for our games like losers. We play like losers. So it's no wonder why we lose.”

Yes it is an absolute circus in Montreal right now with hiring Randy Cunneyworth and some of the comments of owner Geoff Molson, but such words from a player of the ilk of Cammalleri should never be uttered to the media. No matter what the situation is.

It appears Mike Cammalleri lost the room.

Whether you play 35 seconds a night or you make 9 million bucks a year when you are in the room you are an equal and those are your brothers and you must always have their back. Clearly I am speaking from a standpoint of rec league hockey but everything through books and such things as 24/7 I have seen, the dynamic isn't inherently different except they drive nicer cars to a way nicer rink and wear way nicer clothes.

When you are part of a team, it doesn’t matter who you are outside it matters who you are on that ice and to those guys. You must be dependable, loyal and must always have your teammates back. This is why comments like these are so damning, how can a teammate ever look at him the same way?

These comments that Mike made, were told to the wrong people, they would have been best served for in the room or at the very least in the coaches office. Intentional or not this is where he messed up, he broke a trust and threw his boys under the bus. No matter what you gotta be good in the room.

- Joe DeTolve
goodintheroom.blogspot.com